The Chicago Bears take on the Green Bay Packers in their season finale. A win would make it Green Bay’s finale as well. Here are five players who can help get that done.
It seems like we were talking about the Chicago Bears preparing for their 2023 season opener against the Green Bay Packers. Now we stand here talking about their season finale against…the Green Bay Packers.
A lot has happened this season. There were struggles, successes, cuts, firings, and more. However, through it all, the team has shown progress. This is not the same team we saw lose their final 10 games last season. Heck, this is not the same team that faced the Packers in Week 1.
The Bears showed that the moves General Manager Ryan Poles made this past offseason put the team on the right path. With how well the team played (relatively speaking) fans are hopeful for another franchise-defining offseason. They once again have the top pick of the draft and have plenty of salary cap space to find good veteran help.
Before all that happens, though, the Bears want to beat their tormentors. Green Bay owns a nine-game winning streak over the Bears. Additionally, they won 21 of the last 25 matchups against Chicago. A win by the Bears makes them feel they are close to ending the curse.
A win this week also puts a severe dent in the Packers’ playoff chances. If Green Bay wins they go into the playoffs. If they lose, they will need a lot of help. The Bears would love nothing more than to break Green Bay’s heart and send them into the offseason on a downer.
To do that, several players have to step up for Chicago. Here are five of them who can do so.
Gervon Dexter, Defensive Tackle
The middle of the Chicago Bears defensive line has been excellent this season. It is a big reason why Chicago has the number-one rush defense in the NFL.
Rookie defensive tackle Gervon Dexter has been a great pickup. Many people criticized Poles and the Bears for not picking up Jalen Carter in the first round. However, Poles did get an excellent player in the second round while also picking up much-needed help at the offensive line.
At 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, Dexter takes up a lot of space. That itself makes him valuable. However, there is more. He has the quickness and athleticism to easily get past blockers.
Dexter has played in every game this season. While he has 2.5 sacks this season, they all came in the last four games. He had to adjust coming from Florida, where the coaches asked him to drop back at the snap. In Chicago, they want him to attack. He has gotten better as the season progressed.
The Packers’ offensive line does a good job of protecting quarterback Jordan Love. They rank third in sacks given up with 29. However, they don’t do as well run blocking. They rank 15th in the league in rushing yards and 22nd in rushing touchdowns.
If Dexter can clog the middle and get into the backfield, it will make the Packers a one-dimensional team. That gives the Bears a better chance of pulling an upset.
Montez Sweat, Defensive End
If Dexter is doing his job well then Montez Sweat must do his as well. He was just named to the Pro Bowl so he wants to show the Packers why. In their Week 1 matchup, Love was able to carve the Bears’ secondary since he had all day to throw.
Sweat cannot let Love do that this week. He must put the pressure on Love. He doesn’t need to sack him (though that would be great). He just needs to put constant pressure on him so he is thinking more about the pass rush than completing the pass.
If that happens, then the also improved secondary can take advantage of mistakes made by Love. Chicago ranks third in turnovers overall and first in interceptions. They have 25 turnovers forced in the last 12 games after recording just two in their first four games.
Sweat has almost singlehandedly turned around Chicago’s pass rush. His intensity and high motor are infectious and his teammates follow his lead. He has to help lead them to a victory this week.
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Khalil Herbert, Running Back
The Chicago Bears once again have an excellent running game. They rank second in the league in that category. They can count on three good running backs in Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, and D’Onta Foreman.
Herbert was the RB1 in the group before an ankle injury sidelined him. He missed five games with the injury. However, even when he returned, he lacked the explosiveness that helped him average 5.7 yards per carry last season.
It appears that Herbert’s explosiveness is back. In his last two games, he has 236 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. He is averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
Having Herbert return to form is big for the Bears. The Packers are already concerned with stopping quarterback Justin Fields‘ running. Having to deal with Herbert as well makes Green Bay’s job more difficult.
Herbert could have a big game. The Packers rank 28th in rush defense, 22nd in rushing touchdowns allowed, and 26th in average yards per carry allowed. If the Packers cannot contain the run, look for Herbert to run wild again.
The entire Bears’ offensive line
The Chicago Bears’ offensive line has taken its lumps over the years. They have given up a lot of sacks and have suffered through a lot of injuries. The line gelled as the season progressed, however.
Yes, there are still some holes that have to be filled this offseason. However, the unit is playing pretty well as of late. Guard Teven Jenkins missed the first month of the season due to injury. He returned and played well until he suffered a concussion. He appears to be ready to go, though. The Bears did not list him on the injury report this week yet so that is a good sign.
As the line played more games together, they’ve gotten better. Also, having Fields not hold onto the ball as long as he did before helps. If the unit can protect Fields, he could have a big day throwing the ball.
The Packers have done a good job of pressuring Fields and forcing him into making mistakes. They sacked him 13 times in five games and forced him into throwing 7 interceptions.
The offensive line wants to change that and give Fields a clean pocket and time to throw. If they do, Fields can get his first victory over the Packers.
Justin Fields, Quarterback
Some keep insisting that Fields is playing for his job in Chicago. They feel that he still has not done enough to earn his position. With the Bears owning the number one pick in the draft, some people feel that they should go after some of the talented quarterback prospects available.
If they are right, then Fields has one more shot to impress the powers that be in Chicago. He has improved since coming back from a dislocated thumb in his throwing hand. That injury cost him a month of the season.
Fields said that he spent the time on the sideline getting a better idea of why certain calls are made and how those plays develop. He put that new information to good use and has looked like a different player since his return.
Finally getting over the hump and beating Green Bay would go far in impressing the brass. We saw how previous quarterbacks fared against the Packers. Mitchell Trubisky was 1-6 and Jay Cutler was 2-11 against Green Bay. Chicago Bears Nation is desperate to celebrate a win against their hated rivals.
With his improved play, Fields is ready to lead the Bears to a huge victory and break Green Bay’s heart.