From the head coach on down, it appears the Green Bay Packers think they are going to kick the Chicago Bears’ ass Sunday when the Packers kick off their 2015 season in the Windy City. I got a flash for ya, this Bears’ team is not the same Marc Trestman team the Packers destroyed twice last year. The Packers will have their hands full on Sunday.
Why do I think that? Mostly because I don’t have any faith in the Packers’ defense. I think the Bears with Jay Cutler and Matt Forte will be able to move the ball at will against a Packers’ defense that has only gotten weaker than the middle of the pack unit they were last year.
Granted, the Packers’ defense played better in the last half of last year but when the chips were down in Seattle they folded like a wet noodle. And in their only trial in the preseason this year Sam Bradford of all people had a field day on them. Like it has been since the Packers won the Super Bowl in 2010, the defense is not championship caliber. Nor are special teams, but I won’t even go there.
Offensively the Packers will be challenged by the loss of Jordy Nelson and the injury to Randall Cobb. Cobb says he has to “fall right” to get through the game. Good luck with that. If I’m the Bears I run a shoulder into his shoulder on the first play and Cobb is out for the game, if not weeks. It’s crazy to think he would play. Unless it’s all a smoke screen.
I think this will be a major shootout with neither defense being able to stop the other’s offense. It will probably come down to a tipped ball turnover or something that lets one side break serve and win. The guess here is the Bears get the break and the Packers lose their fourth straight opener. Bears 34, Packers 33.