Insights into how the Bears can look to exploit the Packers' weaknesses on Sunday to come away with a potential upset
The Chicago Bears are getting set for the team's first divisional game of the season and now it's going to be an even more pivotal matchup for the team on Sunday.The Bears will officially have a new offensive coordinator and play-caller against the Green Bay Packers in Thomas Brown, who's taking over for Shane Waldron.The […]
The Chicago Bears are getting set for the team's first divisional game of the season and now it's going to be an even more pivotal matchup for the team on Sunday.
The Bears will officially have a new offensive coordinator and play-caller against the Green Bay Packers in Thomas Brown, who's taking over for Shane Waldron.
The Bears, at 4-5, currently sit in fourth in the NFC North and needed to find some kind of spark to keep the season alive.
A potential upset against the Packers at Soldier Field on Sunday make for a great start and I spoke with Wendell Ferreira, who covers the Green Bay Packers for A to Z Sports, to see how the Bears can attempt to limit the Packers this weekend.
For starters, the Bears will be facing the Packers who will be coming fresh off their bye week. Under head coach Matt LaFleur, the Packers are 2-3 coming out of the bye, but one of those two wins includes a 45-30 win over Chicago in 2021.
Through the first 10 weeks of the regular season, the Packers' offense ranks third in total yards per game (390.6) and third in rushing yards per game (154.8). Defensively, the Packers rank 12th in total yards per game allowed (320.0) and 11th in points per game allowed (21.6).
On paper, it's going to be a tough matchup for the Bears on both sides of the ball, but here are some of the areas the Bears could look to attack on Sunday.
Which weapon in the passing game will the Bears defense be best off trying to eliminate on Sunday?
"I still think it's Jayden Reed. The Packers don't have a clear number 1 wide receiver, and the player who will get more targets depends pretty much on the game plan for each specific week. However, Reed has been by far the most productive weapon of the passing game, and also the one with the highest chance of creating extra yards and breaking tackles."
"Romeo Doubs and Tucker Kraft are useful and reliable targets, and Christian Watson is an impactful deep and red zone threat. But Reed is the most complete and explosive player, and limiting him is the most realistic way of hindering what the Packers passing offense wants to do."
Will the Packers look to pound the rock with Josh Jacobs to take the pressure off Jordan Love and how can Chicago limit Jacobs?
"Absolutely, the Packers want to be a run-centric offense. Not necessarily run-heavy, but run-centric. It's just how Matt LaFleur likes to operate. Even though Jacobs has been productive for the Packers this season, the run blocking is not that good. So if the Bears can beat blocks upfront without adding more resources to the box to stop the run, it will be much easier to affect the entire structure of the offense."
"Throughout the season, the Packers have had some issues in part because Jordan Love hasn't been completely healthy since Week 1. With his knee less than 100%, the Packers have leaned more into shotgun and even some doses of pistol, and this style of offense and its "illusion of complexity" depend on under the center looks to be more efficient. The Packers hope to have that again now, since Love is getting healthier."
Should Caleb Williams and the offense be more concerned about the Packers' secondary or the pass rush?
"The secondary, and it's not particularly close. Jaire Alexander is expected to play after missing the Detroit Lions game, and with him back the secondary can be the best possible version, with rookie safety Javon Bullard in the slot. Evan Williams is also back, and they have formed a pretty remarkably good unit considering they've been playing together for a month, basically."
"The edge rushers have been quiet the entire season, as the Packers have had some issues upfront adapting from the 3-4 to the 4-3 base. New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley would probably prefer lighter edges, but the Packers have historically invested in heavier ones. So Green Bay has problems generating quick pressure."
"Even upfront, the interior of the defensive line and linebackers are what should concern Caleb Williams. Players like Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks are able to create havoc from inside, and when Hafley sends blitzes with Edgerrin Cooper and Eric Wilson, they have been able to affect the passer."
