Not only did the Green Bay Packers get back on track in Week 5 by blowing the doors off the rival Chicago Bears, but they did so on the back of a much-needed offensive aerial assault. Green Bay's high-flying game plan also highlighted a pair of rookie cornerbacks, with their own second-rounder Brandon Cisse outperforming Bears fourth-rounder Malik Muhammad.
Jordan Love, who set a record for most passing yards by a Packers quarterback against the Bears at Lambeau Field, went at Muhammad early and often in this game. Love completed all six of his throws to Muhammad in coverage, compiling 124 yards on those plays. Tyson Bagent tried to do the same with Cisse, and the results were much worse.
Cisse, who also had a sack in this game, was targeted just three times, allowing one catch for 13 yards and a 47.9 passer rating. Cisse has had some growing pains this season, and those pains coming at the same time Muhammad was off to a hot start blunted much of his positive momentum. This performance was needed.
Packers rookie CB Brandon Cisse outperformed Malik Muhammad
Cisse slipped to the second round despite tremendous physical gifts due to the notion that he is a bit of a "raw" player at cornerback. Cisse's overaggressive style led to him getting manipulated by eyes often in college, and Green Bay was the team that decided they would be willing to work with him.
The Packers have thrown Cisse into the deep end of the pool, naming him a starting cornerback next to Keisean Nixon and immediately tasking him with matching up against some of the best receivers in the league. That decision is inherently going to lead to some duds, but Cisse's speed and physical traits should be enough to eventually grind out more performances like this.
Once he develops a better feel for the game and improves his ball skills, Cisse can take the next step forward in their development.
Brandon Cisse and the Packers dominated in all phases vs. Chicago
Green Bay showed the league how to take advantage of a Chicago defense that had punched way above its weight class to start the season. The Muhammad-led secondary also features a former star in Jaylon Johnson, who has been extremely disappointing, and a struggling Tyrique Stevenson, who Bears fans are completely done with.
When protected, Love had his way with the Bears' secondary, completing six passes of over 20 air yards in the victory. Since 2016, the start of the Next Gen Stats era, only Russell Wilson, in his outlier Week 2 last season, had more passing yards on deep throws than Love did against Chicago.
While Muhammad looked like a steal at the same time Cisse appeared to be an overdraft, Cisse helping shut down a Bears offense that has continued to thrive with Caleb Williams on the mend was the type of game that suggests he could be a 10-year player with Green Bay if he hits his stride.
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