Windy City Gridiron
The Chicago Bears have spent the last month passing every possible test their schedule threw at them.
They beat bad teams, and they beat good teams.
After weeks of eeking out victories with wild comebacks and late-game heroics, the Bears went out and absolutely physically dominated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles last Friday.
Now, for their next test, they have to go on the road and face their archrival, the Green Bay Packers.
The problems the Bears have had facing the team up north are long and well-documented so I don’t need to rehash it here.
Chicago won last time in Lambeau but there were many odd circumstances. This is the time for the new regime, led by head coach Ben Johnson, to really show that this won’t be the same old Bears that just can’t hang with the Packers.
What’s it going to take to win? Our crew lays it out here.
Sam: The Bears have to again lean on their ground game to get push and control the football. Hopefully, the passing game can look sharper than it did a week ago and work in play action. On defense, the defensive backs will have to blanket Green Bay’s options like Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. If the defensive line can pressure Jordan Love and bottle up Josh Jacobs, all the better, but we know the DL isn’t a strength for this team.
Josh: The defense needs to win this game at the trenches. MLF will find ways to give Love passing options, and so the solution has to be to give Love less time to work. Chicago needs a heavy run attack with explosive passing plays to keep the Packers on their heels.
Gary: Pound the rock like we have been and take advantage of passing options when given the chance. We’re facing a top 10 defense, but without one of their key defensive line pieces in Devonte Wyatt, who was on pace to set career highs in tackles and sacks. Winning the battle in the trenches to impose our will on the ground will open up the play-action game, where Caleb Williams has been more than capable. On the defensive side, we can’t let their burners past us, Reed and Golden may come back this week and Watson gives the Packer offense another reliable deep threat, force 50/50 balls and take advantage of them.
Gooch: this is game is all about belief. The Packers believe the Bears are who they thought they were. For the Bears, this game is about proving to the NFL they are real. The key to winning is pounding the ball in the interior. The Packers lost Wyatt for the season. KM should feast. When the Packers try to stack against the run, that’s when Caleb needs to attack them with the play-action pass. On defense, the Bears need to bother Love. Sacks and pressures will lead Love to make that crucial bad decision – and hand the game to the...
