Bear Digest

Where Chicago Bears can find the best matchups against Green Bay

Although Ben Johnson has talked about the Packers like a Super Bowl winner all week long, there have been flaws to exploit or it wouldn't be the Bears leading the NFC North.
Gene Chamberlain|
DJ Moore gets free on a screen pass and scores against the Packers last season.
DJ Moore gets free on a screen pass and scores against the Packers last season. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

To hear the Bears all week, and particularly coach Ben Johnson, you'd think the Green Bay Packers already should have been awarded the Lombardi Trophy.

"It's a good team, man," Johnson said. "They're playing good football right now. They've really come on, especially these last three games.

"Offense is playing at a high level, quarterback is very accurate. And so, we’ve got a challenge on that side. Then this defense, I think I said it yesterday, it might be the best defense we've seen all year."

This is why the lack of respect complaint made by Micah Parsons sounds made up or like he was fishing through old garbage to find something to get himself excited. Bulletin board material is rare in the NFL these days so it's easier to make it up or find something from last offseason.

The Packers have played a very high level of football. However, they also have had problems, as losing to Cleveland and Cincinnati says.

They also got beat on their own field by the Eagles, who lost badly to the Bears in Philadelphia, and tied Dallas after the Bears had dominated the Cowboys.

It's a situation where there are weaknesses in the Green Bay lineup or they would already be in first place and closing in on home-field advantage through the playoffs.

QB Jordan Love has had a strong surge after the mid-point of the season but it hasn't been true for others.

Here's where the Bears best match up against the Packers.

WR DJ Moore vs. CB Carrington Valentine

It's not that Valentine is a bad player in coverage or struggling but no one on the regular Packers defense is graded worse as a tackler. That's a tough situation when the Bears have made Moore almost into a running back at times. Moore has averaged six catches and over 80 yards a game against the Packers in his career. He averages only 7.9 yards before contact this year, but still has 502 yards receiving, which shows how he's able to be physical and run through tackles or make tacklers miss.

TE Cole Kmet vs. LB Quay Walker

The Packers and Bears both rave about Walker's play and he is an excellent tackler. He also is the worst coverage player they have had among regulars, according to PFF. The short middle is one of Green Bay's weakest coverage areas via NFLGSIS.com The Packers have allowed the 10th most catches by tight ends in the league but have allowed the fewest yards to tight ends, which shows how well they rally to the ball. Kmet's run blocking has gone up a level or two all year regardless of what PFF grades say. They've managed to get running lanes outside the tackle thanks to many of his seal blocks.

RG Jonah Jackson vs. DT Karl Brooks

Jackson didn't start out the strongest but his run blocking has been a key in the way the Bears have alternated between blocking schemes and cleared paths. He is graded their third-best run blocker among starters overall, but in the last seven games he as had five PFF run-blocking scores of 74.1 or higher and none below 60. Losing Devonte Wyatt to injury hurt the Packers front because their two backup options, Brooks and Nazir Stackhouse, have been among their worst run defenders based on PFF grades.

DT Gervon Dexter vs. C  Sean Rhyan

The interior of the Packers' offensive line has posted its worst pass blocking scores and consistently struggled to keep the rush out of Jordan Love's face. They've moved players around constantly and it's been difficult for them to get consistency as a result. Dexter's one great strength has been his pass rush, as he has been almost a liability as a run defender. The really rough part for the Packers is when they double-team with Rhyan providing support, it's not much help. Rhyan is their lowest-graded lineman as a pass blocker. But whoever they have at left or right guard has had problems--whether it's Aaron Banks, Jordan Morgan or backup tackle Anthony Belton.

CB C.J. Gardner-Johnson vs. WR Dontayvion Wicks

It's possible the Packers could get elite slot receiver Jayden Reed back from injury this week after a broken collarbone but it's uncertain as he's only been going through limited practices and remains on IR. Wicks has had some impressive games as their slot but would face either Gardner-Johnson or Kyler Gordon, depending on the coverage scheme. Gardner-Johnson's strength is as a wild card. Whatever they asked him to do, he did it being picked up. Gordon is just now working into the lineup after injuries but was good enough to get a contract extension as their slot cornerback.

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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.