'Jaws' attacks Packers' 'D'

'Jaws' attacks Packers' 'D'
December 23
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Bob Wolfley
"ESPN's Ron Jaworski brought a cudgel to the telecast of the Green Bay Packers' game against the Chicago Bears on Monday night, but he didn't have much occasion to swing it.

The Packers' defense didn't play badly enough to let him.

Before the start of the game, Green Bay's third appearance on "Monday Night Football" this season, Jaworski put the blame of the Packers' lost season on their defense.

"Certainly, the offense has had its share of woes," Jaworski said. "But it has been the defense that really has been the problem in Green Bay. The last time we saw Green Bay they were 5-5. At that point their defense was playing pretty good. Since then, they are giving up 32.5 points per game. You look at their defense now, it's a lack of discipline. No gap control. Lack of communication. Certainly there have been injuries. Atari Bigby goes out. That hurts. Nick Barnett goes out. Cullen Jenkins earlier. But there is no excuse for the way this defense is playing right now."

But the Packers' defense, a resistable force, was up to the task of dealing with the Bears' offense, an immovable object.

When the Packers had driven to the Chicago 15 at the end of the second quarter, play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico summarized the numbers.

"In plays, in yards, in first downs - which are now 13-2 - the Packers are beating up the Bears," Tirico said.

"It looks like the Packers are the team with the sense of purpose playing for the playoffs," Jaworski answered.

A few moments later, Jaworski was more adamant about the Bears' circumstance.

"They better wake up," Jaworski said. "They are getting dusted right here."

By the third quarter, Jaworski had discovered the Packers' defensive approach to the Bears' offense.

"The Green Bay defense is daring the Bears to beat them passing," Jaworski said.

When the Bears stalled moving the ball again in the third quarter, Tirico offered praise for the most maligned unit in Green Bay.

"This Green Bay defense, which has been a punching bag in a couple of the last games, has shown up here," Tirico said.

But near the end regulation, Green Bay's defense could not keep Matt Forte from getting a first down by the nose of the football and then a touchdown to tie the score.

Analyst Tony Kornheiser, for his part, completed the trifecta. For the third game, he took up the issue of Brett Favre's departure from Green Bay, mentioning it multiple times."
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