Olson: Postseason prospects dim

The Green Bay Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers (1left) throws a pass over Bears linebacker Lance Briggs during the second half Sunday in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 37-3

By Eric Olson

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Bears players looked shocked after the game Sunday.

If you watched the Green Bay Packers annihilate them, 37-3, at Lambeau Field, you know why.

Quarterback Kyle Orton put it well enough.

"You could go around to every position group on the entire team, and we stunk it up," Orton said. "I stunk it up. I just look at myself. Obviously, when you get beat by 30 points, you don't have to look too far. I just look at myself and say 'I've got to get better.' "

The unspoken part of that thought was "or we won't make the playoffs." And a playoff berth for this club looks increasingly unlikely.

Even after a 34-point beat-down in which the Packers dominated every phase of the game, some players and coaches mentioned that the team was in a first-place tie.

Maybe it made them feel better.

After all, it's easier to think about how you're still in first place than to wonder what the defense has to do to keep receivers from coming so wide open in the middle of the field.

Or to question why the defense seems to be in decline despite having so many players who recently signed long-term deals.

Or to wonder why Matt Forte ran for only 64 yards against the NFL's 28th-ranked run defense.

Or to think about telling Devin Hester to just run straight ahead and quit trying to be so flashy on kick returns because it's just not working any more.

And the Bears are tied for first on the mediocrity merry-go-round that is the NFC North Division.

The 5-5 Bears have beaten 5-5 Minnesota. Minnesota has beaten the 5-5 Packers. And the Packers have beaten the Vikings and beat the Bears on Sunday (to put it politely.) All the wins went to the home team.

Would 9-7 win the North this year? Maybe.

But the Bears seem to be the team least likely to get it done. After the past two weeks, they look like they might be lucky to get to 7-9.

Two weeks ago, the Bears were the team to beat in the division. They were 5-3 and had two opportunities for big wins that would make a statement to their rivals.

Instead, they've fallen apart.

The Bears were beaten every which way on Sunday, but defensive coordinator Bob Babich's unit again was Bummer Number One.

And Babich seems to be running out of answers.

"There's a lot of things that went on, ok? It starts with me," Babich said.

OK. Agreed. And?

"We just didn't stop the run, we didn't do anything well today, and as leader of the unit, you know, I'm in charge of the unit," he said.

Yes, you are.

"We've got to play better and we will play better," he said. "Our players have a lot of pride, a lot of character and we will get it taken care of."

I'm not sure that their pride and character necessarily mean they'll play better somehow. Maybe they'll just continue to play lousy and feel bad about it. You know, kind of like the past two Sundays?

This week the defense allowed only 224 passing yards to Aaron Rodgers, who finished 23 for 30 (77 percent completion rate) with a touchdown and a passer rating of 105.8.

The Bears also allowed 200 rushing yards, 145 of them to Ryan Grant.

But Babich is very confident things will turn.

"It has been has been a very disappointing couple weeks," Babich said. "It's been an up-and-down season as we go along here. We do have good football players, guys that have a lot of pride and play with a lot of pride, we've just got to make sure, we've got to get it corrected."

Good luck picking up the pieces, coach.

� Eric Olson is the Northwest Herald's sports editor. Reach him at 815-526-4554, or e-mail eolson@nwherald.com.

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Olson: Postseason prospects dim

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