Four Days Until Kickoff: Four Views from Inside the Bears
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers (12-3) will face the Chicago Bears (8-7) on Sunday in a game dripping with playoff implications. For the Packers, the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs is at stake. For Chicago, it might be a must-win to get into the playoffs. Let’s get to know the foe with Gene Chamberlain of SI.com’s Bear Digest.
1. The Bears have gotten on a roll since the last matchup. Beyond the play of Mitch Trubisky, what's changed?
I'm not even convinced Mitchell Trubisky's play has improved much. The first Packers game was the game when they first instituted changes in their offense and a change in play-caller to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor from coach Matt Nagy.
Trubisky has continued to make stupid mistakes like throwing into coverage in the red zone. Witness two interceptions the last two games in the red zone when they needed points. What has changed is they've run the ball better because of a different starting offensive line and an offensive scheme that forces defenses to stretch more horizontally, which allows holes to open more easily for David Montgomery. They're running it more with the quarterback under center, which means bootlegs can work, and that allows Trubisky to need to read only half the field, which he’s capable of doing.
The running game has been the key, though, and they started to see it develop in the Packers game, but it didn't have much impact because they fell so far behind so fast. Since then, it's worked. And using Sam Mustipher at center while moving Germain Ifedi out to right tackle was a big factor in that running game working. It let them take Rashaad Coward out of the lineup, which can never be a bad thing.
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2. Now, let's talk Trubisky. Statistically, he's been much better the past month. What have you seen and what is his future with the team?
It's possible Trubisky could get offered a short-term deal at less-than starter's money, but if he bombed out in the Packers game and they then missed the playoffs because of a Cardinals win, I can't see why they would want to bring him back for any type of long-term deal. His statistics only reflect a better running game, as I said.
If they built their offensive line up a little stronger, they could run the type of offense Nagy wants, out of the shotgun more. Then they could simply use Nick Foles at quarterback or someone else they sign or draft. Trubisky has just been piling up stats against weaker defenses and benefiting from a running game. They could find just about any journeyman backup and do the same.
3. Those back-to-back games against Green Bay and Houston were not good for Chicago's defense. The Bears are playing like the Bears again, however, on that side of the ball. Is it the same old story of Akiem Hicks, Khalil Mack and Roquan Smith being so good or are there other factors?
Their defense has not been as good as it has been in past years. They allow too many plays for chunk yardage, runs or passes. Eddie Goldman's loss before the season due to COVID-19 was one move that general manager Ryan Pace never adequately compensated for but, then again, that's not easy to do with a nose who is borderline Pro Bowl quality.
They simply don't have a two-gap nose tackle to occupy blockers so Hicks and Danny Trevathan and Smith can make the plays in the running game. So, even with Smith playing out of his mind the last seven or eight games, the defense gets gashed. Even Jacksonville broke a run on them with a backup running back. The pass rush hasn't been as strong as usual. The double teams for Mack keep him in check, Hicks had a hamstring injury and has been slow to come back from it and Robert Quinn has been on the side of a milk carton all year.
4. Win or lose on Sunday, let's say the Bears get into the playoffs. Is this a team that can do some serious damage?
A: No. The only way the Bears could have won in the playoffs would have been if they would have earned the fifth seed. Then, they would have had the right to play one of the NFC Least teams and a team of any 11 sportswriters from SI.com could whip those teams.
