After pulling off a wild Week 1 win, the Chicago Bears will attempt to accomplish one thing Sunday evening they haven’t since 2015 — win at Lambeau Field.
The Bears have misplaced six straight to the Green Bay Packers and 11 of 12 however will attempt to flip the tide in coach Matt Eberflus’ first style of the rivalry.
As kickoff approaches, right here’s our snapshot take a look at the sport.
1. Player within the highlight
Aaron Rodgers
Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams has a message for his gamers this week.
“Don’t drink the Kool-Aid of what the media is trying to sell that there’s gloom and doom in Green Bay,” Williams stated. “Don’t fall into that trap.”
Rodgers is within the highlight of most each Bears-Packers sport given his 23-5 document within the collection, however this time it’s as a result of the Packers are coming off a 23-7, season-opening loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Rodgers threw an interception and misplaced a fumble. With Packers offensive linemen David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins sidelined, the Vikings sacked Rodgers 4 instances. And rookie large receiver Christian Watson dropped what may have been a 75-yard landing cross.
But Williams desires his gamers to stay cognizant of Rodgers’ means to bounce again from a loss, together with final 12 months’s 38-3 season-opening defeat to the New Orleans Saints. The Packers gained their subsequent seven video games.
Rodgers is in new territory enjoying with out longtime prime receiver Davante Adams, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Packers additionally performed with out large receiver Allen Lazard, and Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson stated the absences confirmed on movie.
“They’re really learning,” Johnson stated. “You can see that (the receivers) are not in the spots that he would want them to be. You can tell that he’s not as comfortable as he’s been in the previous years. But I definitely feel like they’re going to improve. So I’m not looking for those same mess-ups or anything like that this coming week.”
Williams believes the quarterback will assist his teammates alongside.
“Don’t underestimate the power of great leadership,” Williams stated. “He is a great leader, and he will get those guys into shape. What we’re trying to do is to block out everything else and focus on the task at hand, which is improving each week, follow the process, stay the course.”
2. Pressing query
Can Justin Fields and the Bears offense construct on their Week 1 second half?
Despite an unsightly first half within the Bears’ Week 1 win over the San Francisco 49ers, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy appreciated quarterback Justin Fields’ mindset.
“I was really impressed by how he handled every situation,” Getsy stated, “the way in which we had been capable of speak about what occurred on the sphere while you’re backed up after which he throws an interception.
“That whole time, that dude was stone cold. He was ready to go. There was no ‘woe is me’ at all in that young man.”
Fields’ ultimate numbers weren’t nice: 121 passing yards and two touchdowns, one interception and 28 speeding yards. But he helped spark the Bears to 3 consecutive landing drives within the second half to salvage the win.
Now the Bears are going up in opposition to a Packers protection that Vikings large receiver Justin Jefferson destroyed on the way in which to 9 catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bears don’t have a participant like Jefferson, however they’re hopeful they will benefit from Packers errors to make progress within the passing sport. Only working again David Montgomery had multiple catch Sunday.
“There are a lot of explosive plays that can be made,” Bears large receiver Darnell Mooney stated. “They kind of got confused on certain things. But last year they were 0-1 (after) Week 1 and they went on to win seven games. You can’t focus on Week 1 at all. You’ve got to go out there and play ball.”
3. Keep an eye fixed on…
Williams had an fascinating identify for the Packers’ two-headed run menace of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, who mixed for 94 speeding yards and a landing in opposition to the Vikings. They additionally had eight catches for 73 yards.
“We call them ‘thickians.’ That means they have thicker lower bodies,” Williams stated. “They can transfer the pile. Good soar cuts. They have nice imaginative and prescient. They can catch the soccer. They defend nicely. Two very full backs. Two backs that may change the ballgame. Two backs that may transfer the sticks.
“So we’re going to have our hands full in terms of where that’s concerned. We’re going to have to bring extra guys to make sure we stop those two. We need six, seven, eight guys to take care of those two guys.”
It may not be the heavy downpours of the Bears-49ers sport, however climate reviews predict some rain may fall at Lambeau Field on Sunday evening. We’ll see if that adjustments both crew’s sport plan.
4. Odds and ends
Three outstanding members of the Bears offense are returning to Lambeau Field for the primary time since switching sides within the rivalry.
Getsy labored for the Packers for seven seasons, most not too long ago because the passing sport coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Center Lucas Patrick performed in 73 video games over 5 seasons in Green Bay. And large receiver Equanimeous St. Brown had 37 catches for 543 yards over three seasons with the Packers.
Getsy stated it’s extra enjoyable than emotional to return to Green Bay, the place he obtained his begin within the NFL in 2014.
“We had an unbelievable time up there,” Getsy stated. “We have so many friends in that town. That’s the part where it was hard to leave, the friendships that you have with the people of Green Bay. And obviously the people in the organization. Three of my sons love ball — I mean love ball. So they quickly were all about Justin Fields.”
5. Injury report
Patrick may stay in a proper guard rotation with Teven Jenkins as he wears a forged whereas recovering from a proper thumb harm. Getsy stated he thought the rotation went nicely and benefited each gamers, although he wouldn’t decide to it this week. Patrick stated he’s comfy with it.
“My first few years in the league I was a rotational inside guy, so I understand internally how to prepare myself to go in at a moment’s notice or come out at a moment’s notice,” Patrick stated. “I’ve gone in for guys when their shoelaces popped and run four plays and come out. And I’ve gone in when guys unfortunately don’t return to finish the game. So another scenario I have a lot of banked reps at.”
Bears rookie large receiver/returner Velus Jones Jr., who missed the opener, missed observe Thursday as he continues to battle a hamstring harm.
For the Packers, Bakhtiari (knee) and guard Jon Runyan (concussion) missed observe Thursday, whereas Jenkins (knee) and Lazard (ankle) had been restricted.
Predictions
Brad Biggs (0-1)
The final time the Packers misplaced consecutive regular-season video games, the Bears had been 12 video games into the Matt Nagy regime. That was a very long time in the past. The Packers are in search of consistency with younger large receivers, and accidents complicate issues for the offensive line defending Aaron Rodgers. The Bears have their very own challenges on offense, and it’s onerous to think about Rodgers and Co. looking of kinds once more after a tough begin on the street in opposition to the Vikings.
Packers 24, Bears 17
Colleen Kane (0-1)
I’m with Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams: Don’t let the Packers’ season-opening loss to the Vikings idiot you. Aaron Rodgers is Aaron Rodgers, and whereas he may be adjusting to life with out Davante Adams, he at all times appears to discover a option to will the Packers to victory. At least in opposition to the Bears, who appear to attract out his motivation. The Bears offense nonetheless has so much to show, and so they don’t have a Justin Jefferson to tear up the Packers protection. The Bears’ rivalry dropping streak is more likely to proceed.
Packers 23, Bears 17
Dan Wiederer (0-1)
Aaron Rodgers has 5 Week 1 losses on his profession resume however has by no means began 0-2. Even with so many shifting elements round him — a younger and reshuffled receiving corps, an injury-riddled line, new offensive assistants — Rodgers has a knack for figuring issues out. He additionally has a knack for getting as much as face the Bears. Yes, Matt Eberflus’ crew is concentrated and feisty sufficient to maintain this sport aggressive. Bu they may have just a few extra steps to go earlier than they’re able to win a high-profile street sport in opposition to a championship contender.
Packers 24, Bears 13
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Source: www.bostonherald.com