Dan Orlovsky: Ball knower.
In an NFL media world filled with noise, overreactions, and hot takes, Orlovsky consistently cuts through that with thoughtful analysis. He has remained a Jordan Love believer despite all the bad and often ridiculous opinions around him, and now, Orlovsky is backing the Green Bay Packers to take down the Chicago Bears in the NFC Wild Card Round.
And that's putting it politely. On ESPN's First Take, Orlovsky gave a brutally honest assessment of the two teams.
"I think the Packers win, and I think the Packers win handily," Orlovsky said. "Give me one thing Chicago does defensively other than taking the ball over."
"They don't have anything else. There's nothing else this defense is good at. Eventually, that catches up to you," he added. "Matt LaFleur. Jordan Love. Josh Jacobs. Don't give the ball to this team. Chicago, in games when they don't get multiple takeaways — not just one — is 2-6 this year."
Dan Orlovsky spells out how the Packers can beat the Bears (and he's right)
There are other factors, of course. Green Bay's reeling run defense is a major red flag against Chicago's imposing offensive line and rushing attack. Windy, potentially snowy conditions could tip the matchup heavily in the Bears' favor, but Orlovsky is 100 percent with his assessment of the two teams.
Weather aside for a moment, the Packers' offense should have no trouble moving the ball up and down the field.
Chicago's defense takes the ball away at an elite level, but as Orlovsky noted, often, it's teams just giving the ball to them. Love did this in the Week 14 game at Lambeau Field, making a bizarre throw right into the hands of C.J. Gardner-Johnson. It wasn't a spectacular defensive play, just an early Christmas gift from Love. But besides that one moment, Love destroyed the Bears' defense that day.
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Two weeks later, even after Love exited the game with a concussion, Malik Willis came off the bench and did the same thing. In windy conditions, Willis completed 81.8 percent of his passes for 121 yards, one touchdown, and a 142.8 passer rating. The Packers also rushed for 192 yards.
The Bears bent but didn't break in that game, shutting the Packers out of the red zone on five trips, but Green Bay's offense marched up and down the field with ease.
That doesn't make this an easy game, as the Packers will have their problems slowing down the Bears' rushing attack, especially if the conditions are challenging.
But Orlovsky hits the nail on the head with his assessment of Chicago's defense. It allowed 433 total yards to a Detroit Lions offense that had turned the ball over six times a week earlier in Minnesota. The Bears offered no resistance against the San Francisco 49ers, either, outside of an opening-play pick-six, allowing 42 points and 496 total yards.
The Packers will have opportunities. If they don't give the ball away, they have a chance to control this game and end the Bears' season.