For the first time in more than a decade, the Chicago Bears will face a Green Bay Packers quarterback not named Aaron Rodgers. With Rodgers now with the New York Jets, the keys to the team have been handed over to former first-round pick Jordan Love.
While Love is inexperienced (he has just one NFL start to his name), he’s also a relative unknown, which presents a unique challenge for this Bears defense. Especially considering there’s not a lot of film on him.
Buy Bears Tickets“He can do some different things,” said safety Eddie Jackson, via NBC Sports Chicago. “Like you said, there’s not too much film on him, so we’ve just got to go out there and play our game. Feel like he wants to get off on a quick game, get some completions, get his confidence going early, so we just have to be on our Qs.”
The Bears did catch an injury break as the Packers’ top wideout Christian Watson has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
According to Packers Wire’s Zach Kruse, Green Bay is 1-4 in games where Watson didn’t play or was on the field for less than 25 percent of snaps in 2022. They averaged 14 points in all five games.
But what’s a young, inexperienced quarterback’s best friend? A strong run game. That’s what Green Bay has with the dynamic duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, who were Chicago’s kryptonite in 2022. Jones and Dillon combined for 312 rushing yards in two games last season.
The Bear defense is going to need to stop the run — a tall order — and force Love to beat them through the air. That, coupled with a strong pass rush, could force the young quarterback into some mistakes that Chicago can capitalize on.
