Bears vs. Packers: What To Watch For
WHEN THE BEARS HAVE THE BALL
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams will become the first Bears quarterback to start every game in a season since Jay Cutler started all 16 in 2009. Considering Williams has been sacked 67 times this season and rushed 78 times, that’s a significant accomplishment, regardless of his 23rd-ranked passer rating (87.4) and 30th-ranked QBR (45.5).
On the other hand, Williams also is nine sacks shy of tying the NFL record for most times sacked in a season — 76, by Texans rookie David Carr in 2002. Williams already has been sacked nine times in a game once this season — in a dreadful 19-3 loss to the Patriots (2-7) at Soldier Field on No. 10 (the Patriots have three sacks in six games since then).
The Packers are ninth in the NFL in sack percentage, with eight against the Titans in Week 3 and seven against the Seahawks in Week 14. But they had only three for 19 yards against Williams and the Bears in Week 11.
The Bears face a tough challenge to finish on a high note against a Packers’ defense that ranks sixth in points allowed and eighth in yards allowed and has only shown vulnerability against top-10 offenses — allowing 34 points against the Lions in Week 14 and 27 against the Vikings last week.
DJ Moore (89 receptions, 880 yards, five touchdowns) needs 11 receptions to reach 100 for the first time in his career and 120 receiving yards for 1,000 — Williams would be the sixth different quarterback he’s caught 1,000 yards with in his seven-year career.
WHEN THE PACKERS HAVE THE BALL
The Bears’ defense is coming off its best performance of a dreary second half of the season — holding the Seahawks to 265 yards and two field goals in a 6-3 loss. But even with that game, the Bears have allowed 25.7 points and 380.2 yards in their last nine games — the 10th-most points and third-most yards in the NFL in that span.
The Week 11 game against the Packers was one of the few bright spots in the second-half downturn. Despite allowing 366 yards, the Bears held the Packers to 1-of-6 on third- and fourth-down conversions.
In fact, they held the Packers to 279 yards and 13 points with less than five minutes left in regulation, until Jordan Love threw a 60-yard pass to Christian Watson to spark a four-play, 87-yard touchdown drive that made the difference in a 20-19 victory.
Watson, who has 29 receptions for 620 yards (21.4 yards per catch) and two touchdowns this season, is questionable with a knee injury. He missed last week’s game against the Vikings.
It’s one more test for the Bears’ run defense, which has dropped from first in the NFL last year to 27th (133.4 yards per game). The Packers are fifth in the NFL in rushing (144.6 yards per game).