Bears and Packers Matchup at a Glance
Chicago Bears (1-0) at Green Bay Packers (0-1)
Kickoff: Sunday, 7:20 p.m., Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.
TV: NBC (Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark)
Radio: WBBM AM-780, FM-105.9 (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Mark Grote)
Spanish Radio TUDN AM-1200, Latino Mix FM-93.5 (Omar Ramos, Miguel Esparza)
Streaming: fubo TV, free trial
Latest Betting Line: Packers by 9 1/2 (Over/under 41 1/2). Money Line, Bears, $100 wins $375. Packers, $500 wins $100. Latest info at SI.com sports book
The Series: The 205th meeting between the teams with Green Bay holding a 103-95-6 series edge. The Packers have won six straight and 11 of the last 12. The last Bears win at Lambeau Field came in 2015.
The Coaches: Matt Eberflus is 1-0 after beating San Francisco in his first game at Soldier Field. He had been an NFL assistant 14 years and a coach for 31 years overall. Packers coach Matt LaFleur is 39-11 in his fourth season and is 6-0 against the Bears. LaFleur's quarterbacks coach from 2019-21 was current Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
Last Week: The Bears won 19-10 over San Francisco behind two second-half touchdown passes by quarterback Justin Fields and a TD run by Khalil Herbert in three consecutive possessions, the TD run made possible by Eddie Jackson's first interception in two years. The Packers opened with a 23-7 loss at Minnesota, the second straight year they lost their opener. They were outgained 395 yards to 338 and gave up the game's first 20 points.
The Teams: Justin Fields makes his 12th career start at QB for the Bears and lost both starts he made last year against Green Bay. He is 34 of 60 for 398 yards with three TDs and three interceptions against the Packers with 117 rushing yards on 15 carries. ... Bears running back David Montgomery was limited to 27 yards last week on the ground and wide receiver Darnell Mooney had just one catch for 8 yards. Tight end Cole Kmet was held without a reception. ... Linebacker Roquan Smith made nine tackles in his debut as weak side linebacker. ... The Bears had 1 1/2 sacks from rookie edge Dominique Robinson.
Green Bays's defense experienced trouble last week stopping Justin Jefferson, as the Vikings wide receiver had nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Their defense allowed 90 rushing yards to Dalvin Cook. ... Aaron Rodgers owns a 22-5 record in the regular season as a starter against the Bears with a 109.1 passer rating. He completed 22 of 34 for 195 yards with one interception last week, compiling a 67.6 passer rating while being sacked four times. ... Green Bay's young receiver corps experienced trouble, as only rookie Romeo Doubs had more than three catches. He made four for 37 yards. The 37 yards was a high by a wideout.
Injury Report
Bears: WR Velus Jones Jr. is doubtful (hamstring).
Packers: T David Bakhtiari (knee), T Elgton Jenkins (knee), G Jon Runyan (concussion) and WR Allen Lazard (ankle) are questionable. None of them played last week.
Of note: This is the 17th straight year at least one game between these teams came in prime time. ... The Bears had eight new starters in the opener. ... The Packers have a plus-12 turnover ratio in the last six games between the teams. ... Both Bears guard Lucas Patrick and wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown return to Green Bay to face their old team for the first time. The Bears will alternate Patrick with Teven Jenkins at right guard. ... Packers punter Pat O'Donnell punted for the Bears the last six years. ... Green Bay has won 13 straight regular-season home games and 12 stright regular-season night games to match the longest streak by an NFL team since 2000.
Next Week: The Bears host former coach Lovie Smith and the Houston Texans at noon on Sept. 25. The Packers are at Tampa Bay at 3:25 p.m. on Sept. 25.
Key Individual Matchups
Bears RCB Jaylon Johnson vs. Packers WR Allen Lazard
Lazard missed last week's game with an ankle injury and his status will be uncertain this week. If he doesn't play, it could be a combination of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, a pair of rookies, Johnson would be covering most. Lazard poses a height problem at 6-foot-5, and he has good speed, but Johnson has played all over the field in the past and had no problem moving back to right cornerback and playing a more stationery role last week in the Tampa-2 style. In fact, Johnson had the fourth-highest Pro Football Focus grade among cornerbacks in the NFL for Week 1 at 83.9. He had a Peanut Tillman-style forced fumble to thwart a scoring threat. Lazard, now in his fifth season, has never made more than 40 receptions or 513 yards in a season but did have eight TD catches last year. That was when the Packers had Adams to shift the focus of defenses away from other receivers. Johnson was targeted only four times by 49ers quarterback Trey Lance last week, allowing two catches for 28 yards. If he is challenged more by Rodgers this week, it most likely would occur because Lazard has returned to the lineup.
Bears RDE Robert Quinn vs. Packers LT Yosh Nijman
Nijman would be the replacment for David Bakhtiari and started last week. Quinn had an uneventful first game but that's exactly what was needed against a 49ers offense that challenges both edges by constantly running Deebo Samuel on jet sweeps or end arounds. Staying home was the order of the day for Quinn, who, by the way, was also facing a former All-Pro left tackle in Trent Williams. Quinn will have a decided advantage whether he's facing Packers backup tackle Nijman or Bakhtiari. It's been a long time since Bakhtiari could walk onto a field and play at a high level, back to the end of the 2020 season. Expecting him to simply pick up where he left off now would be foolish. Quinn will challenge him with his crafty pass rush technique just as he will Nijman, who has made nine starts in three seasons. Last year Nijman made his first start in a Bears-Packers game at Lambeau Field and faced Quinn. The end result was two Quinn sacks.
Bears TE Cole Kmet vs. Packers LB Quay Walker
Kmet didn't make a catch against the 49ers and had one target. They shifted his emphasis to blocker early in the game and had him on the outside as an outlet in many passing patterns for the game. Fields didn't get to him in the progression. Anticipate Kmet getting catch-and-run opportunities in this one as the Bears shift their offensive emphasis facing a 3-4 defense more similar to the one they used to play under Vic Fangio/Sean Desai. Kmet made seven receptions last year in two games against the Packers and eight in the previous season. He had seven in one game as a rookie. Walker is the Georgia rookie who had mixed results in his first game. His pass coverage was found wanting as Pro Football Focus gave him a 59.5 pass coverage grade and he allowed three completions in four passes when targeted. He also suffered a shoulder injury and it could be a factor in whether he is available this week.
Bears WR Darnell Mooney vs. Packers CB Jaire Alexander
Mooney was practically invisible in the game on Sunday, and was held last year in Lambeau Field to one catch by the Packers secondary. His route running and speed normally have done enough to get him open. For instance, he had 12 catches for 126 yards against the Vikings in last year's season finale and finished the season with 29 catches in the last four games. Alexander is one of the league's elite cornerbacks and is healthy now. He had a 72.1 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus last week in a game when the Vikings offense had a surprisingly easy time with Green Bay's defense. He gave up three receptions in five targets last week but only for 6.7 yards a catch. At 5-foot-10, 196 pounds, Alexander is 20 pounds heavier and a stronger cornerback who can get his hands on Mooney and be physical. Also, he has exactly the same 40 speed as Mooney, 4.38 seconds, so speed is no edge for the Bears receiver.
Bears C Sam Mustipher vs. Packers NT Kenny Clark
Mustipher isn't the first choice for Bears coaches at starting center but until Lucas Patrick's thumb injury is full strength they will look to him in this role. According to PFF, Mustipher had a solid first game, coming in at 60.1 overall for a grade, which is a good bit higher than his grade on last year. He was especially solid in pass blocking but the Bears need all their linemen to be better blocking the run. They struggled last week. Clark has been a nightmare for the Bears to handle no matter if it's a guard or the center or both trying to block him. He has great lower body strength and has recorded 4 1/2 sacks and seven tackles for loss against them. Clark generally manages to cave in the Bears interior line blocking each time they face the Bears regardless of the opposition. It will be interesting when he is on the interior between both Mustipher and guard Teven Jenkins because Jenkins is a more physical type of guard, something the Bears really haven't been able to throw against him since Kyle Long played the position.
Bears CB Kindle Vildor vs. Packers WR Sammy Watkins
Watkins gained a bit of Rodgers' confidence last week with three catches, something few of the young receivers did. Watkins and Vildor have a bit of a history. Last year it was Watkins who got free at game's end against Vildor for a 29-yard catch that set up the winning points in Baltimore's late comeback win over the Bears.
Rodgers found Watkins last week for three receptions but only 18 yards as he has tried to build up a connection with someone, anyone.
Vildor allowed four catches when targeted five times last week for 59 yards according to Sportradar, for a passer rating against of 115.8.
Bears CB Kyler Gordon vs. Packers WR Randall Cobb
Sure Cobb is 32 now but definitely not done and put a Bears uniform in front of him and he'll find a way to get catches. He has always had success against them, averaging almost four catches and 54.6 yards per reception vs. their secondary over the years. With Rodgers searching for dependable targets, Cobb would make sense as a veteran who has a long connection with him. The two hooked up last week only for two catches and 14 yards, so look for them to bounce back. The fact they're facing a rookie nickel cornerback will be especially inviting. Gordon allowed five catches in seven targets last week for 70 yards. He made one big mistake and let a receiver get behind him, but his tackling was generally solid with six total tackles.
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