It seems only fitting that what could end up as the Chicago Bears’ final game of significance this season comes against their biggest rivals the Green Bay Packers. If you choose to recall week 11’s trouncing at Lambeau Field, revenge would be that much sweeter. Oh, I hear revenge is a dish best served cold. Well, with an expected high of only seven degrees in Chicago, it could be on the menu Monday night. This time around, the Packers have been eliminated from playoff contention, and the Bears are the team fighting to stay alive. Since the Vikings chose to lose four fumbles to Atlanta yesterday, the Bears are playing with a purpose.
Running back Matt Forte is listed as questionable with that toe injury he suffered last week against New Orleans, so the running game could be in a spot of trouble. If Kevin Jones doesn’t see action tonight, he must be truly abysmal in the eyes of the coaching staff. Attacking the Green Bay defensive front by establishing the run will keep Aaron Rodgers and the offense on the sidelines where they belong. Controlling the time of possession will be important in the frigid weather, and an effective rushing attack will speed the game up, of which I’m sure all the players would be in favor. Kyle Orton’s bothersome ankle should be completely healed by now, giving him the power and velocity back in his throwing motion. He’ll need it to get passes past this aggressive Packer secondary that plays mainly in man-coverage. Hopefully Ron Turner will take it out of Orton’s hands by rotating running backs in an attempt to maintain healthy production handing the ball off. The offensive line will play an integral role in dominating the Packers’ front seven if Forte is to have any success. Whatever strategy they employ, they certainly need to score more than the three points they mustered in week eleven.
The offense wasn’t the only Bears unit to be embarrassed by the Packers the last time around. Chicago’s defense gave up 37 points and was pushed around by a Packer offensive line that paved the way for 145 Ryan Grant rushing yards. Rodgers picked the Bears apart, going 23 out of 30 for 224 yards and two touchdowns, hitting nine different receivers. After being burned by the pass in week ten, Chicago dropped defenders back into coverage, deviating from their normal scheme of predominantly eight-man fronts. They never struck a competitive balance or disguised their coverage, allowing Rodgers to easily recognize the situation and call the appropriate play. If Bob Babich and Lovie Smith expect a win tonight, their defense can’t be so transparent. Creativity will throw Rodgers off his reads and perhaps force a few errant balls downfield. As much as the coaches need to prepare, the players need to perform, and that starts with the defensive line. If they can get to Rodgers early, it could set an early tone from which the “playing for pride” Pack won’t recover.
It doesn’t get any better (or colder) than Monday Night Football in Chicago in late December versus the Packers when the playoffs are on the line. That said, if the Bears lose, it won’t get any worse. Since the Bears lost so many games in the fourth quarter, they now need help from Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, or Dallas to make the playoffs. Still, if they win out and the Vikings lose to the Giants next weekend, they could claim the division with a 10-6 record. That’s not so bad. I’d take it.
