NFL Week 16: Packers vs. Bears Preview & Prediction (Part Deux)

The Preview

After a disappointing loss in Denver last weekend, Packer fans, including especially the loss of DE Micah Parsons with a non-contact ACL tear that shuts him down for the remainder of the regular season, playoffs, and likely into the early part of the 2026 season, we come tonight to the regular season rematch with Da Bearz. Two games against each other in three weeks. Who makes these schedules???

As we recall, the Pack won the first round at Lambeau Field, although it came down to an end-of-game 4th-and-one-near-the-goal-line interception in the end zone to seal the deal. The Packers seemed to have things well in hand in the first half, although they left points on the field by having to settle for field goals rather than touchdowns (one in particular early on could have well helped put that game away). Following halftime, Chicago took charge and made a game of it. Despite the then-uninjured Parsons chasing Bears QB Caleb Williams all over the place, he did not record a sack. Williams found his on-the-run passing mojo and kept drives alive and the Packers defense on the field and wearing down. Not great.

But, still the "W" went in the Packers column. As it rightly should be.

The Packers defense — without Micah Parsons — will have to be on top

of its game against Chicago and QB Caleb Williams to emerge

with another "W" against Da Bearz.

(Photo via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

So tonight, Packers defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley, will have to pull out all the tricks in his bag to contain Williams and make him throw from the pocket — not his strong suit. Still, coming off his best game of the season, Williams will be looking to build upon his success. The Packers must find ways to force him into mistakes and to take advantage of those mistakes when they come their way. All season long, the Packers have had a tough time getting turnovers and especially hanging onto potential interceptions. Williams may very well throw a couple that should be picked off; Packers defenders must catch them.

Simple game, isn't it?

At this point in the season, though, injuries for all teams play a big role in outcomes. As of the time of this writing, the Packers have 9 players listed as questionable, about half on defense. Late this week, the Pack elevated DE Brenton Cox Jr. off the injured reserve list. He was having a good early start to the season before suffering a groin injury that placed him on injured reserve. Whether he plays tonight and how effective he'd be is anyone's guess. But football sometimes is a game of attrition and right now the Packers can use any able body, especially on defense. DE Lukas Van Ness should also see spot duty, so that's a plus. And do we also need to mention that DE Rashan Gary really needs to step up tonight in Parson's absence? Nobody's going to individually replace Parsons, but a collective effort along the defensive front can go a long way.

Offensively, RB Josh Jacobs is still dealing with knee issues but we can expect head coach Matt LaFleur to use him as he has in recent games: strategically. Jacobs knows he's a big factor in the Pack's offense and he'll do whatever he can do when he's in the game to win, whether running or in the passing game.

WR Christian Watson, who spent time in a Denver hospital following the game against the Broncos with what appeared to be possibly another season-ending injury at the time, may actually play in the game tonight. That would be huge as there's no Chicago defender that can cover him one-on-one. Another big lift would be the emergence of 2025 1st-round draft pick WR Matthew Golden. He's been used in small doses, but successfully so, especially recently. Perhaps with Watson somewhat limited (?) LaFleur will dial up Golden a bit more. With Jayden Reed back in the flow, Jacobs a legitimate receiving and yards-after-catch threat, if the Packers O-line (likely minus RT Zach Tom who was also injured vs. the Broncos) can protect QB Jordan Love, control time of possession, and convert touchdowns instead of field goals when they are in the red zone, the Packers should come out on top.

No denying, this will be a battle. While it pains us to acknowledge it, Chicago has the record it has for a reason at this point. They scraped by by the skin of their teeth through a number of games but still won. If the Packers let them hang around, as they did in the earlier meeting, Da Bearz could sneak out a win. Can't...let...that...happen.

For the Packers: stop the stupid pre-snap penalties, take advantage of turnover opportunities, special teams needs to come through...play a full 60-minutes in sync...you know, complementary football. You got this. Remember: you own Da Bearz!

The Prediction

The weather forecast for this evening is actually balmy for this time of year in Chicago. A few weeks ago, the forecast had frigid weather for this evening; now, temps at game time are supposed to be above freezing ... low/mid-30s...with wind chills in the 20s and going down throughout the game. With two of my good Bearz fans buddies attending the game tonight, I really was hoping for the frigid forecast. You know, what are friends for, right?

At the time of this writing, Chicago is favored by 1-1/2 points. Not surprising, at home and all. The over-under is set at 46-1/2.

Both teams are playing for the lead in the NFC North and playoff seeding. The Packers need to win 2 out of the next 3 games in order to secure their playoff berth. Run the table and they win the division, as well. Many pundits are taking Da Bearz tonight. Even my friend, Billy Da Bearz fan — not surprisingly — is taking his favorite team, 28-27. I commended him for his surprisingly close call...so out of character!

Against the odds tonight, we think the Pack will find a way to get it done.

We're calling it Packers 27 - Da Bearz 24. Hope it's not that close.

Go Pack Go!!!

2025 Week 9: Packers vs. Panthers Preview & Prediction

Before looking at this Sunday's game at Lambeau Field between the 5-1-1 Green Bay Packers vs. the 4-4 Carolina Panthers we obviously need to give a nod to last Sunday's night's 35-25 win in Pittsburgh against the Aaron Rodgers-led Steelers. C'mon, say it with me: YES!

While the Steelers seemed to be holding sway in the first half, the Packers turned it up in the second, and particularly in the fourth quarter. QB Jordan Love had an epically good evening, throwing for 360 yards, 3 TDs and at one point completing 20 passes in a row, tying the Packers franchise record held by Brett Favre. Love said after the game he had no idea how many passes he had consecutively completed and that he was tied with Favre for the record; he said he may not have chucked that 21st pass into the turf if he had known. Either way, well done, Mr. Love.

One of the big factors for Love's success on the night was the return of WR Christian Watson coming off his torn ACL recovery. It looked like Watson hadn't lost a step and caught all four  passes on which he was targeted for 85 yards on the night. Welcome back, Mr. Watson!

Another big factor for Love and the Packers offense was the big night for TE Tucker Kraft, who had 143 yards receiving on seven catches with more than 131 of those yards coming after the catch ... yes, that amazing YAC stat! Can it be argued that Kraft is one of the top tight ends in the NFL at this point? A-duh! He was targeted 10 times for the second game in a row. That is getting into Receiver #1 territory...in fact, the last time a Packers receiver was targeted 10 time in three straight games was Davante Adams in 2021 (if memory serves). If it seems as if head coach Matt LaFleur is game-planning around Kraft it might just well be because he is. And a third straight 10 target game might well be in the cards today.

DE Michael Parsons (#1) had a big night for the Packers against the

team's former starting QB, Aaron Rodgers (shown here as a stand-in is

the Bengals Joe Flacco), including a sack and multiple pressures.

(Photo by Tork Mason, USA Today NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Oh, and the Packers defense did what they needed to do against former QB Rodgers, including sacking the increasingly immobile A-Aron. DE Micah Parsons was part of that sack success. And when he wasn't directly involved in the sack, he created such havoc that others, such as Rashan Gary, also recorded sacks. May it continue thusly.

All in all, the Pack won in Pittsburgh for the first time since the immortal Bart Starr was QB'ing the Packers ... in 1970. Guess you could say Green Bay was due.

In the process, as this may well be the last time that Rodgers plays against his former team, he has beaten 31 of the NFL's 32 teams; he did not get the win against the Packers. Amen.

We were also fairly close on our final prediction...but the Pack, thankfully, did slightly better than expected, which is always welcome, of course. We had it going 30-27 in favor of the Packers, the final score was 35-25.

The Preview

While it is expected that Carolina will have starting QB Bryce Young back today, they do have some potential concerns with others. Cade Mays (C) and Princely Umanmielen (OLB) are ruled out, a number of others are questionable. While 4-4, the Panthers got smacked by the Bills last week, 40-9. Granted Young did not play, forcing the Cats to go with veteran QB Andy Dalton who did not have a good day, obviously.

The Packers come into this game fairly healthy. Granted, the Pack still has issues to resolve as we go into Week 9 (!) of the season. Chief among them, some might say, is that the running game is still not rolling. Carolina could be the ideal opponent to match up against to help remedy that situation: they gave up 245 yards and 12 first downs rushing to the Bills. Ouch. Still, as reports note, Carolina has allowed 200 or more yards rushing twice in their eight games, but they've allowed only an average of 75 yards per game in the other six. A bit of a Jekyll-Hyde thing. While RB Josh Jacobs has been productive in terms of scoring touchdowns, the big chunks of yardage haven't yet been there. His backfield partner, however — Emanuel Wilson — so far has been the back to reel off some good runs. Between the two, they should have a big day today. Particularly since there now seems to be stability on the offensive line.

Now, some have referred to today's game — only the second home game in the last seven! — as the proverbial trap game with next Monday night's game against the Eagles (who have a bye this week...oy) on the horizon. The Packers can't look past the Panthers. We don't need a repeat of the Cleveland game (the horror...the horror....). But I don't believe the coaches or the leaders on the team will let that happen. They can't let that happen.

We're still looking for a full 60-minute game from this squad. Could they use this game as a tune-up in that regard for the Eagles? That would be good. Very good.

The weather report for today's game has the temps in the low 50s, with any rain holding off until later in the evening, but winds may be gusting up to 25 miles per hour during the game. Challenging.

By the way, Brandon McManus will once again be the active kicker for the Packers. Phenom fill-in and Packers record holder for the longest FG in franchise history (61 yards!) K Lukas Havrisik is still on the roster but again inactive today. But with the trade deadline coming up and other key personnel coming off IR in the weeks ahead, Packers management may face a difficult decision on the kicking front in the coming days. McManus, after missing two field goals last week (including a 57-yarder), needs to reestablish his consistency today when given his opportunities. Havrisik will likely be playing for someone the remainder of the season given his audition with the Pack. But if the team is unable to trade him, they will need to release him and will likely be picked up by another team. He's a kicker you'd love to keep on the practice squad but he would need to be released and not picked up in order for that to happen. Not likely. Anyway, keep an eye on his performance today.

The Packers will be wearing their 1923 throwback uniforms today,

including hand-painted "leather" look helmets. Very cool.

(Photo by Evan Siegle, Green Bay Packers)

The Prediction

The Packers are favored by 13 points at the time of this writing, if one is a betting person and is concerned about such things. We're always uncomfortable with a spread that large. We're happy with a "W" regardless of the final sores. Still, it should be noted that this is a game in which the Pack should dominate in all phases of the game. Whether that is reflected in the final score or not ... ???

We're calling this game Packers 34 - Panthers 20.

Go Pack Go!!!

P.S. The Packers will be wearing their 1923 throwback uniforms today, including hand-painted "leather" look helmets. According to Packers historian Cliff Christl, these 1923 uni's reflect perhaps the most important year in Packers history: it was the year the Packers became a publicly held, nonprofit corporation. As Christl noted in a recent radio interview, if that had not happened the likelihood of the team surviving and remaining in Green Bay would have been slim and none. Keep that in mind as you watch the game today. And thank those community visionaries of more than 100 years ago for putting the future of the team in the hands of the fans. And if you're like more than 500,000 fellow fans, we salute you as a fellow owner of the Packers.

2023 NFL Week 13: Packers vs. Chiefs Preview & Prediction

OK, Packer fans ... first things first. The last few weeks, we have not predicted Packers wins. As noted in those predictions, we have said that the team needed to show up in all phases of the game for a full four quarters to help us believe once again. On Thanksgiving Day, in Detroit, the Pack finally put it all together in defeating the Lions. It set a good tone for the rest of the holiday, didn't it? And that was with a LOT of starters missing from action. The backups showed up. Big time. A great win that actually puts Green Bay back into a playoff wildcard race. Long way to go, but at least it's positive. And we believe.

Tonight will be another test for this young team: the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs come to Lambeau Field. Let's consider what might be at play in this game.

It may not be Vince Lombardi leading the way for the Packers against

Hank Stram and the Chiefs tonight, but the pride and history of both teams

will be on full display, with much at stake for both.

(Photo via the National Football League)

The Preview

Can QB Jordan Love and the Packers continue their recent trend of game-by-game progress? Or will there be drop off after the huge win against the Lions? For the Chiefs, will QB Patrick Mahomes recapture his magic performances? And will the KC defense continually blitz to throw off Love's timing with his budding receiving corps, especially given that Packers RB Aaron Jones will again not be on the field and give the offense a way to mitigate the blitz? Will the Packers defensive line be able to contain and pressure Mahomes the way they did Jared Goff in Detroit? Will the defense for the Packers be as stingy and turnover-generating as against the Lions?

So many questions. And we will have to wait to learn the answers. It's why they play the game, as the saying goes.

The good news for Packers fans is that the team has won three out of its last four games. Love is performing at a high level. His young receivers are learning where they need to be and, hopefully, that part of the job is catching and holding onto the ball no matter what. Head coach Matt LaFleur is gaining confidence in his young QB and offense and starting to open the playbook. Finally. We've also seen defensive coordinator Joe Barry's defense improve itself. It is still somewhat unpredictable in terms of stopping the run, but if it plays with the energy and determination it did against Detroit, they can stop anyone. Even Kansas City. Rashan Gary, Kenny Clark, Preston Smith et al need to once again dominate.

And if the defense can create a turnover or two, all the better.

Oh, and perhaps Packers special teams can pull off a return that helps turn momentum. That would be good. Very good.

In a game such as this, a turnover or big return can be the difference between a win and loss, especially for the Packers.

The Prediction

The Chiefs come into Green Bay tonight heavily favored, but the line has decreased since earlier in the week. KC went from 7-point favorites to 6-1/2 and are now listed as 5-point faves.

This time of year, we also have to start looking more and more at the weather forecasts. The weather shouldn't be much of a factor tonight. Both teams are accustomed to the early December Midwestern conditions. While the snow this morning (about 2 inches in Green Bay as of 9 a.m. CT) should end well before gametime, things will still be seasonable: temps in the low to mid-30s are expected. Wind shouldn't be a problem despite a wind advisory in place until about 3 p.m. So, as the natives in these parts say, "It's a bit brisk". Or, "Perfect football weather" ... depending upon one's point of view, of course.

On a related note, this will really be Packers rookie kicker Anders Carlson' first cold weather game. As Packers great, LeRoy Butler said in his preview prediction, he's gotten a bit nervous whenever Carlson comes out. Carlson has been good for the most part, but has missed some kicks, too, including PATs which is never a good thing. We don't want a missed PAT to decide a game like this. Let's hope that the PAT and FG unit has worked outdoors this week because you know KC will be really looking to get a block or two, if possible.

So, where do we go with our prediction? We're going to call it an upset tonight. We think the Pack will keep ascending. They know that they can play with any team if they come together and play at a high level for a full 60 minutes. But it will be tight, as we should expect from head coach Andy Reid and his team ... and Matt LaFleur and his.

We're calling it Packers 26 - Chiefs 24.

Go Pack Go!!!

2021 NFL Week 11: Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings Preview and Prediction

What a great game that was for the Green Bay Packers defense last week, wasn't it, Packers fans? The D pitched a shutout against the Seattle Seahawks, allowing a slightly-off Pack offense to do enough to win, 17-0. There were plenty of miscues, including a missed FG (again) from Mason Crosby and the woeful special teams unit, and missed throws by QB Aaron Rodgers who was coming off a week of Covid protocols. It wasn't the team's best performance overall, but against a struggling Seahawks team, it showed that the Packers defense is ramping up. 

Unfortunately, that same defense experienced a few injuries, including taking out recently-acquired LB Whitney Mercilus for at least 3 games (who is now on the injured reserve list with a bicep injury), and LB Rashan Gary hyperextending his elbow. Not sure how much he will be able to go with a brace today. With all that in mind...let's get on to the game against the ViQueens.

We look forward to seeing the Packers defense

pressuring Vikes QB Kirk Cousins today.

(Photo by Dan Powers/USA TODAYNETWORK-Wis)

Preview

This is going to be one of those games that may likely be tight. Minnesota has weapons on offense — Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook, and Adam Thielen, among them. QB Kirk Cousins...well, who knows? He's very capable of doing damage to a defense, especially with his receivers. RB Dalvin Cook can also tear up a defense. So the Packers defense will be challenged, for sure. But if they can contain Cook and get pressure on Cousins, there could be a turnover or two available for the taking. That would help today's effort.

If the Pack's offense doesn't click more than in the game with the Seahawks, things could come down to special teams. Oy. Advantage Minnesota.

Head coach Matt LaFleur, after 6-of-9 games on the road and 1 more game yet after today before the team's bye week, did what he could during this week to help keep his team fresh. Physical contact in pads was limited to half a session. Most of the week was walk-throughs. With this game today at Minnesota and next week at home vs. the Rams, the Pack could come away with a 10-2 record if they win both — a great place in which to go into the bye week — or 8-4. Not so great. Even a split, to go 9-3, would be better than dropping both games. Certainly the game against the Rams will be a challenge, so it would be best if the Pack can take care of business — as the better team overall — today.

The Prediction

The stadium will be loud. The game will be the usual physical battle between division rivals. The game could come down to a play being made ... or missed. The oddsmakers have the Packers listed as 1-1/2 point favorites at the time of this writing, attesting to the closeness they see in this contest.

The Packers offense still hasn't clicked on all cylinders, for various reasons. But we think it will be more in sync than last week, despite Rodgers newly-reported toe problem. We also think the number 3-ranked overall defense — without 2 of the top 3 defenders for so long — will hold the ViQueens in check.

We're calling this game Packers 24 - 'Queens 20.

Go Pack Go!!!

2021 NFL Week 2: Packers vs. Lions Preview and Prediction

Guess what? We were right on the money with our call of 38 points in last week's season opener against the Saints in Jacksonville.

The only problem was it was New Orleans that racked up 38, not the Packers. The Pack got 3 points for writing their collective name on the test paper otherwise that game was a total toilet flush, know what we mean? I think you do.

So...let's move on to tonight's Monday Night Football extravaganza against the Lions at Lambeau Field. Yes, let's.

QB Aaron Rodgers needs to play like

Aaron Rodgers tonight vs. the Lions.

(Photo by Dan Powers/USA Today Network-Wis)

The Preview

The gist of it is that the Pack rarely has two bad games back to back. QB Aaron Rodgers usually comes out blazing after an embarrassing game the week before. The entire Packers team, offense and defense, sleepwalked through that season opener. They won't do that again tonight. Not at home. With fans in the stands for the first time in two seasons. Against a division opponent who always plays the Pack tough regardless of each team's record. And not on Monday Night Football.

Yes, the Packers will be without veteran Za'Darius Smith who is now on the temporary IRL for three weeks with an unspecified, but apparently lingering, back problem. Third-year OLB Rashan Gary will now have to step up. Gary has trended upwards each year with the team, so now is his chance to shine. Ditto for the entire defense in order to give some credibility to the new defensive scheme under coordinator Joe Barry. If they don't show significant improvement tonight after last week's poor showing, even more questions will arise as to why head coach Matt LaFleur hired him given Barry's lack of success in that area before coming to the Pack.

As for the offense, tonight it will all focus on establishing the running game. Look for a steady diet of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon to get the defense out of a strictly drop-and-defend approach as the Saints were able to do last weekend. The Packers need the running game to be credible so Rodgers and the play-action pass can be as effective as it was last season. Oh, and the wide receivers have to do a much better job getting open than in the last game, as well.

Everything that could go wrong last week, did. Tonight, it's time for the Packers to show us what they got, so to speak. They've been hyped all off-season. Now it's time to begin living up to that hype.

The Prediction

The Packers are favored by 11 (or 11-1/2) depending upon what oddsmakers you are looking at. The Lions had a good comeback effort fall just short against the 49ers in their opener; they were down by 28 points in the fourth quarter and lost by only eight. So the Lions won't quit, that's for sure. The Pack needs to get up early and not allow the Lions to hang close.

We're calling this Packers 34 - Lions 24.

Go Pack Go!!!

2020 NFL Week 17: Packers vs. Bears Preview and Prediction

Happy New Year, Packers fans! Welcome to 2021. May this year be better than the last. Hard to imagine it being worse. Let us pray...

The last game in 2020 saw the Pack trounce the Titans at a snowy Lambeau Field. Tennessee was supposedly the team that would be the toughest challenge for the the Packers until they (hopefully) reach the Super Bowl. RB Derrick Henry would reportedly run roughshod over a Packers defense that has been less than stellar for a long time against the run. Despite the weather, despite Henry (who was held to under 100 yards rushing), despite it all, the Pack triumphed 40-14. It was not the game we, or many expected. And for that we were grateful.

The game was a coming out party of sorts for rookie RB A.J. Dillon who rushed for 124 yards and his first 2 TDs of the season. QB and soon-to-be three-time MVP Aaron Rodgers threw for 4 TDs and 1 INT, while all-world receiver Davante Adams had 11 catches for 142 yards and 3 TDs. It was also a coming out party for a Packers defense that we hadn't seen in a while. As noted, they shut down arguably the top running back in the league and that left the offense in the hands of QB Ryan Tannehill, who had been having a pretty good season. But against the Pack he was picked off twice, only his sixth and seventh interceptions of the season, and wound up throwing for just 121 yards with a completion rate around 45 percent.

Game, set, match ... Packers.

Now, on to Chicago and our neighbors to the south, Da Bearz.

QB Aaron Rodgers will have to deal the rest of this season and likely

to mid-season next year without starting LT David Bakhtiari. Bakhtiari

suffered a season-ending freak ACL injury during practice on Thursday.

(Photo via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The Preview

The first item of note is that starting LT David Bakhtiari is lost for the rest of this season and into the next as a result of a freak ACL injury that occurred during practice on Thursday. Not great. At all. But the Packers O-line has been dealing with injuries throughout the season and is used to shuffling players around. It's likely that Billy Turner will play LT, Rick Wagner will play RT and Lucas Patrick will play RG. Thankfully, starting center Corey Linsley returned last week to return stability to the middle of the line. Elgton Jenkins also give the Pack a lot of flexibility in case anyone else goes down on the line. Let's hope not.

Secondly, with RB Jamaal Williams returning today, head coach Matt LaFleur has indicated that he'd like to find ways to use all 3 running backs — Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon and Williams — on the field at the same time. He even said he'd be challenged not to overdo that formation. So let's see if that happens today. We'd think it would give Chicago's defense fits, as all 3 cannot only run the ball aggressively but can catch the ball, as well. Then throw in the Packers corps of receivers. Can you imagine trying to defend that? Oh, and did we mention that Da Bearz will be without 2 of their starting defensive backs? (In best Seinfeld voice) That's a shame.

Chicago has a good running back of their own in David Montgomery who has already surpassed 1,000 yards on the season. In order for the Packers to enhance their chances for victory today the defense will need to shut down Montgomery the way they did Henry last week. That means  Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith and Rashan Gary will need to once again protect the edge and funnel things inside as much as possible. That was a key to success last week and will be so again today. Oh, and lest we forget: the Packers signed NT Damon "Snacks" Harrison this week and he was able to practice. It will be interesting to see how much the Packers work him into defensive schemes today and how he plays. He should be a valuable pick up for the playoff run.

Back to Da Bearz. QB Mitchell Trubisky has been having a better end to the season than start. After being benched for Nick Foles, he's responded well to the challenge. But it's also been against so-so defenses, to say the least. The Packers defense has been getting better as the season has progressed. If Chicago's chances rest in his hands...good luck with that.

The Prediction

The Packers are 4-1/2 to 5 point favorites depending upon who's making that call. I consulted my good friend, Billy Da Bearz Fan, to get his take on the game. He told me that I'm not supposed to say that he really thinks the Pack will go up by 3 or 4 touchdowns early and then start resting players. Instead, he says since its in writing, I should say that he's calling it 28-27 Bearz.

So there's one point of view. Or two, if you're counting.

Here's a third. Despite the hard hit incurred with the loss of Bakhtiari, we think the Packers are on a roll right now and things are gelling at the right time. We expect Da Bearz to put up a spirited game — after all, they are playing for a potential playoff spot. But the Pack is playing for the #1 overall seed, a bye, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. If they play for 4 quarters, they'll win with room to spare. If they let Chicago hang around, well, if it comes down to Rodgers or Trubisky making a play to win the game, c'mon.

We're calling it Packers 34 - Bearz 24.

Go Pack Go!!!