Thread: Matt Bowen breaks down NFC championship game

Matt Bowen breaks down NFC championship game

Bears and Packers both bring more strengths than weaknesses to counter each other


For a Glenbard West graduate who grew up following the Bears, began his career playing for Lovie Smith with the Rams and played for the Packers, the NFC championship game will be a heck of an event.

Matt Bowen will be tuned in from Mobile, Ala., where he's flying Sunday morning for the Senior Bowl.

"I had no idea we'd be looking at Bears-Packers in the title game," he said.

The Tribune talked with Bowen to get a closer look at Sunday's game.


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The Packers have done a number on the Bears wide receivers before, and they also have clamped down on tight end Greg Olsen in previous meetings. Play Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers. Who do you want to stop and how?

I'm going to go after Olsen and take him completely out of the game because the rest of the Packers DBs, especially their nickel personnel, can win against Johnny Knox and Devin Hester. That doesn't mean they can win all the time but the majority of the time. Olsen is the type of tight end the Bears can use creatively, remove him from the formation, get him down the field vertically like we saw against the Seahawks versus the safety. I think Capers will say, "OK, I'm going to put Charles Woodson, my best defensive player, on Olsen and force you to beat me in other areas.''

The Packers have had success running against the Bears. Can they run with James Starks against the Bears' Cover-2?

I don't think anyone can run the ball on the Bears right now. I know Starks is getting a lot of hype and he blew up the Eagles, but there is a reason they are at home. If the Bears can't stop the run with their front seven, which I believe they will do, that will be huge for the Packers. If you can keep those two safeties deep, which you do in Cover-2, and let your linebackers chase down the running game, that is an advantage. The Bears up front are too tough versus this Packers offensive line. They will get penetration and you will see Brian Urlacher running to the football.

Jay Cutler ran for 43 yards against the Seahawks and had 37 rushing yards against the Packers in the first meeting. Why is he a threat to tuck and run this time?

Any time you play Cover-1 and play your corners in a press alignment and your pressure does not contain the quarterback, you're asking for trouble. Cutler is not Michael Vick, but he's athletic enough where he can pick up 10, 12, 15 yards. Start putting those things together, and all of a sudden you're at midfield. It's a killer for the defense.

Jermichael Finley had 115 receiving yards against the Bears in the first meeting before a knee injury cost him the rest of the season. How did Aaron Rodgers replace him?

I don't think he replaced him, he just has spread the ball around a lot more. James Jones has made big plays, Jordy Nelson has become more involved. Everyone knows what Donald Driver can do. He's the most reliable player in the NFL. Greg Jennings is a legit No. 1. From an X's and O's standpoint, I think we'll see them line up Jennings inside as the No. 3 receiver. That puts Jennings down the middle of the field versus Urlacher in Cover-2. You're trying to get speed on the linebackers and safeties versus Cover-2, so that is a tough matchup. That forces the safeties to lean inside a little bit, and when you lean inside in Cover-2, that opens up the sidelines.

Mike Tice put seventh-round pick J'Marcus Webb at right tackle and moved Chris Williams, who everyone else thought was a left tackle, to guard. The line finished last in the league in sacks allowed, but when you look at the body of work from Week 1 to now, how do you evaluate it?

It's what you expect from a guy who has been a head coach. Tice knows what he's doing. He's coaching the O-line, which is his bread and butter, but he has that head coach mentality and he's making the right decisions for his team. All of those moves he made, he has gotten this line to play better. At the end of the season, the arrow should be pointing up. That's a sign of good coaching.

Besides Cutler, who could be a difference-maker for the Bears?

I want to say Devin Hester, but Packers coach Mike McCarthy is too smart to kick to him. The deciding factor for the Bears is Earl Bennett because if the Bears can get rid of the ball versus that pressure and work routes inside the numbers, Bennett could have a huge game. When they pressure, you throw the ball the shortest distance, and that means to the inside guys. If they have Woodson on Olsen, that means Bennett is on a No. 3 corner, and I would expect him to win.