Jayhawk Fan 23’s NFL Game of the Week: Week 3 Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears

Its a rematch of last years NFC Championship game as the Packers take on the Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Packers might have some trouble vs the Bears passing game, as Nick Collins is done for the year with a neck injury. The game starts on Sunday at 4:15et and will be on FOX (check your local listings.)

Team Leaders: Packers

• Passing- Aaron Rodgers
• Completion %- 70.8
• Yards- 620
• TDs-5
• INTs- 0

• Rushing- James Starks
• Carries- 21
• Yards- 142
• Average YPC- 6.8
• TDs- 1

• Receiving- Jordy Nelson
• REC- 7
• Yards- 161
• Average YPC- 23.0
• TDs- 2

Team Leaders: Bears

• Passing- Jay Cutler
• Completion %- 53.2
• Yards- 556
• TDs- 3
• INTs- 1

• Rushing- Matt Forte
• Carries- 26
• Yards- 117
• Average YPC- 4.5
• TDs- 0

• Receiving- Matt Forte
• REC- 15
• Yards- 207
• Average YPC- 13.8
• TDs- 1

Scouting Report:

After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week’s Packers-Bears matchup.

1. The Packers need to continue to establish balance offensively: Green Bay has been very good mixing the run (113.5 yards per game) and the pass (296 yards per game) early in the season. The Bears have been uncharacteristically average defending the run (yielding 114 yards per game on 5.3 yards per attempt) thus far. Look for Mike McCarthy to throw early to set up the run as the Packers often do, but also maintain balance on the road against a feisty Chicago defense.

2. Protect Aaron Rodgers in the pocket: The Packers have been solid in their pass protection (yielding only three sacks) thus far. Chicago’s defense, however, is capable of generating great pressure on opposing signal callers (six sacks in the first two games) and will likely be aggressive in this rivalry game. Look for the Packers to utilize more maximum and slide protections to keep their Pro Bowl quarterback upright.

3. Stop the run first: Green Bay needs to make a struggling Bears offense one-dimensional. Chicago hasn’t pounded the football with Mike Martz calling the plays on offense. They may try to do more to limit Green Bay on offense in this week’s matchup, though, and look to establish a ground attack. Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers will likely continue to focus on stopping the run first out of Green Bay’s base 3-4 schemes.

4. Bring the heat in passing situations: Green Bay will keep the pressure on Jay Cutler in this matchup. The Chicago offensive line has protected poorly thus far (yielding 11 sacks). Cutler is capable of shredding the Packers secondary (yielding 400 yards per game) given time in the pocket. So look for Capers to bet on his rush and dial up a variety of seven- and eight-man pressure packages in this divisional matchup.

5. Matchup to watch: WR Greg Jennings vs. Bears cornerbacks: Jennings has been the Packers’ most explosive target (averaging 16 yards per catch) in the passing game in recent years, as well as this season. The Bears cornerbacks, Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman, are excellent athletes and will need to get physical with Green Bay’s leading receiver. Chicago needs to find and answer for Jennings to have a chance for the upset this weekend.

6. Pound Matt Forte between the tackles: The Bears need to shorten the game and make this more of a battle in the trenches with a physical ground attack. Forte averages 4.5 yards per attempt and needs to get more than 10 carries (as he did versus the Saints) versus Green Bay. Look for offensive coordinator Mike Martz to make a concerted effort to establish Forte early in this contest.

7. Take shots down the field in the passing game: The play-action passing game should help protection and take some heat off of Cutler. The Packers are clearly susceptible to giving up big plays in the passing game. Look for Cutler to air it out deep to Knox, Hester and Williams to challenge a somewhat porous Green Bay coverage scheme.

8. Chicago must be aggressive defensively: The Bears are talented on defense but will be going against one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Given time in the pocket, Rodgers will shred Chicago’s secondary. Look for Lovie Smith to attack the Packers and Rodgers with a plethora of linebacker and secondary blitz packages to derail Green Bay’s passing attack.

9. Win the special-teams phase of the contest: Both clubs have dangerous return men (Devin Hester and Johnny Knox for the Bears, Randall Cobb for the Packers). I would give the edge to the Bears in regards to their punter (Adam Podlesh), kicker (Robbie Gould) and coverage units. The Bears can’t win a shootout against the Packers, but if they can
 

10. Matchup to watch: Chicago DE Julius Peppers vs. Green Bay OT Chad Clifton: This contest will be a battle of wills in the trenches. Peppers has terrific strength and athleticism for the end position. He could be a major factor in disrupting both the Packers’ passing game and ground attack in this matchup. Clifton is arguable Green Bay’s best offensive lineman, but will have his hands full with Peppers. Watch this battle closely as this could set the tone for Chicago’s defense early.win the field position battle, they can certainly up their chances for an upset at home

Prediction: The Bears O-Line will collapse, and Cutler will probably get banged up. Packers 28- Bears 13

Game HQ: http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/nflpreview?gameId=310925003