Bold Predictions For Chicago Bears Vs. Green Bay Packers
The Chicago Bears will try to end a six-game losing streak to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. For that to happen, they’ll need big contributions from several players. It’s only a matter of who. Head coach Matt Eberflsu and his staff remain confident the team is well-prepared for the season to come. This game is an important first step. His first two shots at the Packers ended in disappointment. The playing field should be more even this time around.
Chicago has a stronger roster on paper, and Green Bay no longer has their ace in the hold at quarterback. Rivalry games always tend to create the unexpected. So here are a few bold predictions for what will happen at Soldier Field.
D.J. Moore beats Jaire Alexander for two touchdowns.
The newest Bears acquisition at wide receiver didn’t need many plays to wow fans in the preseason. It’s obvious he is a difference-maker in the passing game. Justin Fields will look to get him the football a lot. As a result, one can expect the Packers to put Alexander, their best cornerback, on him as often as possible. This might sound like a good idea. However, history says that might be a miscalculation. Moore and Alexander have met twice before in the NFL. Moore has five catches on six targets for 69 yards between those two matchups.
Chicago Bears’ defense will hold Jordan Love under 200 yards passing.
Saying this about a Packers quarterback seems foolhardy. However, it’s not entirely crazy in these circumstances. Green Bay has serious question marks at wide receiver going into this game. Christian Watson, their breakout weapon from last season, is out for the game with a hamstring injury. Their other prominent target, Romeo Doubs, just returned from a hamstring problem of his own. This is not a healthy group. It’s also not an experienced one. The Bears’ secondary is the strength of their defense. They held Aaron Rodgers under 200 yards in the most recent meeting last year. Doing it to Love is far from impossible.
Justin Fields goes for 200 yards passing and 100 rushing.
Green Bay’s run defense was a chronic weakness for them last season. Fields had 71 yards on only six carries in the last meeting. Reaching 100 on the ground is a definite possibility. Whether he can crack 200 through the air is the bigger question. This is where his new arsenal of weapons comes into play. We already know Moore will be a factor. Then you have Chase Claypool, Darnell Mooney, and Cole Kmet as well. It seems unlikely the Packers will be able to shut them all down. A well-balanced day like this would make the Chicago Bears offense a nightmare to stop.
Jaylon Johnson notches his second-ever interception.
Three players are battling for contract extensions this year. Claypool and Mooney are two. Johnson is the other. GM Ryan Poles has held off on a more aggressive negotiation, likely due to the cornerback’s iffy injury history and particularly his lack of takeaways. Johnson has one interception in his career. He needs to start grabbing more if he wants to convince the Bears he’s worth the investment. Loves prefers working the boundaries as a passer. So Johnson will see some throws come his way more than once during the game. Expect him to finally snag one of them, setting the tone for this season.