# Packers v. Bears: NFC Championship Game. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 21, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478 "2011-01-21T18:18:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/321 "2011-01-24T16:59:16Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > The Sun Times is reporting that Cutler has an torn MCL. There was no doubt in my mind that the doctor was going to find something wrong in the knee. > > And I am really enjoying listening to Chicago sports talk radio. It was just really interesting how othe current NFL players were so quick to get on Cutler without knowing anything. I am thinking of having a BBQ pit Contest, the best Dio-esque Super Bowl Preditiction Post ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/322 "2011-01-24T17:38:30Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > This I probably could agree with. Of course, this isn’t the insanity you post that I originally took exception with. The most glaring part of the insanity is that the “good Cutler” would have shown up “on any other day.” > > We’re agreed that the premise involves Rodgers playing as crappy as he did today. The idea that given this, the Bears would have beaten them easily on any other day? Yeah, insanity. Excluding the Patriots game, it’s been pretty much all Good Cutler since the bye week. Hell, just last week he was on top of his game. I know it was against the Seahawks, but he was still playing great. If it had been that Cutler out their last night, the game would’ve been a lot different. But really, that wasn’t the point of my post at all. The point is that every QB has a bad day, Rodgers included, and he was lucky that it happened to fall on the same day that Cutler crapped out. That wasn’t the game I wanted to see. I wanted to see both of them playing like they were last week (well, maybe Rodgers could play a little worse). ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/323 "2011-01-24T17:38:46Z")
Eh, I guess the logic is “if you can walk, you can play QB better than Collins/Haney” ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/324 "2011-01-24T17:49:11Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I am thinking of having a BBQ pit Contest, the best Dio-esque Super Bowl Preditiction Post I can only pray that at some point, no flag is thrown while a Packer O-lineman blatantly holds James Harrison. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/325 "2011-01-24T17:49:52Z")
It’s pretty much a guarantee to happen every play. The holding I mean. But it will never be flagged. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/326 "2011-01-24T17:57:12Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > I can only pray that at some point, no flag is thrown while a Packer O-lineman blatantly holds James Harrison. Oh dear, its like the immovable object of Dio refereee fantasies versus the rock that is the SteelerFans James Harrison always gets held, never called meme. The Internets may not survive. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/327 "2011-01-24T18:12:39Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Excluding the Patriots game, it’s been pretty much all Good Cutler since the bye week. Hell, just last week he was on top of his game. I know it was against the Seahawks, but he was still playing great. If it had been that Cutler out their last night, the game would’ve been a lot different. And if it had been that Rodgers, the game wouldn’t have even been close. I really don’t want to talk you out of liking Cutler, I’m glad the Bears gave up 2 first rounders, a third rounder, and a QB for him and put him behind a makeshift O Line. But I think he’s not now, and likely not going to be, a great QB. Don’t get me wrong, he’ll be fine, but I think his head will continue to keep him from becoming great. He couldn’t make Martz’s offense work, so they changed Martz’s offense to better suit what Jay does. I’m not sure he has the desire to put in the hard work it takes to truly be successful as an NFL QB. When he’s Good Jay, he’s very good. When he’s Bad Jay, he’s awful bad. But even Average Jay doesn’t do it for me. There’s a reason he was the 16th rated QB this year and 21st rated last year. He makes bad decisions and expects his God given talents to save him every time, which it doesn’t always. It works when he’s playing the Seahawks, or the Vikings, but it doesn’t always work against great defenses. It will be interesting to see when we can decide whether his potential continues to outweigh his production, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/328 "2011-01-24T18:14:03Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > I can only pray that at some point, no flag is thrown while a Packer O-lineman blatantly holds James Harrison. When? James Harrison is held ON EVERY SINGLE PLAY!!! ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/329 "2011-01-24T18:20:50Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > It sucks it had to end this way, but this season was the first one in a while to give fans hope that they can be a great team again. It didn’t happen this year, but we can say “Maybe next year” and really mean it this time. I wish I could share your optimism, but I think this year was the last, best chance for a number of key players who are clearly well past their respective primes. The Defense in particular looked old and slow yesterday, and they’re only going to get older and slower. They’re sure to draw a much tougher schedule next season, and I predict a big letdown followed by some major personnel changes and several “rebuilding” years. I do hope I’m wrong, though. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/330 "2011-01-24T18:24:20Z")
I am really happiest for Donal Driver, finally getting his shot at a Super Bowl ring. He is the all-time Packers leading reciever, unselfish and tough as nails. He has proven to be a great mentor to James Jones, Greg Jennings, and Jordy Nelson. When all is said and done he may go down as the second greatest Packer reciever of all time (behind Don Hutson). ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/331 "2011-01-24T18:33:55Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I am really happiest for Donal Driver, finally getting his shot at a Super Bowl ring. He is the all-time Packers leading reciever, unselfish and tough as nails. He has proven to be a great mentor to James Jones, Greg Jennings, and Jordy Nelson. When all is said and done he may go down as the second greatest Packer reciever of all time (behind Don Hutson). When all is said and done, he may go down as the third greatest Packer receiver of all time. You are forgetting by then Greg Jennings will have torched the Steelers secondary for five touches and 250 yards in Dallas. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/332 "2011-01-24T18:35:29Z")
> [@villa](#): > > When all is said and done, he may go down as the third greatest Packer receiver of all time. You are forgetting by then Greg Jennings will have torched the Steelers secondary for five touches and 250 yards in Dallas. 😃 While aiding a woman fan give birth, inventing a cure for cancer, and balancing the national budget! ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/333 "2011-01-24T18:39:31Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > While aiding a woman fan give birth, inventing a cure for cancer, and balancing the national budget! Yet even he cannot get the Cubbies to win the World Series… ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/334 "2011-01-24T19:06:23Z")
> [@Mince](#): > > Sure, I get it. They want equivalent action on both sides. Then they rake in the dough. And usually they do that by making the better team the favorite and adjusting based on betting trends. I just can’t understand how they can favor the Pack against a Steeler team who has at least as good of a defense as the Bears and a much better offense. The betting line does not reflect the thoughts of a handful of guys – it reflects the aggregate opinion of the tens or hundreds of thousands of bettors on the game. Assuming the line stays at 2.5, that means that is the average margin as selected by everyone willing to put their money where their mouth is. Does anyone know if Cutler’s diabetes could play a factor here? Is it plausible that that might make team doctors more cautious with unknown injuries? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/335 "2011-01-24T19:10:59Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Does anyone know if Cutler’s diabetes could play a factor here? Is it plausible that that might make team doctors more cautious with unknown injuries? I’d honestly be very surprised if the fact that he’s diabetic played a role, one way or the other, on how they approached the fact that he had a knee injury of then-undetermined severity. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/336 "2011-01-24T19:23:20Z")
> [@furt](#): > > The betting line does not reflect the thoughts of a handful of guys – it reflects the aggregate opinion of the tens or hundreds of thousands of bettors on the game. Assuming the line stays at 2.5, that means that is the average margin as selected by everyone willing to put their money where their mouth is. Yes, but the line has to start somewhere, doesn’t it? And it starts where the guys in Vegas (or wherever that company is) decide to set it. I don’t know how much action is put down in the first 24 hours after the championship games, but I doubt it would be enough to move the line significantly in one direction or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/337 "2011-01-24T19:29:45Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > When all is said and done he may go down as the second greatest Packer reciever of all time (behind Don Hutson). _breaks bottle_ STERLING SHARPE! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/338 "2011-01-24T19:45:07Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > STERLING SHARPE! Sharpe had a bright, but brief career…he only played 7 seasons, retiring after suffering a neck injury. He does seem to now be a bit forgotten by Packer fans. I think that part of it was that, in most of his good years, the Packers were mediocre, at best. I think that those seasons got lost in the glare of the Packers’ success in the latter part of the '90s. He was Brett Favre’s favorite target in Favre’s early years with the Packers, but retired before the Packers went to the Super Bowl. Part of it also may be that, after some unflattering press coverage during his rookie season, Sharpe refused to talk to the media through the rest of his career, which may have affected his visibility with the public. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/339 "2011-01-24T19:53:00Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > I don’t know how much action is put down in the first 24 hours after the championship games, but I doubt it would be enough to move the line significantly in one direction or the other. If the opening line was way off what the bettors thought it should be, the books would find that out \*very _quickly and move it to limit their exposure. Since the opening lines are the most error prone (not having been corrected by the market), serious bettors will make sure to get a crack at them as soon as they come out. During the season, it’s not unusual_ to see a line get shoved \*hard \*in its first few hours – a team that’s available for -4 at 8 PM Sunday might be priced at -6.5 by 10:30. The first 24 hours (12, really) are when the odds are the most volatile. Anyway, the Super Bowl line [has been pretty stable](http://www.covers.com/sports/odds/linehistory.aspx?eventId=29167&sport=NFL) so far, just drifting a little bit towards Pitt. Now, my \*guess \*is that the line for a Super Bowl is a little more stubborn than other football lines (for a couple of reasons), but all the same, if the betting public thought that GB -2.5 was a howler, we’d already be down to -1.5 or less, since that’s a very narrow gap between those two numbers. Over the next two weeks, the line might keep drifting towards Pitt and settle as low as -1, or it might turn to GB and hit -3. It’ll probably change direction a couple of times, too. - –\> Relatively speaking, of course. The books are naturally quite adept at setting opening lines, so big swings in the line are just generally rare. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478/340 "2011-01-24T19:55:15Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > _breaks bottle_ > > STERLING SHARPE! LORD PALMERSTON!!! (Ooops, wrong argument). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/packers-v-bears-nfc-championship-game/568478.md?page=18)