Bear Digest

Greatest matchup concern for Bears for Week 16 against Packers

The look is a bit different for the Bears and for the Packers in a rematch of their Dec. 7 game won 28-21 by Green Bay, and here are the biggest worries for Chicago.
Gene Chamberlain|
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love throws a pass while blitzed by Jaquan Brisker in the Dec. 7 Bears-Packers game.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love throws a pass while blitzed by Jaquan Brisker in the Dec. 7 Bears-Packers game. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

While the Green Bay Packers lost one of the league's most dominant defensive players with the torn ACL suffered by Micah Parsons, their player who carried them into the playoffs the last two seasons remains a problem for the Bears.

Quarterback Jordan Love burned the Bears' secondary for three long touchdown plays in the Dec. 7 game and will be trying to be a problem again as the Packers try to retake first place in the NFC North.

"He got after us pretty good," Bears coach Ben Johnson said. "They had eight possessions and they scored four touchdowns, and had multiple explosive plays.

“We're going to have to look to contain that passing game better than what we did that first go-around if we want a chance to win this ballgame."

Love's ability to slide away from trouble often has thwarted Bears attempts to gamble with blitzes, and then he's able to hit long gainers.

"He's very difficult to get to," Johnson said. "He does a great job drifting away from the pressure.

"I think they do a great job in their protection scheme, in terms of looking to keep  the pocket clean. They do a lot of the chips on the edges to slow down your edge rushers. You're looking for your interior to get a little push, but when you do that, he can still find a way to buy a little bit of time."

Love on Dec. 7 made good use of the speed he has at receiver in Christian Watson, Jayden Reed. He also has first-round draft pick Matthew Golden, who was playing injured and didn't have a reception in the first game but had three for 55 yards last week against Denver.

 "Then, he has a knack, with the speed that he has at receiver, of being able to float  that ball out there, out in front of (receivers), and throw them open," Johnson said. "I think that's what makes him such a dangerous player right now.

"He's doing a really good job and playing at a really high level.”

There are other matchup issues for the Bears, as well.

CB C.J. Gardner-Johnson vs. WR Christian Watson

The last game showed this doesn't end well for the Bears as Watson took a short crossing route the distance for a TD with Gardner-Johnson lacking the speed to keep up. Watson's health is an issue at this point due after he suffered a chest/shoulder injury in the last game but he hasn't been ruled out. He made two TD catches in the last game and has to give the Bears cause for concern when they try to blitz and leave any of their DBs in single coverage. Only Tyrique Stevenson might have the speed for something like that. Kyler Gordon does, but he is on IR.

T Ozzy Trapilo vs. DE Rashan Gary

Trapilo had a full plate in the last game and was provided with plenty of help as he tried to stave off Parsons. They did it to a large extent but it limited what could be done offensively. Gary has long plagued the Bears with big plays. He has four career sacks and seven tackles for loss against them. They'll move him from side to side, so sometimes he'll be up against Darnell Wright, but facing Trapilo is the worry for the Bears. Trapilo's only sacks allowed this year came against Myles Garrett, according to Myles Garrett. He has only one penalty. Pro Football Focus grades him 44th of 82 tackles as a pass blocker, and for a rookie second-round pick put into the mix at mid-season, this is a commendable standard. However, a big game against an experienced pass rusher who plagues the Bears is requiring something more from their 6-foot-8, 309-pound rookie. 

LB Tremaine Edmunds vs. RB Josh Jacobs

The Bears had Edmunds on IR but at this point it must be presumed he'll be playing this week after more than a month away with groin injury. His window to return has opened. Edmunds has been outstanding as a pass defender when healthy and there are only five players in the league with more interceptions than he has, but the Bears struggled against the run sporadically all season and Jacobs burned them last time for a key 21-yard run when he had four players waiting to make the tackle. Jacobs' other threat could be as a receiver, because has an ability to aid not only in the screen game but to get to the second level. He's graded third in the league among backs as a receiver by PFF and sixth as a runner.

TE Cole Kmet vs. LB Edgerrin Cooper

Cooper continues to give the Packers standout play at linebacker, grading out 13th of 88 at the position per PFF. He made 11 tackles against the Bears in the last game. It's in the passing game where he stands out most, grading 10th of 88. Kmet has shown up more in the passing game as injuries have impacted the wide receivers. He has 13 catches in his last five games after only 11 in the first eight. Kmet's blocking in the run game has been a big asset, as well, but he's been limited in practice after taking a big hit in the leg last game and the impact of the injury is uncertain.

CB Jaylon Johnson vs. WR Romeo Doubs

Johnson made a ridiculous interception last week but the questions remain about his conditioning and playing level after his surgery earlier. He only played 40% of the defensive snaps in his third game back from surgery. Normally, you're talking Pro Bowl and All-Pro at this time of year with Johnson but the core muscle surgery isn't something a player simply comes back from 100% in the middle of a season. Doubs went without a reception in the first Bears game but had been having a strong season until then when healthy. He had five TD catches and 45 receptions going into that game and has hurt the Bears in the past.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.