At this point, the Green Bay Packers know how to beat the Chicago Bears. They did it in the teams’ first meeting, getting explosive plays with regularity in the passing game and holding on for a late victory. They dominated the game for 55 minutes in the second contest before falling apart late and improbably losing a game that they definitely could have won.
Game one showed what to do on offense. Game two showed what not to do — namely, playing mistake-filled football in the red zone and letting
the Bears stay too close.
Sometimes, football can be a very simple game. Move the guy in front of you; keep control of the ball; execute your assignment. Whichever team does those things the best on Saturday night will advance to play another game.
Let’s be grateful that the Packers are healthier than they have been in a few weeks — at least the players who don’t have season-ending injuries. Between that and knowing that they can beat Chicago, they are in a great position to do what they did two years ago: winning on the road as the #7 seed. Tomorrow night, we’ll find out if they make it happen or if they are going home early for a second straight season.
Packers QB Jordan Love has zero concerns about rust | Packers.com
Love is confident that he won’t be rusty, particularly after multiple days of practice going up against the Packers’ #1 defense instead of the scout team.
NFL playoffs: Ranking six wild-card teams, plus keys to wins | ESPN
If the Packers can win against man coverage (looking at you, Christian Watson) and pick up yards after the catch, they’ll be in a great spot to have a chance to win.
Who will Packers face at slot CB for the Bears in playoff rematch? | Packers Wire
That will have to happen with a different Bears defender in the slot; the Packers picked on C.J. Gardner-Johnson a bit in the last two matchups, but he’s out with a concussion and Kyler Gordon is back off injured reserve.
Two Newcomers Will Play Critical Roles for Packers in Playoffs | SI.com
How much Trevon Diggs and Jonathan Ford will play on Saturday remains to be seen, but they could both be put in big roles to help slow down this Bears offense.
Ed Policy has big call to make with Packers GM, coach | Packersnews.com ($)
Maybe Policy won’t make the decision on Matt LaFleur at all; he could go back to the team’s classic structure of putting the GM in charge of the coach, which was the case up until Mark Murphy realigned the org chart so both reported to him.
Adventurous pig escapes on Route 30 in Lancaster County | FOX43
This pig probably wanted to get out of Western PA before the Texans defense goes nuclear on Aaron Rodgers this weekend.
