The Green Bay Packers will try to finish the regular season with a 12-5 record when the Chicago Bears – who have lost 10 straight games – arrive at Lambeau Field for Sunday’s Week 18 clash.
Although the Packers have nothing to play for in the Finals when it comes to a playoff spot, coach Matt LaFleur still plans to play well players after last week’s loss in Minnesota. With a win over the Bears – and a substantial favor from Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys against the Washington Commanders – the Packers can avoid a No. 7 seed and clinch the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Here are five keys to the Packers beating the Bears in Week 18:
Fire the QB
The Packers’ pass rush has a legitimate chance to rebound from last week’s disappointing performance in Minnesota and enter the playoffs on a good note. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked 67 times, an NFL record, and was sacked for an average of 3.0 seconds. Additionally, the Bears will not leave Braxton Jones, who is on injured reserve. Williams took seven sacks last week and was pressured in 22 of 40 games against the Seahawks. The Packers need to stop their rookie quarterback early and often on Sunday.
Follow the script
The Packers need to get back to what they do best: creating explosive plays on offense and taking the ball away on defense. The Packers rank in the NFL’s top five in both categories. While it’s unclear how long Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs and the rest of the offense will play, the Packers need to find a way to create substantial defenses against a defense that narrow the Seahawks to just six points last week and the Packers to just a league-high 20 points. first meeting. The Bears have protected the football well this season, with Caleb Williams only throwing six interceptions. Could Xavier McKinney or any of the other defensemen be selected on Sunday? The Packers made several explosive plays but failed to score in the first game.
Defend the brief passing game
Last week, Caleb Williams shot with an average depth of target of just 10 feet from pristine pockets. In the first game against the Packers, he threw for just 5.9 yards on 28 attempts from pristine pockets. The Bears want him to get rid of the ball quickly, likely to limit sacks and pressure. Can the Packers defend the quick and brief passes better this time? Williams completed 19 of 22 passes thrown under 10 yards in the air in the first game, which kept the Bears on track and negated the pass rush. Forcing Williams to make second and third reads while keeping the ball in the pocket will be key this time.
Free the edge
Rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper had one of the worst games of his otherwise spectacular rookie season in the first game in Chicago. Caleb Williams broke the net twice and picked off Cooper on first downs, and the rookie also got a little criticism on defense. Don’t be surprised if Cooper – who has been one of the best off-ball defenders in the NFL over the past month – bounces back in a substantial way in the Finals. His playmaking is very critical for the Packers because it causes negative plays on defense.
Final red zone test
The Bears will be the last situational challenge for the Packers. Chicago still ranks in the top 10 in red zone touchdowns allowed on offense (61.1%, seventh) and red zone touchdowns prevented on defense (46.7, third). The Packers’ offense has performed exceptionally well in the red zone throughout the 2024 season, thanks in huge part to Josh Jacobs’ ability to score touchdowns within 5 yards. Making a few long drives that ended in touchdowns in the red zone would be a good way for the Packers offense to gain an advantage over the Bears and finish the regular season on the right foot.
