The Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers game on Sunday has some pretty high stakes. A win for the Packers cements their grip on the NFC North and keeps them in the conversation for the #1 seed. A win for the Bears puts them one game behind Green Bay in the division with a chance to run the table against an easy schedule to get into the playoffs.
Two guys with a lot riding on this game are GM Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy. They’ve watched a 5-1 start to the season melt away to 5-5. Losing to the Packers would drop the team below .500, putting their jobs in serious danger with five games left to go. Everybody knows how seriously the McCaskey family takes losing to Green Bay.
Nagy is 1-3 against the arch-rivals and Pace is 2-8 as general manager. Emotions will be flowing in this one.
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Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers breakdown
Storylines:
The resurrection of Mitch Trubisky – People thought the Trubisky era was over when Nick Foles stepped in as the starter back in September. Fate seems to have intervened. Now the 26-year old quarterback has one last chance to resurrect his dying career as a starting NFL quarterback. The fact it comes against a team he’s beaten only once is rather fitting. What better way to either send a message or put to bed any lingering doubts.
Packers primetime ownership – It’s no secret the Packers have had the Bears’ number for a long time now. Never more so than in primetime games. Specifically the Sunday night affair. To date, the two teams have met seven times on Sunday Night Football since it became a thing. Green Bay is 6-1 in those games. Not exactly an even affair.
Injuries:
Akiem Hicks (hamstring) – One player who always seems to bring his best against the Packers is Hicks. He’s been a force once again this season for the Bears defense both against the run and as an interior pass rusher. Not having him in the middle threatens to expose an already weakened run defense. To say nothing of their hot-cold pass rush. Head coach Matt Nagy remains hopeful he can go.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Achilles) – While the Packers offense still runs through Davante Adams, the emergence of Valdes-Scantling as a deep threat offered a new dimension for them. Now his status is in doubt for this game as he failed to practice on Friday due to a persistent Achilles problem. That would be a tough loss to overcome given how questionable their depth at wide receiver is.
Key matchups:
Davante Adams vs. Jaylon Johnson – The Bears rookie cornerback has had a tremendous season for his team, leading his draft class in forced incompletions. One of the constant statements he made before and after Chicago grabbed him was the desire to play against Adams. He’s a big admirer of the Packers star from the route running to the explosiveness. He’ll get his first opportunity in this game and best not wet the bed.
Cody Whitehair vs. Kenny Clark – If any Green Bay defender has given the Bears more problems in recent years it’s Clark. His ability to command the middle of the line of scrimmage is a big reason Chicago can rarely get anything accomplished in the run game. Cody Whitehair is back at center and didn’t play well two weeks ago. He needs to rebound in this game or Clark will feast.
X-factors:
David Montgomery – The Packers defense is not among the NFL elite. One of their biggest weaknesses is on the ground. They’ve given up at least 100 rushing yards in four of their past six games including 140 last week in Indianapolis. By this logic, Montgomery should be able to get something going. The problem is Green Bay has owned him. Across the previous two games, he’s managed just 57 yards on 20 carries.
Christian Kirksey – Not only will be containing Montgomery be part of the job for Kirksey, he’ll pull double duty in making sure to contain Trubisky as well. His mobility can be a big factor if teams aren’t careful and it often falls on the linebackers to spy him and make sure he doesn’t slip away. This is a challenge Green Bay hasn’t faced much this year.
Prediction: Packers win 27-14
There is no getting around reality. The Packers are the better team right now. They have the quarterback and more than enough weapons to score even against a good defense like the Chicago Bears. Conversely, the Bears offense has been dormant most of the year. Even average defenses have held them in check. For all the hype around Trubisky, he’s scored just 16 points combined in the last two meetings with Green Bay. There isn’t a lot to be optimistic about here.