The Bears and Packers are two of the few remaining teams with 2-0 records. With two high-powered offenses led by Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler respectively, Monday night at Soldier Field has the makings of a classic NFC North shootout.
packers on offense
After the Packers watched Ryan Grant go down for the year in his season opener, they knew their balanced attack would take a hit. So while Green Bay’s backfield barely made a dent against the Bills last week (65 total yards between Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn), Aaron Rodgers took matters into his own hands, passing for 255 yards and 2 TDs. This week could be similar for Rodgers and his receivers, especially after Chicago’s run defense caused the Cowboys’ three-headed running game to dwindle as did Wade Phillips’ job security. Rodgers will enter the hostile environment of Soldier Field calm and collected. He’ll be looking to pick on CB Charles Tillman, who seems to get beaten up a lot these days. But Green Bay’s most valuable receiver on Monday might not be Donald Driver or Greg Jennings, but Jermichael Finley. The young beast of a TE is a mismatch nightmare in between; too fast for a LB, too big for a safety. The Bears will use their speed to exploit Green Bay’s offensive line and get to Rodgers. They will try to get a spark from their great playmakers like Brian Urlacher and Julius Peppers.
bears on offense
Today, Martzism takes the form of the Chicago Bears’ new run-and-gun offense. Mike Martz has found the man to channel his revolution: the often questionable and offbeat Jay Cutler. Cutler and Martz appear to have breathed new life into the Bears’ attack. Matt Forte has been able to overcome his sophomore slump with two dynamic games in a row. What’s more impressive has been Cutler’s ability to distribute the ball and get production out of a seemingly weak receiving corps. Cutler will look to keep up the momentum at Soldier Field with his barrel gun — the Bears had 3 passing plays for 38-plus yards last week. Chicago’s receivers will use their speed to get behind the Packers’ secondary. But while Cutler tries to thread Johnny Knox and Devin Hester, he has to watch out for FS Nick Collins and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson. Another guy he has to watch out for is Clay Matthews, who seems to be dishing out concussions like the Cowboys have been dishing out wins. This is where his fast-pitch midrange weapons come in, namely Matt Forte and Greg Olsen.
Monday night’s showdown will be a high-risk, high-reward explosive shootout. Unfortunately for the Bears, their signal caller is a bit riskier than Green Bay’s.
super prediction
green bay 30
chicago24