Preview: Chicago Bears (1-0) vs Green Bay Packers (0-1)
Packers lead series: 103-95-6
The Chicago Bears head to Green Bay for the Packers home opener. This is one of sports oldest rivalries; this will be the 205th time these teams play each other. The Packers are 22-5 in that span with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback. Rodgers boasts a 109.2 passer rating when playing the Bears. The Packers hope to rebound after their season opening loss. The Bears hope to get off to a hot start and make a statement win in Lambeau.
Injury report
Bears
Doubtful – WR Velus Jones Jr. (hamstring)
Unspecified – RB Khari Blasingame (personal), OT Riley Reiff (shoulder)
Packers
Questionable – OT David Bakhtiari (knee), G Elgton Jenkins (knee), G Jon Runyan (concussion), WR Allen Lazard (ankle)
What to watch for
The Packers Offensive Line
There were a lot of problems in the season opener (dropped passes, bad decisions) but perhaps the most glaring issue was pass protection. Rodgers was sacked four times, hit five times, and pressured on 11 drop backs. Former Packer Za’Darius Smith was in on one sack, one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits. The Bears defensive front just man handled the 49ers:
Despite the lack of Bears blitzes, Lance was pressured 12 times. He was 1-of-7 for -2 yards on those drop backs and took two sacks with three scrambles for positive yards.
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) September 11, 2022
If the offensive line continues to struggle, Rodgers is going to have a long day.
Justin Fields’ Momentum
It’s hard to get a gauge on a team’s tendencies after one rain-soaked game, but one thing is certain: Justin Fields was central to their comeback win. Chicago fans let out a collective sigh of relief after their 2021 first round pick led their team back from a 10-0 deficit. He had a pair of long touchdowns: one deep for 51 yards to Dante Pettis and a 18 yard pass to Equanimeous St. Brown. A big win in Lambeau will solidify Fields as a leader for the Bears.
#Bakhwatch
Vegas Prediction: Packers -8.5 (45.5 O/U)
My Prediction: Packers 27 – Bears 14
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