Packers 2017 schedule release: Game-by-game predictions
By Kenn Korb
Week 10: @ Chicago Bears
Against what became a 3-13 Bears team, Green Bay came into a late-season game needing a win to keep their late-season winning streak and eventual playoff hopes alive. They did eventually win, but it took Rodgers finding his man Jordy Nelson down the middle of the field on a late-game third down.
Chicago will be better this year than it was last year — it almost has to be, right? — but I still don’t see them pulling out a win even on their home field against these Packers.
Even in the midst of what became a 1-5 streak during the middle of the season, with their defense faltering often (30-plus points allowed in those five losses) and an offense unable to carry the burden amidst having nothing close to resembling a credible running game (and finding little consistency in all facets), Green Bay managed to pull out a 26-10 win. The second game saved the stalling until a decent lead was had, and woke up in time to pierce with the game-sealing dagger.
Green Bay’s offense has been better against much better units than what Chicago has to throw at them, and even a new influx of talents through the draft shouldn’t change their ability to make quick work of them.
The only way Green Bay might lose this game is if new Bears QB Mike Glennon is the real deal and the receiving corps is better after losing Alshon Jeffery to Philadelphia.
A WR group of Kendall Wright, Markus Wheaton, and Kevin White may have some on-paper appeal, but they haven’t shown nearly enough on the field in years (or in White’s case, at all) to show that any one of them can act as a top option. Meanwhile, Glennon was given a single year with starting time, and did so well that he got quickly replaced by a decent eight-game sample of Josh McCown play in 2013.
If there is even the slightest hint of improvement from the cornerback play in Green Bay this year, Rodgers and Co. can take this one in a walk.
Packers 34, Bears 20 (7-2)