CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The Chicago Bears take on the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 7:20 p.m. at Lambeau Field, and the game can be heard on WBBM Newsradio 780. Here are Jeff Joniak's keys to the game.
Offense
Mitchell Trubisky's third career start at Lambeau Field is all about opportunity and a second chance to make a first impression. He will channel his competitive drive and shed his personal two-month frustration by finding completions and leading the Bears against a solid, but not spectacular defense.
The first step for success is protection from two key figures up front on the Packers: Outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith (8 sacks) and one of the best pass rushing nose tackles in the league, Kenny Clark. They hit the quarterback and marry that pressure with a very good secondary.
This is the first time Trubisky will get the play-calls from offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. They will have to find completions and answers against a Mike Pettine defense that plays a lot of snaps in nickel and dime coverage. Quarterbacks have a combined rating of 101.8, which ranks 27th in the league.
There is a great need to establish the run, somehow, someway. In this game more than ever, the importance of owning the clock and turning possessions into points against an Aaron Rodgers led Packers team is a no-brainer. The Bears must keep the ball out of his hands and not give him advantageous field position.
Tampa ran for 158-yards on 35 attempts in a 28-point win over the Packers. The Vikings ran 34 times for 173 yards in a six-point win. Indianapolis ran it 37 times for 140 yards in the three point overtime win in week 11. In fact, in games decided by 7 points or less involving the Packers, opponents ran 114 times for 544 yards and an average of 4.77 yards-per-carry. The Bears have to run the ball.
Defense
There is nothing to lose right now for the Bears. It's a monster game and the defense has to play like the Monsters of the Midway. Matt Nagy's mission statement for the season was to be an attacking, aggressive, mentally and physically tough team, in every phase including coaching. This is the time to fulfill that mission.
One of the biggest keys to the game is playing smart. Missed assignments, mental errors, poor decisions at key moments tend to spoil the stew against Rodgers. The Packers quarterback makes teams pay for the slightest of miscues. It is no surprise the Packers rank among the league leaders with 16 scoring drives that have an opposing defensive penalty for a first down.
Get the Packers off the field on third down. Rodgers is the league's sixth-rated quarterback on third down passing. They are tied for first in the league in plays of 20-yards or more and for passes of 20-yards or more, and that's because receivers make something happen after the catch, totaling yards that rank 6th in the league.
Half of Rodgers passing yards come after the catch. The Bears must tackle well and close the separation quickly on guys like Davonte Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams.
Rodgers likes to start quick. Always has. The Packers lead the NFL with 40 points on their opening possession with 8 scoring drives and only one punt. They also have six scoring drives on their first possession of the second half. Rodgers has frequently managed to get a two-for-one at the end of the first half and the start of the second half against the Bears.
Special Teams
The weather forecast calls for winds up to 20 miles-per-hour at Lambeau on Sunday. That could play into special team strategy for two coaches who know each other very well. Once upon a time Chris Tabor was the head coach at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri and his defensive coordinator was Shawn Meninga. Sunday they are rival special team coordinators. They know each other well.
The Packers have struggled at times in this phase, giving up a 91-yard punt return touchdown to Jacksonville's Keelan Cole and fumbled a kick return last weekend against the Colts. They are the lowest ranked team on kick returns and the second lowest rated unit on punt coverage.
Where there is a will, there is a way and Bears kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson is a weapon at any moment fielding kicks, no matter what part of the end zone or the field of play. The subplot is how the Packers plan on treating Patterson on a windy night.
Both veteran kickers are coming in hot. Cairo Santos of the Bears has made his last 14 kicks, but has never attempted a field goal at Lambeau. Green Bay's Mason Crosby is on fire with 13 consecutive field goals made. In his career at home, Crosby has made only 82.5% of his kicks which amounts to 63 misses over his 13 seasons.
Intangibles
It has the feel of a new season starting for the Bears. Out of the bye, quarterback change, building pressure to win, a deeper dive into what is plaguing the offense, and it's the Packers at Lambeau. The Bears now have to play refreshed, re-charged and inspired against a Packers outfit that has not played as well at home in their last two games against the Vikings and Jaguars.
