Where Bears Own Edges Against Packers

In 2020 the Jacksonville Jaguars knocked off an Indianapolis Colts team with Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator in the season opener 27-20, shocking the NFL.

Then the Jaguars proceeded to lose their next 15 games.

So the Bears can't be too caught up in their slip 'n slide win over the San Francisco 49ers, especially with Green Bay coming up Sunday night.

Absences made a huge difference for the Packers last week in a 23-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and it's possible some of those players could return this week to face the Bears.

Offensive linemen David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins remain out, although the Packers had anticipated earlier in the week they might return.

One player who won't return made the biggest difference and that's Davante Adams. Aaron Rodgers didn't have his go-to receiver and it showed.

The Bears had trouble matching up against Packers receivers and tried putting Jaylon Johnson on Adams all over the field last year. It worked to a small extent but all Adams needed was a play or two to break open the game.

Now, it appears Rodgers lacks this type of receiver and the entire balance of the Packers offense against the Bears defense shifts.

The Bears could actually find some favorable matchups for a change when they go to Lambeau Field Sunday night to face the Packers. Here are matchups favoring the Bears.

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.

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