After their debacle in a heavy home defeat to their biggest rivals, the Chicago Bears find themselves once again in a situation in which their defense is questioned, and the call for their head coach to start using a more aggressive pass rush package beginning from now.
Aaron Rodgers picked the Bears apart without anything remotely close to pressure coming at him. The Bears were playing without Jared Allen, and still chose to keep on throwing just a four man pass rush at Rodgers, sending extra pressure on just 10 plays during that game. They lost 17-38, as Aaron Rodgers finished the game with four touchdown passes.
According to head coach Marc Trestman, who is known as an offensive mastermind but not too much of a defensive expert, it’s impossible to do just one thing against Rodgers because blitzing him doesn’t necessarily guarantee results. Still, the Bears tried something all game long and failed, yet kept going in the same way, making it quite easy for the Packers and Rodgers to keep on the shredding which reached something of a humiliating level at some point.
The Bears don’t have the front seven the Detroit Lions have, which made it impossible for the Packers a week earlier. The Packers were held to just seven points because the Lions could pressure him, stop the run and create plenty of third-and-long situations. The Bears don’t have that luxury or talent, but simply using a zone defense and sitting back while Rodgers flawlessly finds open receiver time after time with ample seconds to make good decisions just doesn’t make sense.
The Bears’ next opponents are the Carolina Panthers, who have their own struggles: Cam Newton is playing hurt and has been sacked 10 times so far this season, sixth in the NFL. He’s not the passer or quick thinker Rodgers is, and if there was ever a quarterback who seemed vulnerable to pass rushes right now, it’s Newton.