Cory's Corner: The Script Is Simple vs. Toothless Bears
Chicago has lost three straight and the Bears offense is tail-spinning out of control. This is the perfect game for the Packers defense.
The Bears have become too easy to overlook.
The franchise that used to be a thorn in the Packers’ side from 1984-1990 when they won the division six out of seven seasons has turned into dumpster fire yet again.
After getting out to a 4-2 start, the Bears have lost three straight and are gasping for breath.
Just how bad are things in Chicago? The Bears were missing five offensive linemen and the Patriots capitalized by tying a franchise record with nine sacks. The Bears had a promising offensive line unit at the beginning of the season, but they don’t have much depth and the rest of the NFL knows it.
The Bears picked Caleb Williams No. 1 overall last spring thanks to the gift from the Carolina Panthers. But he has been sacked a league-high 37 times and has been pressured 129 times. Williams also leads the league with 22 throw aways.
The high-pressure environment Williams faces on the field is not unlike the calculated risks required in other competitive situations. For example, those who appreciate testing their strategic thinking may find parallels in activities like kasyno online, where decision-making and risk management play a key role in achieving success.
The Packers don’t have to overthink it. Bring pressure up the middle, keep Williams in the pocket and good things are going to happen. This is a game where Edgerrin Cooper will cause plenty of problems in the Chicago backfield. This is also the perfect game for Kenny Clark to register his first sack of the season.
In the last three games, the Packers have generated 12 pressures vs. Houston, eight pressures at Jacksonville and only three vs. Detroit. This is the game where new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley needs to bring the kitchen sink, the spare couch and the broken water softener. Make Williams beat you. Make him throw it off-platform and give him as many different looks as possible.
Williams is in a terrible spot. The offensive line isn’t close to adequate right now. The Bears were just 1-for-14 on third down in a 19-3 home loss to a bad Patriots team and Chicago’s leading running back — D’Andre Swift — only had 59 yards on 16 carries.
To be fair, this isn’t just a Bears offensive line problem. Williams has held on to the ball too long and has tried to play hero ball. While Jordan Love has done a good job of getting the ball out on time, he has fallen into the trap of hero ball by just throwing the ball up in what resembles a game of 500 at your local elementary school recess.
The Bears are desperate. Their backs are to the wall and they know that if they lose their first division game to the Packers to fall to 4-6, the season is likely over. The Bears aren’t beating the Lions, which I think is the best team in football and will maybe squeak out one win vs. Green Bay and Minnesota.
“Caleb Williams having to see (Vikings defensive coordinator) Brian Flores twice in the second half of the season is hard,” an NFL executive for a non NFC North team told the Chicago Tribune.
The Bears just wrapped up their soft part of the schedule and looked abysmal. JaMarr Chase leads the league with 981 receiving yards, while rookie Rome Odunze leads the Bears with 414 followed by D.J. Moore with 398.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur will be going into this game singing the Bears praises. He will likely hit on how dynamic and unpredictable Williams is and how the defense is still good despite losing their starting nose tackle for the rest of the season.
The Packers have won the last 10 in this series and thanks to a Bears offensive line that has been held together with masking tape and Elmer’s glue, No. 11 is right in front of them.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
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Comments (44)
HarryHodag
November 12, 2024 at 06:46 am
Not buying it. Remember the phrase 'any given Sunday"? On any given Sunday nearly any team in the league can defeat another. It's been that way for nearly half a century or more.
The Bears are on a skid but they aren't a walkover. It's a division game. One other point: so far this Packers team hasn't shown they can be dominant. Remember the Lions loss? The Packers are very much a team that can be beaten and honestly, they have as much to prove as the Bears.
I've never liked the attitude that the Packers are easy winners. Sorry, not buying it.
LeotisHarris
November 12, 2024 at 08:46 am
Yup, this.
Sometimes Elmer's glue and masking tape are all you need for the project. NFL insiders are reporting multiple deliveries of duct tape and caulk to Halas Hall.
TKWorldWide
November 12, 2024 at 08:54 am
Rosary sales in and around Chicago are way up as well.
Spock
November 12, 2024 at 10:04 am
LOL. Back in the day they used to say there was more praying going on at Lambeau during a home game on Sunday than there was in the local churches! :)
EricTorkelson
November 12, 2024 at 04:14 pm
Don't remember were I was when Kennedy ( rest his soul ) was shot
Do remember where I was when Charles martin slammed Jim McMahon into Soldiers Field
NickPerry
November 12, 2024 at 07:06 am
This SHOULD be a get right game for any one on Defense needing to get right. I have two concerns.
1) The Packers come out FLAT. They come back from a week of rest and look as though they were off for several weeks.
2) They are looking forward to the 49ers game and end up losing to the Bears.
IMO neither one of these things can happen. They just lost to the Lions and had lost to the Viking earlier in the year. This team CAN'T come out of this weekend 0-3 in their own division. As far as I know Eberflus is still the HC. That's a GOOD thing for the Packers.
Guam
November 12, 2024 at 09:31 am
I'm hoping the trade of Preston Smith gives the defense a mental kick in the butt for this game. The extra snaps for the young DL as well as moving on from a team stalwart should be a wake up call. I expect the defense to play well.
As for the offense, I don't know. Statistically they are one of the better offenses in the league (points and yards per game) but they hurt themselves far too often with mental mistakes. Will the coaching staff get that fixed over the bye - I hope so but I am lacking confidence in that thought.
T7Steve
November 12, 2024 at 07:14 am
Same as with the Packers or any other team, it comes down to (actually starts with) the O-line. Same thing is happening to the Jets. A bad O-line makes everything look bad from the coaches on down. Even sets the D and special teams up to look bad. EVERYTHING! A good line can make even an average QB look good, like Sam Darnold or Jared Goff.
LambeauPlain
November 12, 2024 at 09:25 am
The OL has been, is, and forever will be the most important unit on the football team.
The QB is the most important teammate on the field. But like Frodo, he doesn't get very far without the Fellowship of the Five up front.
I am of the view the Packers should draft an OL during the first two days of EVERY draft. And add another on day 3.
Then play your best 5 who may also be your favorite 5. But too often, your favorite 5 are not your best 5.
fireball
November 12, 2024 at 07:28 am
I'm with you on this one, Hodag. The whole team has to prove itself, especially Love. I'm still not convinced that Love is the franchise quarterback for the Packers. I keep thinking of the NFL analyst who wrote of Love in the 2020 draft, " His size, mobility and arm talent. . . could be a winning hand that leads a team into the future or a siren's song of erratic play and unfulfilled potential.
Yeh, " erratic play and unfulfilled potential. " The kind of player that breaks your heart and wallet at the same time. 55 million dollars a year, indeed!
Coldworld
November 12, 2024 at 08:12 am
Divisional rivalries are seldom “easy” games. The Packers and Bears particularly so. If the Bears crumble as this piece seems to anticipate it will open the floodgates of woe in Chicago to an unprecedented extent.
To me, the more interesting matchup here is on O, which to my mind has been the phase that is underperforming against expectations. What changes in health and approach will we see? How well will we perform on third downs and in the red zone? How healthy is Love going to be? Will Williams and Jaire be ready? Will Myers return? How will Wicks be used and who picks up any snaps from him? How well will the Bears D hold up?
I expect a physical game. How we respond to that will be interesting to see. If their D struggles then perhaps this could be a heart breaker for the Bears and perhaps the last straw for some down there. I expect significant attitude from them in light of that.
T7Steve
November 12, 2024 at 08:22 am
How long do you think Love's groin will affect him? I can't remember hearing what grade the pull was, so I hope it doesn't linger throughout the season. That's the whole crux for this offense. The lingering effects of Myers and Wicks play will have less effect, but I'm more worried about Myers effect on the inside of the line and running game.
Coldworld
November 12, 2024 at 09:05 am
I have no idea. Those injuries have a bad habit of reaggravation too, even if initially mild. Assuming a couple of weeks fixed it is a leap of faith. It might, but equally he may be limited or at least up and down in his mobility for much longer.
TKWorldWide
November 12, 2024 at 03:17 pm
The only time a groin pull isn’t serious is when it’s attached to someone else.
LLCHESTY
November 12, 2024 at 03:51 pm
Always ask for permission before pulling someone else's groin!!
TKWorldWide
November 13, 2024 at 05:54 pm
It’s common courtesy.
RCPackerFan
November 12, 2024 at 08:17 am
The biggest opponent GB has on the field are the Packers. If they would stop beating themselves, they can beat anyone any given Sunday. But they have been too busy beating themselves with stupid penalties, with bad decisions, and with ill timed turnovers.
I hope GB took the week off to recollect themselves and fix the issues they have had. They need to refocus and clean up the penalties as well as the other stuff. The last game they had 10 penalties and 6 dropped passes. They have to clean that up. So hopefully the bye was the perfect time to get that stuff corrected.
If GB doesn't beat themselves they can beat anyone!
The Bears are a struggling team. They got big head beating a lot of bad teams early. They have a very tough schedule the rest of the season. They have some talent for sure. But they are poorly ran and gave the keys to the rookie QB. Now he is struggling. So GB needs to attack him. Show him stuff he hasn't seen before.
I will say this for a 3rd time. GB wins if they don't beat themselves first.
TKWorldWide
November 12, 2024 at 03:26 pm
Well put.
I am starting to advance the notion that, after turnovers, dropped passes (on offense or dropped INT’s) are the second biggest factor in wins and losses. Agree?
mrtundra
November 12, 2024 at 08:24 am
I've been a GB Packer fan, for far too long, to know there are no easy games or for certain victories. Every game has to be won, on the field, every week. The Bears, while looking horrible, last week will be playing North Division rival, GBP, at home, this Sunday. That will fire them up. I look for a much tougher game for the Packers than most people think. I still feel the Packers will walk away with a victory, but the Packers will have to earn it. It won't be handed to them on a silver platter.
Cheezehead72
November 12, 2024 at 08:31 am
This is a tough game to pick with the spread. I go with the Packers to cover only because the line is less than a TD and extra point.
RCPackerFan
November 12, 2024 at 08:32 am
Bears just fired their OC...
It will be interesting to see how that changes their offense.
Coldworld
November 12, 2024 at 09:08 am
Replaced by another ex Rams guy Walden brought with him. Probably not a vast difference. More likely a scapegoating exercise.
What remains to be seen, is how good that D really is against the offenses they face over the rest of the season. If the Packers can score on it regularly then the fall out is likely severe.
RCPackerFan
November 12, 2024 at 09:27 am
Yeah, I wouldn't think it would change a lot. But it could change some stuff.
I think the DL needs to step up. That is where we need our defense to set the tone.
Coldworld
November 12, 2024 at 01:11 pm
What it might do is encourage more designed risk taking, not desperation or improvisation. That should help our D as much as hurt it. Unless they can manufacture an OL in 5 days, it should not make a difference. Perhaps the most interesting thing to watch on the Packers side of things is how Hafley attacks them and with whom. Will we see a post bye and P Smith change in approach from the front?
LambeauPlain
November 12, 2024 at 09:30 am
The new OC put up 30 pts on the Packers last season when he was the OC for the Panthers.
And that Panthers team was arguably worse than the Bears today, talent wise.
RCPackerFan
November 12, 2024 at 09:44 am
To be fair. That was with Joe Barry as the DC...
Hafley is night and day better already.
Coldworld
November 12, 2024 at 01:27 pm
That was yet another game where we turned an ugly duckling into a swan for the day. We do have some safeties worthy of the name now at least. It was also a game where the Packers were 23 to 10 up at half time before LaFleur went into his shell and became conservative on O, abandoning what had been working while Barry went to soft coverage.
They got in rhythm, Young had his first 250 yard game by some margin and we won only because they finally ran out of time while moving the ball. They had almost 100 more passing yards, about a 100 rushing. Not a good day on D. Aaron Jones was the main offensive weapon for us with 120 odd yards at around 6 yards per carry.
I believe Hafley is a step up and wouldn’t be quite as quick to go so passive, but I can’t say I am as confident LaFleur wouldn’t take his foot off the gas in the same situation.
porupack
November 12, 2024 at 08:40 am
The bears have weakness on the Oline, but any coach worth a HC title in the NFL knows how to scheme to overcome a weakness. The bears have the weapons, impressive WRs 1-3. TE, RB and a mobile QB. There should be minimal chance the bears can't figure out a game plan to overcome the oline injuries.....not after 3 games of data.
T7Steve
November 12, 2024 at 08:55 am
I'm of the belief that a bad O-line is about the only thing you can't coach or plan around. You can hide a QBs arm by throwing short passes help the line by throwing them quick. Shade a safety over a challenged corner just about anything BUT the O-line. You can hide it for a trick play or two, but if they don't handle and wear the D-line down they'll be living in the backfield.
jvole
November 12, 2024 at 08:57 am
I was about to say the same thing. Bad across the front five and you are doomed. They should play their 2nd string QB.
GB@Germany
November 12, 2024 at 09:49 am
Nothing more dangerous, than a wounded Bear.
Be ready for a tough game.
GPG
dobber
November 12, 2024 at 10:04 am
With the firing of Shane Waldron mid-season on a floundering team, we're watching the death throes of the Eberflus era in Chicago. Eberflus can coach up a defense, though--they've still surrendered more than 21 points only twice all season--and I think they'll still be formidable on Sunday especially if this move puts them in a position of desperation. Don't overlook the fact that the Packers are their Super Bowl every time out.
The fact that Chicago's OL is a dumpster fire right now means the Bears likely try to run the ball and get the ball out of Williams' hands quickly....but that's not tremendously different from what they've done all season. They don't throw downfield very much and Swift breaks a longer run or two each game to puff up his numbers a little, but otherwise hovers around 2.5 ypc. I don't think this argues "send the house"...I think it argues that you shadow Williams (who can run), play coverage, maybe send a 5th rusher on obvious passing situations. Try to take advantage of their weak OL to get pressure with 4, keep the play in front of you, and tackle--but be cognizant of the fact that if it doesn't work, you've got to get off that quickly and force the issue.
Don't give them a chance to feel like they're in this game.
T7Steve
November 12, 2024 at 10:44 am
I just read that he hasn't thrown a TD or interception during the three losses while getting sacked 9 times just last weekend. Makes it sound like he's holding the ball too long and indecisive. Hard on an O-line. Run the ball and keep it out of his hands sounds about right.
Bitternotsour
November 12, 2024 at 11:09 am
That's who he was in college, he could hold the ball, move, hold the ball. That doesn't work in the NFL. They're going to need a Mike McCarthy styled QB school to remake that kid.
Coldworld
November 12, 2024 at 01:30 pm
Unfortunately the CBA forbids those now. Que sera sera
KCMackRVA
November 12, 2024 at 10:43 am
This is a "tell" game for the Pack. Has the impotence of the D-Line been a mirage, or will they actually show out against what will likely be the worst "offensive" line they've played against all year? Will #7 be able to get off a block? Can Love look like some semblance of his 2nd half of 2023 self again? Can the receiving corps step up and stop dropping passes?
A lot to potentially look forward to this coming weekend. Let's hope we see the improvement we all believe should be there heading into the back 9 of this season....
LeotisHarris
November 12, 2024 at 03:36 pm
Thumbs-up for using "impotence, mirage and offensive" in a single sentence. I also like your concept of potentially looking forward to this coming weekend. That's something I almost always never do.
GregC
November 12, 2024 at 11:26 am
Wow, the Bears fired OC Shane Waldron after just nine games. Before that, he was OC for the Seahawks for three years, and he had some success there, so it's not like he was a newbie. That is some serious organizational dysfunction. Can you even imagine the Packers firing an OC after nine games? Actually the Bears had never fired one in mid-season before.
I'm still not taking this game for granted though.
Coldworld
November 12, 2024 at 01:33 pm
It’s not quite Las Vegas firing both coordinators, but it’s pretty obvious scapegoating by the GM and the Head Coach. Fields had it easy by comparison.
LambeauPlain
November 12, 2024 at 01:53 pm
For decades now, the Packers may not have always had the best starting QB in the league, but they have always have the most prepared QBs to start (Love, Rodgers, and to a certain extent, Favre).
Trial by fire is overrated in the parity focused NFL. Packers understand this.
The bares have no equal starting star college rookies to "learn on the job".
barutanseijin
November 12, 2024 at 08:09 pm
Under Dick Jaron, the Bears actually sat Rex Grossman until the very end of his rookie season. Grossman was their whiz kid QB of 2003 & came with a bunch of college accolades and awards. Grossman ended up sitting for longer than his rookie season because he kept getting hurt when he did go in. He didn’t start a whole season until 2006.
The thing is, it didn’t really matter because Grossman was Grossman, a wildly inconsistent QB. The Bears have had a knack for picking the Wrong Guy and heaping the expectations and hopes accrued over decades of failure on that poor soul. The kid gets praised, crushed then kicked to the curb.
canadapacker
November 12, 2024 at 03:41 pm
Division games are never easy as others have said. Also replacing a co-ordinator might just motivate the Bears especially the QB to get some things done. I would hope that besides keeping Williams from using his legs and getting presure and sacks that Hafley has a game plan for both DJ Moore, Kmet and Swift because dump offs and quick outs are not our Ds strong points. These are two problem guys especially for us. Now one thing is that Love needs to process better and part of that is reliable snaps from center - albeit maybe the weather will be better on Sunday. Time to prove that WE STILL OWN DA BEARS
EricTorkelson
November 12, 2024 at 04:01 pm
If Love plays well the Packers win this one easily
C Williams looks rattled and beaten, ( remember Jay Cutler ) a definite dementia risk
The bears off line is bad, really bad ( when have they had a good line )
They just fired there Off coordinator... that was a no win situation for any coordinator
The bears have not recovered from the the Washington games hail Mary pass
Tyrique Stevenson is an idiot, but also a player you don't want to make a hero out of
lets see if LVN can have a decent game get some of the critics off his back
New England played man coverage the whole game the Packers should do the same......
Packerlifer
November 14, 2024 at 10:44 am
We shouldn't let the focus on Chicago's issues overlook or downplay the Packers' own. There's a lot to be "cleaned up" on the Green Bay side from the first half of the season and it should be quickly apparent coming out of the bye whether that has happened.
If we see more of what has resulted in close decisions over moderate or low level competition and losses to the better teams and that happens to meet a team that somehow gets up off the mat for one big day it will be a recipe for stunning upset loss.
I won't be happy with just a close win. I'm looking/hoping for something more like the last visit to Chitown in last year's opener: Packers 38 Bears 20.