Important storylines to watch for Packers vs. Bears in Week 11

The Green Bay Packers are coming off their bye week with a divisional clash against the Chicago Bears to look forward to. Chicago comes into the game making headlines for all the wrong reasons, firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron after three straight losses and 23 drives without a touchdown.

This is a must-win game for the Packers if they are to remain in the hunt in the NFC North.

As always, there will be plenty to watch, but here are three storylines you should be following in this one.

What does the edge-rusher group look like without Preston Smith?

Week 11 will be the first time seeing the Packers' defense in action since Preston Smith was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers at the trade deadline. Whilst Smith was no longer a dominant force along the Packers' defensive front, he was still earning plenty of playing time.

Through 10 weeks, he played 308 snaps, third amongst Packers defensive linemen and behind only Rashan Gary off the edge. The question for Week 11 is who takes his place.

Based purely on snap count, it feels like Kingsley Enagbare and Lukas Van Ness should see more opportunities. They sat behind Smith on the depth chart, and are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries of his departure.

Neither has been particularly impressive when given opportunities so far this season, though, and it would not be surprising if Jeff Hafley and the defensive staff look to secure more playing time for a few other less notable names.

Chief amongst these is second-year pass rusher Brenton Cox. The former Florida and Georgia player saw his college career hampered by off-field problems, but he is a former five-star recruit with the athleticism and raw talent to match.

Jeff Hafley has spoken highly of Cox and his potential to be a contributor for the Packers after the bye, saying that he is "really, really excited" about what he can offer and that he feels he is "ready to go."

Arron Mosby could also be in line for increased playing time after earning the first sack of his career against the Lions in Week 9. With the Bears missing their two starting tackles and on their 11th unique offensive line combination of the season, this feels like a great opportunity to impress.

Who can win the battle in the slot?

When it comes to the Packers' offense, it is worth keeping a close eye on what is going on in the slot. After all, this has been a notable point of emphasis for them so far this season and has already led to plenty of success.

Per NFL Pro, Jordan Love ranks fourth in the NFL for yards per attempt to slot receivers (9.0). He has also thrown the third-most touchdowns (nine) when targeting slot players, accounting for 60 percent of his passing touchdowns this season.

READ MORE: Predicting every remaining game on Packers' schedule entering Week 11

Jayden Reed has also established himself as one of the best slot receivers in the NFL this season. Through 10 weeks, he has accounted for 447 yards from the slot, which is second in the NFL behind only Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

The Bears' defense will be a tough test for Green Bay to overcome in that regard. Per NFL Pro, Chicago is the first team since the 2019 Buffalo Bills to have not allowed a touchdown to a slot receiver through the first 10 weeks of a season.

They are also conceding just 6.6 yards per target to slot receivers, which is the fourth-fewest in the NFL. Don't be surprised if the outcome of this matchup has a big impact on the game's final score.

Can the Packers make it 11 straight victories over Chicago?

It feels fair to say that it has been a very long time since Packers-Bears felt like an actual rivalry. After all, the Bears have beaten Green Bay just once since the Obama administration.

Nevertheless, it is still a matchup with plenty of history and both fanbases are obviously always keen to hold the bragging rights. The two have played each other 206 times, the most in NFL history.

As things stand, the Packers have won the last 10 meetings between these two teams. This is the longest active winning streak against one opponent across the entire NFL and is the longest winning streak against the Bears in franchise history. It is also tied for the longest in Packers-Bears history, matching only the 1994-1998 run helmed by Mike Holmgren and Brett Favre.

That means a win this weekend would set the record for the longest winning streak in the history of a long and storied rivalry. Can the Packers do it?

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