Packers And Bears Lack Defensive Identities

Packers vs. Bears, 8:00 ET

I live in Chicago and I can tell you first hand that certain things matter to fans much more than others. I won’t say the Bulls have a true rival at the moment that people tend to get amped up for, but most other teams there is no question. Cubs fans still hate the Cardinals and want to beat them every time. Blackhawks fans probably have a little more energy when the Red Wings come to town, and really the only time the Sox make noise is when they play the Cubs. Rivalries are a big part of sports, as you know, but for football in Chicago, nothing is bigger than the Packers and Bears. This time, it is to advance in the playoffs.

The Packers started the season looking like they might be the cream of the crop in the NFC. They had some blips along the way, of course, but their defense looked great and their offense seemed to be clicking despite not having a ton of great talent at the skill positions. The team ended up going just 9-7-1 in the regular season and finishing second in the division. Maybe we should be impressed by that considering that Jordan Love played in 15 games, and missed most of the last game against the Bears. He had a good year finishing in the top 15 of quarterbacks in most categories, and third overall in QBR. The biggest turning point for the Packers really came against the Broncos when Micah Parsons went down. The defense which already had some shaky moments turned into a bit of a disappointment without their star player. They have lost every game without Parsons. 

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JUNE 11: Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers participates in drills during the Green Bay Packers Minicamp at Ray Nitschke Field on June 11, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

The Bears did not start the season looking all that strong as they dropped the opener to the Vikings despite leading after three quarters. Then they played the Lions and were humiliated, losing 52-21. After that, it was smooth sailing, winning nine of their next ten games, only losing to the Ravens. In fairness, though, they weren’t beating great teams. They beat the Cowboys, Raiders, Commanders, Saints, Bengals, Giants, Vikings, Steelers, and Eagles. Only those last two are making the playoffs this season. They also beat the Browns and the Packers, more on that one in a moment. The other losses were against the Packers, 49ers, and the Lions. While all three of those games were close and winnable, they didn’t. They won the division despite going just 2-4 in it, tied with the Lions for the worst record in the division. There is still reason to be optimistic as Caleb Williams took a big step forward and looked very good this year. 

This is a big test for Ben Johnson and Williams, though as the Packers won’t just lay down. There was a big win over the Packers just a few weeks ago, but it was a dramatic victory and one that you can’t easily replicate. This was mostly against the Packers backups with Love sitting about half of the game, and, again, no Micah Parsons. The Bears defense has been opportunistic, but not exactly dominant. Love should be fully healthy for this game, or at least enough to play the full game. I expect the Packers to win, but as the line would suggest, it is a coinflip. Instead, I’ll bet against these defenses that don’t seem to have the ability to stop anyone right now. I’ll back over 45.5 as both should be fairly creative, the weather will be good enough, and the offenses are superior to both defenses. 

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