Packers: Five players to watch vs. Bears in Week 1
By Jesse Fry
2. Jamaal Williams, RB
With only two running backs currently on the roster, the Packers will need Jamaal Williams to be the bell cow for the running game. Coach McCarthy will rotate in Ty Montgomery with Williams, but I expect Williams to get the bulk of the carries.
Williams injured his ankle in Week 2 of the preseason but has been practicing since. His availability isn’t in question and he should expect a full workload in this game.
The Packers will need balance on offense to limit Fangio’s rush, even though they are a pass-first team. When you have a two-time league MVP that’s usually the right way to go. Week 1 usually gives teams a few unscouted looks. A few new wrinkles the coordinator has been working on during the offseason.
The best way to mitigate these new wrinkles is keeping the defense guessing with balance. We know the Packers will lean heavily on the pass game, but to be able to use play-action effectively the defense has to believe the offense will actually run the ball.
Establishing the run early can slow down the Bears’ pass rush and give Rodgers an extra second to make his reads and get the ball out.