Sunday’s assembly between the host Inexperienced Bay Packers and Chicago marks the primary time that the Bears have visited their longtime opponents within the regular-season finale in successive years.
Darned if this one does not really feel in a similar fashion sunny for the playoff-bound Packers (11-5) and eerily murky for the Bears (4-12).
The Packers, who can transfer as much as the No. 6 seed within the NFC with a victory and a Washington loss at Dallas, introduced this week that cornerback Jaire Alexander wishes season-ending surgical treatment on his proper knee.
“He used to be looking to get his knee proper and it wasn’t getting proper,” Inexperienced Bay trainer Matt LaFleur mentioned. “It is a difficult deal for everybody. It stinks that we are right here, however we are right here.”
Inexperienced Bay has proven it may win with out him. Alexander hasn’t performed since Nov. 17 when he left the Packers’ 20-19 win at Chicago after taking part in 10 snaps.
That victory sparked a run of 5 wins in seven video games for Inexperienced Bay, with the lone losses coming by way of a mixed 5 issues to NFC North co-leaders Detroit and Minnesota.
Whilst Inexperienced Bay quarterback Jordan Love hasn’t thrown an interception in six directly video games, he objectives to beef up his accuracy and deep-play skill.
“Surely stuff to wash up and stay running on and recuperate at, and that’s the reason the mindset,” Love mentioned.
Chicago is looking for to snap a 10-game shedding streak that dates to Week 8 in addition to an 11-game skid in opposition to the Packers. The Bears are 0-5 this season in opposition to their NFC North opposite numbers.
“Now we have were given an extended strategy to cross,” Bears tight finish Cole Kmet mentioned. “That is simply being fair about the place we are at and the place the department’s at — 3 in point of fact excellent groups at the moment, and they are all taking part in their very own taste, their very own in point of fact excellent logo of soccer.”
The Bears had been 7-9 and out of the playoff hunt once they visited the Packers to near final season. Additionally they knew they’d the No. 1 pick out within the upcoming draft by way of distinctive feature of a prior industry with the Carolina Panthers.
Chicago used that pick out on quarterback Caleb Williams, who has set Bears rookie passing data for yards (3,393), touchdowns (19) and completions (330) amid vital training turnover that comes with the firings of head trainer Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.
Williams additionally has been sacked an NFL-high 67 occasions however unearths fault within the advice that accidents and inconsistency alongside the offensive line only are accountable.
“The silly connotation at the back of my offensive line being dangerous isn’t the reality,” Williams mentioned. “I have taken a excellent quantity of sacks which were my fault.”
Chicago seemed at the verge of preventing its funk in opposition to the Packers on Nov. 17, taking a 19-14 lead on a 39-yard landing run by way of D’Andre Swift within the ultimate minute of the 3rd quarter.
Love’s 1-yard scoring run gave Inexperienced Bay a 20-19 merit with 2:59 to head prior to Williams helped force the Bears into vary for a would-be, game-winning box purpose. However the Packers’ Karl Brooks blocked Cairo Santos’ try from 46 yards as time expired to maintain the victory.
Chicago vast receiver Rome Odunze (sickness), operating again Travis Homer (hamstring), defensive again Elijah Hicks (ankle, foot), and offensive linemen Teven Jenkins (calf) and Larry Borum (sickness) didn’t apply on Wednesday.
Along with Alexander, vast receiver Christian Watson (knee), linebacker Quay Walker (ankle), safeties Zayne Anderson (concussion) and Evan Williams (quadricep), offensive take on Andre Dillard (concussion) and defensive finish Brenton Cox Jr. (foot) didn’t apply on Wednesday.
–Box Stage Media
