Green Bay Packers v. Bears: 3 Week 6 X-Factors

In order for the Green Bay Packers to win each week, we know that more often than not, they are going to need their star players to perform. And it’s the same story this week against the Chicago Bears.

However, as they say, it takes all 53 on Sunday to win a game. So which non-star players can leave an impact on this game? Well, those are my X-Factors, and I have three of them for this NFC North showdown with the Bears.

Green Bay Packers Field Goal Unit

The Green Bay Packers have won their last three games, but in each instance, they are fortunate that their field goal unit did not cost them the game.

Against San Francisco, Mason Crosby’s game-winner was nearly blocked. The following week, Pittsburgh was able to block a field goal attempt before half and returned it for a touchdown. The block was negated due to a very close offsides call, but that nearly turned the tide of the game.

Then this past week in Cincinnati, Crosby would miss an extra point and three field goals before hitting the game-winner in overtime. Ultimately, it’s Crosby’s job to make those kicks, but as I wrote earlier in the week, it wasn’t all his fault either.

Since that Niners game, Green Bay’s opponents have been loading up on the right-side field goal unit, forcing the far-right Packers’ blocker — who has been either Robert Tonyan or Tyler Lancaster — to have to essentially block two players. The objective in this situation is to chip one rusher, which should give Crosby enough time to get the kick off, while taking on the other rusher head-on.

However, it has not worked out that way. Last week, special teams coach Maurice Drayton told reporters that the issue had been resolved following the Pittsburgh game, but if anything, it was worse and had really affected Crosby.

In a game against Chicago that could be a defensive battle, every point is going to matter, and just as we’ve seen in recent weeks, a missed field goal could be the difference between a win and a loss.