3 predictions for Packers in Week 1 showdown with Bears
What better way for the Jordan Love era to kick off for the Green Bay Packers than a date with the Chicago Bears?
If this were any other season, the Packers would look at the schedule and basically scribble in two Ws for the weeks they play the Bears. Except this year, the team is different, without Aaron Rodgers, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and "Big Dog" Marcedes Lewis, just to name a few, on the offensive side of the ball.
The team is going to need young, inexperienced players to step into leadership roles that were left void after the offseason.
With a team this young, what will it look like on September 10 against the Bears? Nobody really knows. We can try to predict what will happen but really it's all a mystery. But alas, I will do just that and look at this matchup to see how the Packers can come out on top in Solider Field.
1. Packers offensive line controls the game
The Bears had one of the worst group of pass rushers last year with only 20 sacks. In order to boost this production, they signed free-agent pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue to a one-year, $10.5 million contract with hopes the veteran pass rusher will return to form this season.
This should be taken as good news for fans. The Packers offensive line is going to be one of the stronger units going into this season, with veterans like David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins returning to lock down the left side of the line, and younger guys like Josh Myers, Jon Runyan Jr. and Zach Tom filling in the center and right sides of the line.
With the experience and talent that the Packers have on their O-line, it should make it easy for them to run the ball efficiently against a Bears defense that gave up the most rushing touchdowns and the second-most total rushing yards a season ago.
With a backfield consisting of Aaron Jones and A.J Dillon, it shouldn't be an issue to run the ball effectively on Sunday against the Bears. Last season, Jones and Dillon combined for 1,891 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. With the Packers having mostly the same guys on the line of scrimmage this season, look for the rushing attack to shine in Week 1.