Game Preview: Bears vs. Packers
There’s nothing better than a physical and gritty football game against your historic rival to get the NFL week started. These games can be the difference between making the playoffs and sitting at home watching from their couches. The Bears and Packers games mean so much more than that. This rivalry dates all the way back to 1921. This will be the 195th time that these teams have gone up against each other, including playoffs, and the record is currently tied at 94-94-6. It is also the third straight season in which the Packers will be hosting the Bears on Thursday Night Football. There is a lot on the line this game, and I think the Bears are up for the challenge.
The Bears last road victory came in Green Bay, back in 2015. It was Thanksgiving night, and also the night of Brett Favre’s jersey retirement, definitely not the dream scenario for Chicago. However, the Bears would not let the hype get the best of them. The Bears went into halftime the Bears were leading 14-13, and only a total of three points were scored between the two teams in the second half. The Bears defense was able to shut out the Packers the entire second half, which included a goal-line stand in the final seconds of the game. This was the first time that Jay Cutler had ever won at Lambeau Field.
As of right now, it has not been clearly stated whether Mike Glennon or Mitchell Trubisky will be the starter, but it can be assumed that Glennon will at least start on Thursday night. Whether he finishes the game as the starter is to be determined. Recently when Jon Fox was asked if Glennon would start this week, after only passing for 101 yards and an interception, he stated that “We’re not going to announce our starting lineup until pretty close to game time. But I think that would be a fairly proper assessment.” That doesn’t sound like the John Fox of past weeks that defended Glennon through thick and thin.
Glennon only had 22 attempts against the Steelers, compared to the 40 and 45 attempts he had the previous two weeks, thanks to the Bears run game. The Bears rushed for 220 yards on 38 carries with an average of 5.8 yards a carry, and had at least 100 rushing yards in both the first and second half. The Packers are allowing an average of 5.4 yards per carry. If the Bears backfield can continue to run the ball as they did last week, they should be able to keep their defense and the Packers offense off the field longer. It looks like Josh Sitton might be able to return this week which would be a huge upgrade for the offensive line. I’m sure Sitton would love to have the chance to play against his former team.
The Bears secondary looked great against the Steelers potent offense last week. Vic Fangio implemented a cornerback rotation and it seemed to work great. Prince Amukamara, Kyle Fuller, and Marcus Cooper all looked impressive and had some big-time pass deflections in critical moments of the game. Going up against Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant is no easy task, but they handled it very nicely and it was probably the key on defense to the Bears victory. The Packers should not underestimate their rivals. The Bears special teams group, Sherrick McManis in particular, was firing on all cylinders. McManis recovered a muffed punt by Eli Rogers and was able to block the Steelers field goal attempt in the second quarter in which Marcus Cooper was able to grab and almost return for a touchdown, but we will not get into his drastic mistake, which led to a field goal.
Last week Rodgers threw his second pick-six of his career. I would assume he will try to avoid any more interceptions at all. I’m sure Rodgers remembers Leonard Floyd who had a strip sack for a touchdown last season. Vic Fangio will need to come up with clever ways to put pressure on Rodgers, even though he is still just as deadly, if not more so, on the run. Safety Quintin Demps is out indefinitely with a broken left arm so Adrian Amos, Eddie Jackson, and company will need to step up, make big plays, and cover the back end of the field where Chicago has struggled last year.
This will be a game that will be talked about for the rest of the season and possibly next year. Will the Bears win back to back games at Lambeau Field? Will the Packers move to last place in the NFC North? Will the Bears be able to contain Aaron Rodgers and Ty Montgomery? Will Mitchell Trubisky make his rookie debut on a national stage?
Final Score Prediction:
Bears: 24
Packers: 21
PS: Sunday was the first time in more than a decade that the Bears, Cubs, and White Sox all won on the same day. Go Chicago!
AROUND COVER32
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