(Photo: Sporting News)

Intriguing Game- NFL, Week Five

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

Bears (3-1):

They’re clicking right now and have won their last two games since the Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. When Caleb Williams went down, I think everyone started to panic, but this is why I always say that not only having a backup, but having an experienced backup, is key. We saw that in Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. Ben Johnson decided to start Case Keenum, and it worked to his full advantage because the Eagles had absolutely no tape on Case. That was by far the best game I’ve seen Ben call. Last week against the Jets, he decided to start Tyson Bagent after he cleared concussion protocol, and I saw all the reactions on social media: “Why isn’t he starting Case?” “Case deserved another shot.” Trust me, I understand what you all were saying, and I’m a firm believer in sticking with the hot hand, but if I were a coach, I’d do the exact same thing Ben did, which is start another quarterback over my previous one to have one up on my opponent. He knew there was more tape on Keenum. Just trust him. He was hired for a reason. I understand the Minnesota Vikings are 4-0 and atop the NFC North, but the Chicago Bears, to me, are the best team in this division, and I’ve never been one to go by records. That means nothing to me. I trust their offense more than Minnesota’s at the end of the day. I already knew what this offense would be capable of as the season approached, and we got a glimpse of what this could be in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers. I can admit that entering the year, I had my concerns about their defense because I always thought they were a little too reliant on turnovers. When they weren’t creating those takeaways, they would give up too many big plays down the field. In their last three games, they’ve given up nine points, followed by seven and 12 this past Sunday against the New York Jets. That’s a total of just 28 points allowed in their last three games. This Sunday afternoon, the Bears enter rivalry week at Lambeau!

Packers (2-2):

Who are they? I’m not asking this question to be funny. Seriously, who are they as a team? They’ve looked so flat and have come out with zero energy. Ever since they lost Micah Parsons to a torn ACL last December, they have not fared well, which is why I always say you can’t rely on one player to make everything better. This is exactly what’s currently happening. So what exactly is wrong with the Green Bay Packers? I’m glad you asked, because this is why I’m here to answer. The first thing everyone likes to do is blame the quarterback when things go wrong, and believe me, Jordan Love has struggled. But he isn’t fully to blame because, the last time I checked, he doesn’t play on the offensive line, nor does he play defense either. Every time Jordan drops back to throw the football, he’s either running for his life or he’s eating grass pie — one or the other. My biggest takeaway with their offense is their lack of a running game. So far, as a team, they have only 232 rushing yards on 73 attempts and are averaging 3.2 yards per carry, which ranks last in the league. On Monday Evening Quarterback last week, I mentioned that they should try to make a move for Marvin Harrison Jr. because they need someone who can give this offense a spark. When I look at their defense, I see inconsistent football across the board. Look what the Atlanta Falcons did to them on Thursday night in Week 3. And to add insult to injury — no pun intended — the injuries are piling up for them as they just lost Edgerrin Cooper for the year to a torn Achilles. The Packers will welcome the 2025 NFC North division champs to town for a Week 5 showdown.

Bears X-Factor: Colston Loveland

I like what he brings to this Chicago offense. What Sam LaPorta was to the Detroit Lions offense under Ben Johnson is exactly what Colston is becoming for the Bears, and I like the fact that he’s not your traditional tight end, which means Green Bay has to account for him differently. With Tyson Bagent set to start his second consecutive game, Colston will become that safety valve, and Tyson won’t have to make any difficult throws if they can get him open between the linebackers and safeties. If the Packers elect to defend him with a linebacker, I’d attack vertically. If it’s a safety, the Bears can use his size and route running to create leverage. But if Green Bay decides to double him, this is where the tandem of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai becomes dangerous.

Packers X-Factor: Tucker Kraft

The Packers’ offense was a mess after Tucker got hurt last year. You can see the difference he makes when he’s on the field compared to when he’s not, and every quarterback has that go-to weapon. Tucker just so happens to be Jordan Love’s top target. He’s getting volume so far, and on the year, he’s been targeted 24 times. He’s also coming off his best game of the season so far against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tucker is a useful weapon for Jordan underneath and will be looked upon to help the Packers’ offense remain on schedule. Lastly, continue to target him in the red zone. Tucker is 6’5″, giving him an obvious height advantage over anyone attempting to cover him.

Final Thoughts:

I was around this rivalry for over 20 years, and it just hits differently. I’ve seen my share of big games for the Bears, but Packers Week is a much different vibe. I was able to preview all three of their matchups last season, with the first coming in Green Bay, where the Packers intercepted Caleb to seal the deal. Then, two weeks later, the Packers blew a 10-point lead, and Caleb threw a rope to DJ Moore to call game. They also met in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, where the Packers blew an 18-point lead and the Bears came back to win. When both teams are relevant, it’s great for the landscape of the NFL, and we get another meeting between these two. The Bears must continue to lean on the ground attack, especially against a defense that’s struggling to limit the run. This is the number one key for Chicago on Sunday. Next, protect Bagent, but don’t make him the star. Allow him to control things by leaning on the running game, using play action, and taking care of the football. The last key is to attack the middle of Green Bay’s defense without Cooper on the field, and this is where Loveland comes into the picture. The Packers must win on third down. They can’t continue to live on third-and-eight thinking it’ll work for them. They need to move the sticks, get Jordan into a rhythm early, and stop this ground attack from the Bears. Ready to see what happens next in this chapter of the rivalry.

Prediction:

Bears 29, Packers 17