NEWSLETTER
Today will mark the 197th meeting between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, but you can throw out the record books when these two teams get together. And if you’re a Bears fan, you’d probably like to set flame to the pages featuring the most recent history as the Packers have won four straight and are 12-2 since the two teams squared off in the NFC Championship Game on January, 23, 2011.
Even though the bad guys have gotten the better end of the rivalry in recent years, the Bears became aggressive in the offseason with the idea of swinging things back in their favor. In fact, Chicago beat out Green Bay for several key free agents that both teams had their eyes on bringing into the fold during the offseason. Hey, we’ll take wins against the Packers however and wherever they come.
While there is an obvious focus on the changes made by both teams in what was a busy offseason, this game will come down to quarterback play – as it so often does.
Aaron Rodgers owns a 15-4 record against the Bears on the strength of a 67.7 percent completion rate, 107.2 passer rating, and a 42-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Sure, Rodgers is good against everyone … but he really has a way of sticking it to the Bears in the most agonizing of ways. Good luck hoping for an off day against Rodgers, who has posted a passer rating of 100 or better in five of the last seven games in which he has faced the Bears. The Packers are 6-1 in those games.
It was Green Bay’s dominance of a Mike Glennon led attack that led to then-Head Coach John Fox to insert Mitch Trubisky into the starting lineup and sending Mike Glennon to the bench. Trubisky played admirably against the Packers last season, posting a 97.0 passer rating while throwing for 297 yards and a touchdown in a narrow defeat. It was one of five games in which Trubisky had a passer rating of 90 or better. He’ll need more of those moving forward if the Bears are going to upset the Packers.
Game Info
Chicago Bears (2017: 5-11, 4th NFC North) at Green Bay Packers (2017: 7-9, 3rd NFC North) – 7:20 CT, NBC-TV, WBBM-AM 780, WCFS-FM 105.9
Odds: Packers (-7.5), Over/Under 47.5, via the Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas.
Game Thread and Week 1 Preview
It’s good to be back, friends. Your game thread is down in the comments, so let’s have some good, clean (safe-for-work) fun. And hopefully, we can do this at least 15 more times this season.
Your Week 1 Preview lives here.
Coaches
Matt Nagy (Regular season coaching debut) vs. Mike McCarthy (121-70-1 with Packers)
Starting Quarterbacks
Bears: Mitch Trubisky: 2,193 passing yards, 7 TD, 7 INT, 59.4 completion pct., 77.5 rating
Preseason: 11-18, 94 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 70.1 rating
versus
Packers: Aaron Rodgers: 1,675 passing yards, 16 TD, 6 INT, 64.7 completion pct., 97.2 rating
Preseason: 2-4, 35 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 119.8 rating
Bears Inactives
No surprises:
#Bears inactives at Green Bay:
22 Toliver II
36 Houston-Carson
49 Fitts
69 Coward
83 Wims
85 Brown
98 Nichols#SNF— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) September 9, 2018
Bears Expected Offensive Starters
Bears Expected Defensive Starters
Bears Specialists
Packers Inactives:
#Packers inactives: Tim Boyle, Trevor Davis, Josh Jones, Raven Greene, Oren Burks, Alex Light, J'Mon Moore.
— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) September 9, 2018
