Green Bay Packers v. Chicago Bears: 3 Bold Predictions
By Paul Bretl
Before the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears take the field for their 200th meeting, these are three bold predictions for Sunday’s game.
Bold Predictions are back and I am red-hot right now after going a combing 4 of 6 over the last two games. But this week I am chasing that elusive 3 for 3.
As we look ahead to Sunday’s game, it doesn’t get much bigger or better than the Green Bay Packers playing the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field in December with both team’s playoff hopes at stake.
The Packers are sitting pretty at 10-3, leading the NFC North while also holding the overall No. 2 seed in the tight NFC playoff race. However, the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints are right behind them. Meanwhile the Bears are riding a three game winning streak that has brought them to 7-6 on the season but a loss on Sunday will essentially eliminate them from playoff contention.
Just as it is on most occasions when these two teams get together, it is going to be a hard-fought battle that will likely come down to the final minutes. However, before we get to Sunday’s game, as I mentioned above I have my three bold predictions and I’m looking to keep on rolling.
Aaron Jones will be the Packers’ leading receiver
The Green Bay Packers are certainly going to have their hands full against a Chicago defense that gives up just 17.8 points per game – the 4th fewest in football – and a unit that ranks 7th overall by DVOA. Not to mention that they only allow 96.3 rushing yards per game – the 7th fewest – and it looks like Akiem Hicks will be returning to the defensive front.
On the flip side with this Packer offense, they’ve clearly been at their best this season when they are getting the ball to their playmaker, Aaron Jones. However, I suspect it’ll be tough sledding for the Green Bay run game and they’ll have to rely more heavily on the passing game this week.
As most opposing defenses try to do, Chicago will attempt to take Davante Adams out of the game with double-teams and the goal for the Packers when passing the ball should be to get the ball out of Aaron Rodgers’ hands quickly, in order to negate this fierce Chicago pass-rush. Meaning, there could very well be plenty of targets for Jones against a Bears’ defense that will be without linebacker Roquan Smith.
5 Sacks for the Packer defense
The Chicago Bear rushing offense in terms of yards per game has been one of the worst in the NFL all season long. As a result, they’ve had to rely more on Mitch Trubisky than they’d probably like. Even week one against Green Bay’s rushing defense, Trubisky had 45 pass attempts and over his last three games, he’s attempted an average of nearly 37 passes in each outing. So I’m expecting much of the same on Sunday.
This means that there should be plenty of opportunities for Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, and Kenny Clark to get after Trubisky and to take full-advantage of a Chicago offensive line that has already allowed 50 sacks, which is the 2nd most in the league and at a rate of 9.4 percent, the 4th most.
Adrian Amos intercepts Trubisky…again
In a tight game week one as Chicago was driving down the field to tie the game, it was Adrian Amos who came away with an interception in the end zone that all but sealed the victory for the Green Bay Packers. I can only imagine how good that moment felt for him. And while this time around I’m not going to predict that this Sunday’s interception will come at such a dramatic point in the game, I’m calling my shot with another Amos pick from Trubisky.
The Smiths have garnered a lot of attention this season – and rightfully so – but Amos has been fantastic as well and everything he was advertised to be. Although Amos hasn’t come away with a whopping number of interceptions over his career, he is about as reliable as they come at the safety position and is rarely found out-of-place.
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Well on Sunday going up against Trubisky, especially if the Green Bay front-seven is able to put pressure on him, he is going to give the Packers an opportunity or two to come away with an interception if they’re doing their job correctly. And Adrian Amos is the quintessential ‘do your job’ player, so he could very well have a shot at picking one-off.