Packers Look to Remain Undefeated Against the Bears in the LaFleur Era
The Green Bay Packers are set to face the four-win Chicago Bears for the first time this season. The Packers are coming off a bye week, hoping to look refreshed, while the Bears are in need of a pick-me-up after a humbling loss to the Patriots. With the NFC North race heating up, the final stretch of the season will be crucial for both teams as they fight for playoff spots. For Green Bay, a win at Soldier Field isn’t just about staying in the Super Bowl hunt, it’s just about beating the Bears for the sake of good ol’ tradition.
Chicago recently made a change at offensive coordinator, firing Shane Waldron and promoting Thomas Brown. Now, they’ll try to get their offense on track, with Green Bay as their first test. With playmakers like Caleb Williams, D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, and Cole Kmet, the Bears should have a lot more to show for their offense. Before this season, every Packers fan has been forced against their will to endure delusional Bears fans insisting their offense looked scary. The Bears’ offseason smack talk is nothing new, when else are Bears fans going to talk trash if not when there are no games to lose? This year, though, there was some logic behind it. On paper, their offense does look scary. Still, the Bears always find a way to take that potential and turn it into disappointment.
Although the phrase “the Bears Still Suck” hasn’t exactly been disproven yet, it’s unfair to place all the blame on Caleb Williams. Quarterbacks often find themselves the target of criticism, whether the team is winning or losing. The Bears’ offensive line didn’t do him any favors, allowing Williams to be sacked a brutal nine times against a Patriots defense that entered the game ranked 29th in the league. Bears quarterbacks have a kind of generational trauma when it comes to fearing the Packers' pass rush, often ending up flat on their backs. At this point, the Bears' punter has become the team's standout player, posting more punting yards than the rookie quarterback has passing yards this season.
The Packers have had a week to recover from any lingering injuries, address their ongoing penalty issues, and clean up the drops. Chicago will be the chance for Green Bay to prove they did not spend the week sitting around eating Uncrustables. Given how Chicago has been playing, Green Bay should win this matchup, but no victory is ever guaranteed, though the Packers beating the Bears is probably as close as you’ll get in the NFL. In the Matt LaFleur era, the Packers are undefeated in their 10 matchups against the Bears, and they’ll look to continue their complete dominance this Sunday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. EST on Fox.
