Our buddy Jay Glazer, reporting from Soldier Field while trying not to get, you know, stepped on, says that the playing surface “is a mess.”
He says that four inches of snow fell overnight. After the snow was “squeegied” off the tarp and the tarp was then removed, the field (per Glazer) initially “looked beautiful.”
Glazer said the worst areas are outside the numbers and in the south end zone, where the field converts from grass to “painted mud.”
Glazer explains that Packers coach Mike McCarthy promptly called a friend in Seattle last weekend to get more info about the status of the field, where the Seahawks played last weekend. Receiver Greg Jennings. who’ll wear 5/8″ cleats, told Glazer that “this is terrible out here.”
It plays into the Bears’ hands. Glazer said that coach Lovie Smith wants his players to talk about the field “as much as you can,” so that the opponent will think about it. Smith said the condition of the playing surface isn’t, and won’t be a problem for the Bears.
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home field advantage…I see no problems with it.
Just play the Damn game!! Its football!
Anyone who says it is an advantage for the Bears is dreaming. Unless the Bears are going to be using a different surface than the Packers, the Packers could just as easily be better at playing on a bad surface than the Bears. If I am wrong show me some evidence!
Sapp: “…painted dirt”.
Of course it is – the Bears have gotten every break possible this year.
Won’t matter – Pack still get the job done, 27-17.
Hell…..It’s football in Chicago in the middle of the winter, just play the damn game…
We need to not worry about it one bit. Back of your mind, Pack. Back of your mind. Our mind should be on football. PERIOD! Head games won’t work on us. We’ve come to play. We’ve come to WIN.
Right. The field won’t be a problem for the Bears, but Aaron Rodgers will be.
Not surprised at all. When the Bears play in the Super Bowl on a field not made of mush, they will get MASSACRED.
In the first phases of the looming psychological war, Lovie has had all the signs outside the stadium changed to “Soldier’s Mess Hall”. He has gone on air to emphasize the battle with be won in “the trenches and the foxholes” and wax eloquent about “hand to hand combat in the mud and the blood”.
Too bad the Packers are built for speed. The wonderful playing surface should do wonders in slowing down the Packers Wide Receivers.
until the first fumble or slip then chicago will be crying foul
Their field is what we thought it was.
Jesus Christ, it’s football!!! Just shut up and play the game.
Did Lombardi ever say ” Damn, it looks like a frozen tundra. We cant play on this” ?
Do people really expect a well manicured outfield in January in one of the colder cities of the NFL ?
This is not soccer where they actually play football using the foot and passing can be a problem on fields like these.
Because Soldier Field is owned by the City of Chicago, I thought it was the NFL that was required to enforce proper field conditions. If the field is truly ‘ a mess’, somone in the league office needs to be shown the door.
Pop warner kids don’t have an NFL grounds crew taking care of their fields but they don’t complain. Quit complaining, you get paid to play football yet these little kids are tougher than you.
bla. field looks good.
Pity the NFL let this happen.
The Bears have not beat a .500+ team all year away from home. What does that tell you? The field is disgustingly bad. I have seen the Eagles, Jets, and Seahawks all slip there way to loses in that crap. At some point the NFL should step in and say fix this crap.
Its crap for the bears too but if you practice on it you have a big advantage.
Doesn’t seem to be bothering the Pack.
Everything in the game of football has advanced… It’s absolutely ridiculous that a conference championship game is played on this mess of a football field. Also the league is so worried about player safety but they will allow players to play on a field where the footing is terrible… Another thought is how could these owners allow their players that they play millions of dollars to go out and play on a field like this… one where you can potentially tear up a knee due to horrible footing…. The league should mandate that every NFL stadium have field turn installed!!!
Looks like it’s really hurting the Packers… all the talk we hear about the tradition and greatness of the Bears, blah, blah, blah and this is the best they can do with the field? Pathetic.
Postpone the game until Tuesday again…..ugh
If Chitcago can’t figure out how to maintain a safe field they should be shut down.
What a joke.
But then again, the team is a joke, the fat QB is a joke, the coach is a joke, why shouldn’t the field be a joke?