Packers: Confirmations and surprises from win vs. Bears in Week 1

What did we learn from the Green Bay Packers’ Week 1 win?

On Thursday night, the long wait for the NFL season to begin was finally over. The Packers took their fight to Chicago and started out the season on the right note, battling their way to a 10-3 victory at Soldier Field.

There were a lot of things to take a second look at after all was said and done, but it would be worthwhile to take a look at the things about the 2019 Packers that were confirmed, and some things that came as surprises in the opener.

These are some of the things that one could gather from the Packers’ preseason and early reports regarding the team, and how they’ve panned out after Week 1.

Confirmation: Wise investments

Every report that surfaced from the Packers’ training camp and practices pointed towards the Smiths (Preston and Za’Darius) and Adrian Amos being top-flight pickups in free agency for Mike Pettine’s defense. They proved these speculations true on Thursday.

The Smiths combined for two-and-a-half of the Packers’ five sacks, and Amos snagged a momentum-breaking interception in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. Considering that the biggest Achilles heel of the Packers last season was allowing opponents to get in and remain in rhythm against the defense, this is a tremendously exciting signal of what’s to come.

While names like Tyrann Mathieu and Earl Thomas couldn’t be lassoed in by GM Brian Gutekunst, it’s clear that he had a very stern agenda towards the well-budgeted and zeroed-in approach to free agency. Game-changers at a modest investment, and they are already paying off in a big way.

It should also be noted that the final free agency acquisition, Billy Turner, played every one of the Packers’ 64 offensive snaps, and was a very serviceable player in his position.

The offensive line as a whole surrendered five sacks to the Bears’ pass rush, but the overall consistency as a unit is something that position group has needed for the past couple of years. It looks as though they may have found it with Turner’s help.

Confirmation: This offense still needs some time to gel

There’s plenty to be excited about with this offense that offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and head coach Matt LaFleur have conjured up. The motions, formations, and creative ways to find a player in space were evident, and the cohesion the Packers have found up to this point was just enough to keep the Bears at arms-length on the scoreboard for the majority of Thursday evening.

With that said, it was mentioned as a concern that this offense would need some time to find their cooperative groove and make the new scheme look good on the field. With the Packers returning to Lambeau this Sunday for a matchup against the Vikings, it should be easier for Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the offense to get their checks correct and perform in a friendly environment.

It should remain that way as the Packers play five of their next six games at Lambeau, the home stand being interrupted by a game in Dallas against the Cowboys on October 6. By the time the Packers have to finish out their schedule predominantly on the road, they should have this offense down pat and ready to fire on all cylinders, regardless of the venue.

Aside from that, there’s a lot to appreciate about the solid effort that was put forward on Thursday night. The Bears’ defensive personnel has not changed too drastically from last year’s first-place squad, and the Packers still found a way to get to the end zone and use effective possession and field position to keep the lead all game after the second quarter.