Let’s be honest. Everybody knew it was going to end up like this. If the Chicago Bears were going to give themselves a chance to reach the postseason, they’d end up having to go through the Green Bay Packers to do it. That means Aaron Rodgers. A man who has owned them for his entire career. A man who relishes driving a stake in their hearts at every opportunity. It seems horribly fitting.
If the Bears really are for real, they’ll have to prove it against the best. There was some hope out there that Green Bay might end up resting their starters next Sunday. That hope went out the window this weekend. A Seattle Seahawks win over the Los Angeles Rams keeps them in the race for the #1 overall pick. That means the Packers must win their final two games of the season to ensure themselves homefield advantage in the playoffs.
One way or another, Rodgers will play Chicago at Soldier Field next week.
This is not something Bears fans are excited about for obvious reasons. The Packers have beaten them three-straight times since the end of 2018. Their last meeting was the ugly affair at Lambeau Field with Green Bay crushing them 41-25. A game that saw the defense completely outclassed across four quarters. Given how shaky they’ve looked at times for the past month, it’s hard to say if they can do any better the second time around.
It would fall to the Bears offense to somehow pick up the slack. Something that isn’t always a given against the Packers. Mitch Trubisky has played very well the past three weeks but he was intercepted twice by Green Bay in their last meeting. He’d need to have one of the best games of his season in order to outduel Rodgers.
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Aaron Rodgers will be seeking blood next Sunday
He’s made a habit out of ruining the year for Bears fans. He beat them in the NFC championship game in 2010. Then he cost them the division title in the season finale in 2013 on that Randall Cobb Hail Mary. Last year he handed Chicago the decisive loss that basically knocked them out of the playoff chase. Nothing would delight him more than twisting the knife a little further.
Now the Bears don’t necessarily need to beat Green Bay to be assured a playoff spot. If the Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals next weekend, it would put Chicago in regardless of what happens against the Packers. That said, it’s never been a wise idea for this team to rely on others to provide help. They can’t afford to put their fate in the hands of a team that just got done losing two-straight, including one to the Jets.
To win, it will come down to execution.
The Bears have found their identity. It’s running the ball and using play action to help Trubisky. Green Bay has allowed at least 100 yards on the ground in seven of their last 10 games. A big reason they thumped the Bears in the first meeting was turnovers. They got three of them. Chicago got none. Beating Aaron Rodgers is impossible under those conditions.
Playing hard isn’t enough. If the Bears want to win, they need to play smart and efficient. The Packers make teams pay for their every mistake. Matt Nagy needs to have his guys prepared. Otherwise the results will be the same.