(Sports Network) - The Chicago Bears weren't able to stay with the Green Bay
Packers' powerful offense in last season's two matchups between the NFC North
members. Based on the initial returns of their first effort of the 2012
campaign, keeping the pace doesn't appear to be as much of an issue.
Coming off a very impressive debut, the Bears bring their revamped passing
attack into Lambeau Field for a Thursday night showdown between the storied
rivals, a game which already carries considerable importance for the Packers
even at this early stage.
Aiming to become a more high-powered offense, Chicago general manager Phil
Emery wasted no time in attempting to achieve that goal by acquiring wide
receiver Brandon Marshall in a trade with Miami at the onset of this past
offseason. It was a move both bold and somewhat risky as well, as the
physically imposing three-time Pro Bowl selection is a proven producer but
came with plenty of baggage stemming from a host of off-field problems.
Emery's maneuver certainly paid some immediate dividends to start, however, as
Marshall erupted for 119 yards and a touchdown on nine catches to help ignite
a prolific aerial outburst that propelled Chicago to a 41-21 season-opening
rout of the rebuilding Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Quarterback Jay Cutler, reunited with Marshall after a successful three-year
period between the two in Denver from 2006-08, overcame a rough beginning to
put up 333 passing yards and a pair of touchdown throws, while rookie Alshon
Jeffery -- another big-bodied receiver brought into the fold during the spring
-- tallied 80 yards and a score on three catches in a strong debut.
Chicago finished the afternoon with 428 total yards in delivering its highest
scoring output in a Week 1 contest since a 41-31 triumph over Cleveland in
1986. The 41 points were also the Bears' most in a single contest since the
2009 season.
"You have Alshon catching touchdowns, (slot receiver) Earl (Bennett) catching
60-70 yards, (running back) Matt Forte, (wideout) Devin Hester. So we have a
lot of weapons," said Cutler. "You (the defense) kind of have to pick what
you're going to do."
The Packers have often been in that same situation, as no team in the NFL was
better at lighting up the scoreboard last year. Green Bay generated a league-
best and franchise-record 560 points in amassing a stellar 15-1 record last
season, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers throwing for 4,643 yards and 45
touchdowns to claim his first career NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
Green Bay hardly resembled its 2011 juggernaut in its first outing of the new
season, however, with a ferocious San Francisco defense rendering Rodgers and
his mates largely ineffective in pinning a notice-serving 30-22 loss on the
Packers this past Sunday at Lambeau Field.
The Packers mustered only seven points and 204 total yards over the first
three quarters in having a 13-game home winning streak during the regular
season come to an end.
Chicago wasn't as successful in its two attempts to slow down Green Bay's
multi-layered passing game last year, however. The Packers scored 62 points in
a pair of 2011 wins over the Bears, with Rodgers compiling eight touchdown
passes in those tilts.
The star signal-caller may be without one of his best assets, though, with
dangerous wide receiver Greg Jennings questionable for Thursday's test after
straining his groin against the 49ers.
With a loss putting the reigning NFC North champions at a two-game deficit to
Chicago in the division standings, the Packers will have a heightened sense of
urgency to defend their home turf this week.
"It's going to be another tough game," Green Bay defensive back Charles
Woodson stated. "That's a team that's gotten better over the offseason. They
had a tough game [Sunday] and they won. They'll come in feeling good about
what they've accomplished the first game of the season."
SERIES HISTORY
Bears lead 91-83-6
Streak: Packers have won last three meetings
2011 Meetings: Packers 27, Bears 17 (Sept. 25 at Chicago)
Packers 35, Bears 21 (Dec. 25 at Green Bay)
Bears HC Lovie Smith vs. Packers: 8-9
Packers HC Mike McCarthy vs. Bears: 8-5
Smith vs. McCarthy Head-to-Head: McCarthy leads, 8-5
Notes: This is the longest and most extensively played series in NFL history,
dating back to 1921. Counting a 21-14 verdict at Soldier Field in the 2010 NFC
Championship, Packers have bested the Bears four consecutive times and
prevailed in six of the last seven bouts between the longtime foes, with
Chicago's lone win over that span a 20-17 home decision in Week 3 of the 2010
season. Bears have lost in four straight visits to Lambeau Field since a 27-20
victory on Oct. 7, 2007. The teams have squared off twice in postseason play,
with the Bears downing the Pack by a 33-14 count in Chicago in a 1941 NFL
Playoff.
BY THE NUMBERS
Offensive Team Rankings
Chicago: 6th overall (428.0 ypg), 14th rushing (114.0 ypg), 3rd passing (314.0
ypg), 3rd scoring (41.0 ppg)
Green Bay: 19th overall (324.0 ypg), tied 26th rushing (45.0 ypg), 11th
passing (279.0 ypg), tied 18th scoring (22.0 ppg)
Defensive Team Rankings
Chicago: 18th overall (356.0 ypg), 8th rushing (63.0 ypg), 26th passing (293.0
ypg), 13th scoring (21.0 ppg)
Green Bay: 21st overall (377.0 ypg), 31st rushing (186.0 ypg), 6th passing
(191.0 ypg), tied 23rd scoring (30.0 ppg)
Turnover Margin
Chicago: +4 (5 takeaways, 1 giveaway)
Green Bay: -1 (0 takeaways, 1 giveaway)
Red Zone Touchdown Percentage (offense)
Chicago: 66.7 percent (6 possessions, 4 TD, 2 FG) -- tied 7th overall
Green Bay: 100.0 percent (2 possessions, 2 TD, 0 FG) -- tied 1st overall
Red Zone Touchdown Percentage (defense)
Chicago: 50.0 percent (4 possessions, 2 TD, 0 FG) -- tied 11th overall
Green Bay: 100.0 percent (2 possessions, 2 TD, 0 FG) -- tied 27th overall
WHEN THE BEARS HAVE THE BALL
The additions of Marshall (9 receptions, 115 yards, 1 TD last week) and
Jeffery (3 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD) appear to have given Chicago far more
balance on an offense that was too often reliant on versatile running back
Matt Forte (80 rushing yards, 1 TD, 3 receptions) a year ago, not to mention a
better chance of survival if Thursday's game becomes a shootout. Cutler (333
passing yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) will be striving to get the ball into all three
playmakers' hands as much as possible, as he illustrated by targeting Marshall
a whopping 15 times against the Colts, but must be careful in choosing his
spots. The Packers led the NFL with 31 interceptions in 2011 and have picked
off Chicago's strong-armed quarterback five times in Cutler's last three
appearances in this series, in which he's managed only two touchdown passes.
Giving Green Bay a healthy dose of Forte and backfield sidekick Michael Bush
(42 rushing yards), who plowed in a pair of short scoring runs in last week's
win, could help counter Cutler's tendency for turnovers at times. The Packers
rendered Forte a non-factor as a runner in last year's first meeting, with the
Pro Bowl back mustering a paltry two yards on nine attempts, but Chicago
rolled up 199 yards on the ground in giving Green Bay a game at Lambeau Field
back in December, and neither Cutler nor Forte were active that night.
Chicago offensive coordinator Mike Tice may indeed lean heavily on his
talented duo of running backs this week, if for no reason other than to limit
the impact of Packers pass-rushing terror Clay Matthews. The energetic outside
linebacker was continually camped in the San Francisco backfield in the
opener, recording 2 1/2 sacks of Niners quarterback Alex Smith and receiving
credit for four hurries. While defensive architect Dom Capers' unit was able
to mount steady pressure, controlling the ground game was a major problem on
Sunday. The 49ers gashed Green Bay for 186 rushing yards and an average of
nearly six yards per carry as the defense clearly missed the presence of
valued inside linebacker Desmond Bishop, out for all of 2012 after tearing his
hamstring in the preseason. Replacement D.J. Smith (9 tackles) really
struggled in his tackling and containment, with counterpart A.J. Hawk doing
his best to compensate by netting a game-high 14 tackles. San Francisco also
took advantage of Woodson's shift to safety in the Packers' base alignment,
with elevated starting cornerback Jarrett Bush (4 tackles) picked on
frequently on the day. He could be replaced in the lineup on Thursday if
promising second-year man Davon House can be cleared to go after missing Week
1 with a dislocated shoulder. Woodson (5 tackles) did pick up 1 1/2 sacks as a
blitzer out of the slot in nickel looks, a tactic Capers may employ repeatedly
against the Bears to help protect his suspect secondary.
WHEN THE PACKERS HAVE THE BALL
It would be a major surprise if the Packers don't stick to the plan that
worked so well in last year's two wins over Chicago, a blueprint that involves
spreading the field with a deep cast of receivers and taking advantage of the
superior marksmanship of Rodgers (303 passing yards, 2 TD, 1 INT), who
completed better than 68 percent of his throws during his banner 2011 campaign
and had a spectacular 73.1 percent (29-of-67) success rate against the Bears.
The possible absence of Jennings (5 receptions) could hinder that strategy,
but there's still more than enough quality options at the ultra-efficient
quarterback's disposal. Big-play wideout Jordy Nelson (5 receptions, 64 yards)
toasted the Bears for 115 yards and two touchdowns on six catches in Green
Bay's Christmas night win, while athletic tight end Jermichael Finley (7
receptions) hauled in three scoring grabs during last September's victory in
Chicago while finishing with 85 yards on seven receptions. James Jones (4
receptions, 1 TD) was on the other end of two Rodgers touchdown strikes while
subbing for an injured Jennings in the teams' most recent meeting, and
emerging youngster Randall Cobb came away with nine catches for 77 yards out
of the slot last week while adding a 75-yard punt return score. The Packers
don't run the ball much and abandoned that aspect after falling way behind
against the 49ers, but former Bear Cedric Benson (18 rushing yards) is capable
enough to at least keep his old team honest on the defensive end.
While Chicago's veteran defense does a good job of preventing the big play,
it's still liable to be picked apart by Rodgers if it's not forcing the issue
up front. It's therefore critical to the Bears' chances for success that the
end rotation of Julius Peppers, Israel Idonije and rookie specialist Shea
McClellin combine with disruptive tackle Henry Melton (5 tackles) to routinely
get in the Green Bay triggerman's face and cause him to speed up the decision-
making process. Melton was a force in the Indianapolis win, notching two sacks
and making three stops for losses. Compounding the matter is the health status
of Charles Tillman, the team's best cornerback, as well as stalwart middle
linebacker Brian Urlacher. Tillman exited Sunday's contest with a shin injury
and is a question mark for this week, and although backup Kelvin Hayden (7
tackles, 1 INT) has plenty of game experience, he still quantifies as a drop-
off in ability in a matchup where the Bears will need all hands on deck.
Urlacher will play, but how much and at what level is unclear as the perennial
Pro Bowler continues to deal with soreness in his surgically repaired left
knee. If Tillman can't go, another big game out of opposite-side starter Tim
Jennings (4 tackles) would be a huge boost for the Bears. The diminutive
cornerback intercepted Colts rookie Andrew Luck twice on Sunday and registered
four pass breakups.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
Green Bay's offense has yet to hit its stride even going back to the
preseason, and with the Bears appearing to now have the firepower necessary to
go toe-to-toe with the league's top scoring teams, the time is clearly now for
Rodgers and company to step it up and reach their usual standards of
excellence. Fortunately for the Packers, they know full well what they'll be
getting from out of a Chicago defense that isn't fancy, or as formidable as
the take-no-prisoners San Francisco outfit that stymied Green Bay last week.
Marshall and Forte will be hard to handle for a Packers stop unit that's still
somewhat of a work in progress, but odds are Rodgers will come closer to
showcasing his MVP form against a familiar opponent. He's also the less likely
of these two quarterbacks to commit a pivotal turnover that could loom large
to the outcome of what should be a close and exciting contest.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Packers 31, Bears 24
The Sports Network