WST Podcast 1.18.11 Part 1

Duration: 21:45

Topics:

• A look back at Aaron Rodgers and Packers’ perfect performance in Atlanta last Saturday.
• Packers vs Bears NFC Championship preview

• What factors are key to a Packers victory?

• What match-ups will be key?

• Is Soldier Field’s poor condition a cause for concern?

The Bears signing of Mike Martz shows one thing. That they are desperate to improve their team. Who wouldn’t want to? The Bears traded away two of their first round picks for a quarterback that was a total disappointment.  Jay Cutler threw the most interceptions out of any QB (26) and finished with an un-impressive quarterback rating of 76.8.  Who knows? Maybe Cutler had a bad year due to the lack of talent that surrounds him (other than Greg Olson and Johnny Knox). Or maybe Cutler was glorified by his time in Denver.  Maybe Cutler really isn’t that good. Spending 2 first round picks was a very high investment that did not pay dividends. To exacerbate the Bears position even more, they traded away their highest pick in the upcoming draft for Gaines Adams, who died shortly after. RIP.
Thirdly, Matt Forte, who had a solid rookie season, pretty much did the opposite in this 2009 season with only four total touchdowns. It looks to be that Forte had a fluke of a rookie year.
With all of this in mind, it seems that the Bears only chance at success will either be shown in beneficial free agent pick ups or changes in personnel.  So far Chicago has taken the latter approach. The Bears just signed one of the extremely aggressive Mike Martz, who may in fact make the team better for quite a few reasons.
1. Lovie and Martz have a great relationship. The two were very successful in St. Louis together and Martz’s offense was once named “The greatest show on turf.”
2.  The rest of the receivers are almost sure to put up bigger numbers.  While Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, and Johnny Knox are nothing like Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, and As-Zahir Hakim, I would say that those receivers should be able to be larger threats than they were under Ron Turner.

3. Martz could utillize Greg Olson and make him a big difference maker.

While all these are reasons the Bears could improve, it is my theory that Bears will still suck.  A team can have the best personnel in the world, but if there’s no talent to back it up, then there will be no chance at victory.  I believe a safe prediction can be that the Vikings will once again be the only threat to the Packers in the NFC North…. Unless the Bears sign ‘out of this world’ free agents.