Bear Digest

These Green Bay matchups look daunting for struggling Bears defense

Finding a way to cope with a healthy Packers receiver group and Jordan Love should challenge the Bears' secondary and there are other issues they could have.
Gene Chamberlain|
Linebacker T.J. Edwards breaks up a pass intended for Packers wide receiver Christian Watson in the Bears' Week 16 win.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards breaks up a pass intended for Packers wide receiver Christian Watson in the Bears' Week 16 win. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Bears safety Kevin Byard realizes the intensity of a playoff game Saturday can leave the defense prone to one large problem that they barely overcame last time against the Packers.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love felt it, and that was Chicago being too intense with the pass rush. It's how Austin Booker's hit took Love out of the game.

Do the Bears even win that one without the roughing-the-passer penalty and concussion? No one will know. They can only speculate. Whether they can win this week is what matters now.

"Understanding that the personal foul penalties almost hurt us in the last (Packers) game, so we can't have that this week," Byard said. "That's something that we're going to be talking about as a team.

"The intensity level is going to be there. I mean it's Green Bay at Soldier  Field. I mean it's the emotions are going to be high, it's going to be a super exciting atmosphere, but also understand its playoffs. the refs are probably going to call it a little tighter. There are more eyes on the game. It's going to be a national televised game. So, just, understanding all those elements and making sure that you're playing smart, taking it all the way up into that line, don't cross the line but taking it all the way up there because that's the intensity that's going to be needed to win this game.”

There is no doubt stopping Love and doing it legally is a key but the defense could have numerous problems Saturday, and it's apparent from how they matched up in the first two games.

They led for all of one second. That was the one second officials declared DJ Moore's reception a touchdown in overtime of Game 2. They were fighting from behind in both games. This doesn't say much for possible matchup advantages.

Here's where the Bears look most vulnerable trying to match up against the Packers.

CB Nahshon Wright vs. WR Christian Watson

Watson is entirely healthy now and that can't always be said. Watson is a real burner and the Bears lack that kind of speed among secondary players. When Wright is lined up on Watson, his 6-foot-4 height advantage over most wide receivers he covers is gone because Watson is the same height. The difference athletically is night and day. Watson had a 38-inch vertical leap at the combine and Wright's was 31 inches. Also, Watson ran a 4.36 in the 40 while Wright ran 4.46. Wright has made five interceptions and played well as a ballhawk but gave up six touchdown passes in coverage this season.

DT Gervon Dexter vs. RG Jordan Morgan

The Packers could also start Anthony Belton here but it doesn't matter. Either one gets a big advantage over Dexter, who has been a real disappointment in the run defense. He gets enough pressure in his pass rush and has 39 for the season, with a career-high six sacks. But it's not his pass rush where he hurts the Bears. Since the Steelers game, the Bears have lost the games when they've given up more yards per carry than their opponent. Dexter has been a liability against the run. Pro Football Focus grades him 107th out of 134 interior defensive linemen at stopping the run.  Dexter is hardly alone in playing run defense poorly on the Bears’ defensive line. Maybe only Montez Sweat rates a positive grade for that this season.

TE Cole Kmet vs. LB Edgerrin Cooper

Cooper has had an excellent all-around season and ranks 17th of 88 linebackers, seventh in pass coverage and 38thh against the run. He's Green Bay's third-best starter in pass coverage grade, as well. Kmet's role in the passing has declined through no fault of his own. It happened because of an offense emphasizing the move-tight end, Colston Loveland. And Kmet still blocks and catches as well as he had, but Cooper has brought a higher level of all-around play to Green Bay's linebacker corps while making 118 tackles.

CB Jaylon Johnson vs. WR Romeo Doubs

Normally this would be a flipped scenario, with the Bears owning a heavy advantage. This hasn't been the Johnson they know since he tried to return from surgery quickly. Only C.J. Gardner-Johnson had a worse PFF coverage grade for the Bears than Johnson last week, as he gave up six catches in seven targets for 81 yards. Johnson is giving up a career-worst 72.7% completions per Stathead/Pro Football Reference (16 of 22). Doubs made five catches for 84 yards and a TD in the last Bears game and this was with Malik Willis throwing most of the passes.

CB Kyler Gordon vs. WR Jayden Reed

A battle of two players who have been plagued by injuries this season, but Reed has had plenty of time to rest since they lost to Baltimore in Week 17. In four games since his return from injury Dec. 7 against the Bears, Reed made 16 catches, 166 yards and gradually ramped into better health. His last real action was Dec. 27 and he should be entirely healthy now. Gordon, meanwhile, has played in three games all year because of groin issues. The backup slot, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, can't practice because of a concussion. If Gordon has any health issues returning after four games away since aggravating his injury in warmups, he'll be replaced by Nick McCloud. Gordon was viewed as a key and vital player for the Bears going into the season, but injury has prevented any impact whatsoever.

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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.