Packers at Bears: Offense, Defense & Special Teams
Each phrase of the game is considered as we preview the Packers-Bears match-up on Monday Night Football this evening.
Here's some key aspects to watch for in each phase of the game from a Packers perspective...
Offense
- Coming into Week 3 (and even after every game but one in Week 3), the Chicago Bears are No. 1 in the NFL allowing only 1.4 yard per rush. That statistic won't stay that low over the course of an entire season, but seeing that the pass is Green Bay's bread and butter, the Bears might give the Packers fits in the run game. Seeing as the running games the Bears have stopped so far this season have come against Detroit's Jahvid Best and Dallas' three-headed monster of Marion Barbre, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, the Packers may have the weakest running game the Bears have faced yet. The Packers don't have to have over 100 yards on the ground to win the game (although that would help), it would certainly behoove them to average more than a paltry 1.4 yards/carry the Bears have been allowing so far.
Defense
- The passing games of Philadelphia and Buffalo are nothing about which to brag. At some point, the Packers are going to face a legitimate aerial attack and the rookies in the Green Bay secondary are going to be tested several time over the course of a single game. Through two games cornerback Sam Shields and safety Morgan Burnett have played well, but Jay Cutler (under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Mike Martz) should give the Packers defensive backfield their stiffest test yet. Jay Cutler leads the NFL with 121.2 passer rating and has the ability to abuse the rookies if there's not a pass rush up front.
Special Teams
- Regardless that Devin Hester seems not be the same threat on returns that he once was, he's still capable of taking it to the house at a moment's notice. And Johnny Knox is certainly capable of doing the same. The Packers special teams coverage units should receive a boost if both Desmond Bishop and Korey Hall are active this week (unlike last week). The Packers will need all the reinforcements possible to slow the Bears return game.
Comments (15)
September 27, 2010 at 12:05 pm
The Bears stacked the box against Best once Stafford went out with injury. Best scored two rushing TD's before that point.
The Cowboys passed 58 times to 18 rushes. Their o-line was a mess and they played a sloppy game with penalties and turn-overs. This same Cowboys offense scored 7 points against the Skins in week one. A Skins team that gave up 30 points against the Rams yesterday.
I don't think the Bear's defense has faced a productive balanced offense yet.
September 27, 2010 at 12:16 pm
And they won't this week either. Productive, yes. Balanced, no. Our running game sucks.
September 27, 2010 at 02:33 pm
No, Best was getting stuffed the entire game. He had 11 rushes for 20 yards in the first half. (When Stafford was playing.) Yes, he had two TDs, but those were set up by an interception and big gains in the passing game.
Obviously it's a small sample size, but I think it's fair to say that the Bears have been stout against the run thus far. Fortunately, their secondary looks soft and I'm not afraid of the pass rush, as long as we take precautions with Peppers.
September 27, 2010 at 03:17 pm
The 1.8 YPC is blown out, but no matter how you look at it, when the biggest run the D has given was for 8 yards, they're good.
September 27, 2010 at 03:29 pm
It can also be an indicator that they're so determined to sell out against the run that play-action passing yeilds substantial yardage. Will the Bears D sell out to stop the run?
Watch the Bears D overpursue and flow to the where their run-D wants the ball to be, play action will work. Again, if the Packers only average 1.8 ypc but Rodgers gets time on the bootleg to get downfield I could care less about the running offense.
September 27, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I think a lot of people will be surprised at the Packers running game tonight.
September 27, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Surprisingly to the good or to the bad? The bears LBs are healthy for the first time since the opener last season. The Pack OL beat them down in that game and two were lost for the season. Earlocker and Tinysomoa will be out for vengence.
September 27, 2010 at 01:26 pm
The Bears OL is highly suspect ...... Their WRs are only average at best ..... Forte is not an elite RB ..... They still haven't figured out how to use C. Taylor ....... This game is all on Cutler & I just don't think he's smart enough to make the difference .......
September 27, 2010 at 02:24 pm
Turnovers will win.
September 27, 2010 at 02:33 pm
The team with the best O-Line performance will win tonight's game.
September 27, 2010 at 02:44 pm
What offense is the most adept at making real-time adjustments and exposing preferrable match-ups on offense. The Bears O-line is worst in the division, maybe even challenge for the league title. Martz has shown the ability to adjust and, so far, Cutler makes quick reads.
I'm actually concerned about Rodgers questionable history with the Tampa-2 scheme when coverage gets good, deep drops and masks the coverage. Tampa Bay was a great example last year. Maybe I'm exaggerating Rodgers/McCarthy's history in my head, but it seems like Tampa-2 looks where defenesive personnel hide the coverage and perfectly hit their depth have historically frustrated the coaching/QB duo.
Packers are, top to bottom, more talented but road wins are tough.
Should be fun!
September 27, 2010 at 03:22 pm
No, you're not exaggerating. Rodgers, in 4 games against the bears, has 5 tds and 2 ints. Not bad, but far from his normal production.
Different situation, different Rodgers, though. And he is 3-1...
September 27, 2010 at 02:46 pm
Sure wish we had Grant on the field in this one. He has solid history against Chicago. Hope Kuhn can smash for some yards because I don't have confidence in Jackson making much noise in the running game.
September 27, 2010 at 04:24 pm
Pass rush, pass rush, and pass rush are the keys to a Packer's victory tonight.
Nothing has change from last year as to the reasons why the Packers lost the games they did. The Pack has to get pressure on these strong armed QBs to throw the ball before they are ready.
We have done a decent job in our first 2 games and because of the Pass rush even Bush has looked good in the secondary.
If Cutler gains confidence early and we do not get to him, it will be a long game for Shields and Burnett, and the game will become an reenactment of our playoff loss from last year.
With Pickett, Neal, and Brad Jones not a 100%, this will fall on the shoulders of Brady, Zombo, Wilson, and Wynn to step in and produce at a high level.
September 27, 2010 at 06:32 pm
Cutler, Hester & Knox comparable to Warner, Boldin & Fitz ...... No comparison ..... You're being unduly influenced by a 2-0 record.