Shawn — I’m picking the Green Bay Packers because the Chicago Bears suck and I picked the Packers to lose at Soldier Field last season. That didn’t work out for me and to hell with that. But I’m going to do my usual and try to convince you first that this is a tough decision. Yeah, predictable, I know, but I’m not fooling anyone anyway.
I am going to say the same shit I said last year before the Packers whacked the Bears at South Lambeau. The Bears gotta beat the Packers in Chicago some time, right? Jay Cutler has to get over once, right? I mean, even the dog’s ass sees some sunlight once in a while. Dude should have a good game against the Packers just by accident at some point.
Except history and eventually mean exactly shit. Just ask the Detroit Lions about that.
Anyway, there are three more tangible factors that favor the Bears.
- It’s the first game of the John Fox regime and teams with new coaches, especially at home, tend to get up for at least one game for the new coach.
- This is the first game without Jordy Nelson, which usually means it will be the toughest game as the offense adjusts.
- The Bears still have Matt Forte and the Packers stunk up the joint both against the run and covering backs in the preseason. If the Packers defense doesn’t show that was at least partially an aberration, then the Bears could have some success on offense.
However, that is the end of that list. There is another list where the Bears don’t look so well — the injury list. The Bears let Brandon Marshall take his talents to NYC and drafted Kevin White to replace him. White got injured in practice and might be out the first half of the season. The Bears now No. 1 receiver, Alshon Jeffery, has an injured calf and doesn’t have a great history against Sam Shields to begin with. Free agent pickup to man the slot — Eddie Royal — has a bum hamstring and is questionable. The Bears let cornerback Tim Jennings walk, but now the presumed free agent replacement, Tracy Porter, has a bum hamstring himself and won’t be playing.
The Bears have so many new parts and moving parts that no one expects much from them this season. Frankly, I would remind everyone that this is still a divisional opponent on the road, which is ALWAYS a threat.
That all being said, unless Aaron Rodgers suddenly realizes he needed more playing time in the preseason and the defense truly is as soft as they played all preseason, I don’t see how the Bears can overcome their suckage to stay in this one. I expect Rodgers to look sharp against a defense that lacks talent and needs some time to gel in their new scheme. I expect Rodgers to spread it around and I expect Eddie Lacy to have his spots.
The defense will do enough to stop the Bears from keeping up. Forte may have some success, but he did in Chicago last year too. Without receivers making plays, it won’t be enough. It will be a game in the first half, but the Packers will pull away in the second… ah… like last year.
Packers 35, Bears 21
Andrew — Way back on May 28th I (allegedly) plopped down a sizable wager. That was the first day I happened to see that NFL action was being taken in week 1 and the Packers were listed as 5-point favorites on the road in Chicago. I’m pretty sure I blinked once, laughed out loud, loaded up my truck, drove it through the desert and backed up said truck to the betting window at the Tropigala.
My reasons for making said wager were two-fold.
First, as Shawn so succinctly noted… the Bears suck. However, the more appealing part was I felt very certain, barring some unforeseen disaster (yeah, you know what’s coming), that the public would jump on the Packers and push the spread north.
If the Packers really looked good in the preseason and the Bears were as predictably shitty as always, then maybe it would push past the magic number 7 and go to the Packers by 7.5 or even 8. This would give a nice option to hedge to protect the wager, while providing a shot at hitting both wagers if the Packers happened to win by 6 or 7. Not terribly likely, but not bad either.
Well, it was all working according to plan. The Packers were looking good heading into the preseason, the Bears weren’t and the spread for week 1 had already moved to 6.5 when Jordy hit the turf.
When that happened I’m pretty sure I blinked twice, cried out like a wounded hyena, sprinted across the desert and was pleasantly surprised to find the Packers still -6.5 when I got there. I didn’t like having to do it, but I felt the loss of Nelson should not be taken lightly. So I went the other way on 6.5 to minimize my risk.
Had I known the Packers were going to sign James Jones I would have sat tight. That line is going to get to 7.5 or 8 before all is said and done. Just wait and see. As of 11 p.m. Friday night, the Packers are favored by 7, but I predict it hits 8 in some places by kickoff.
Oh, what difference does it make? Green Bay will probably win by six touchdowns, but I’m going to be greedy and hope it’s by six points.
Packers 6, Bears 0
Sarah — I’m not sure what’s worse. Chicago’s anemic and battered offense or its crap defense.
Either way, this could be one of the easier season openers for the Packers in a couple years. Despite what Bears rookie Ego Ferguson says, the only “shocking” thing about this matchup will be the number of times Jay Cutler gets planted on his ass.
Eddie Lacey should have a field day, which means Randall Cobb can rest a bit easier knowing he won’t have to shoulder the offensive load in week 1.
Pun intended.
I’m really hoping to see the beginning of this “breakthrough” everyone seems to think Davante Adams is going to have this year. James Jones might be rusty at first, but he and Aaron Rodgers will fall back into rhythm pretty quickly.
Packers 38, Bears 10
Monty — Well, son of a fuck! The regular season is here!
Chicago Bears?
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck them!
I mean, look. The season hasn’t even started yet, so if you go ask any Chicago Bears fan, they’re going to kick the Green Bay Packers asses! And you’re a fudgepacker! And Bear Down! And 1985! And some other such bullshit.
But that’s the way things go. Regardless of how dogshit their team looks, Bears fans don’t care. They’re delusional. At least until reality sets in and they’re eliminated from the playoffs by the time Halloween rolls around. Then they sulk, stuff their fat faces full of polish so you can’t hear them talk and start burning jerseys.
Happens the same every year.
Here’s a true story. A former business associate who I happen to be friends with on Facebook and who also happens to a Bears fan started complaining last Sunday because he had made all this food. You know why?
Because he thought the season started last Sunday and he was going to get to watch the Bears kick the shit out of the Green Bay Packers.
Well, he obviously wasn’t going to watch football to begin with and he sure as shit isn’t going to watch this garbage Bears team kick the shit out of the Green Bay Packers at any time.
Typical, though.
[fb_embed_post href=”https://www.facebook.com/danielleehogue/posts/10152969393517191?pnref=story/” width=”480″/]
Bottom line here is this.
I expect the Packers defense to come out and look terrible. They showed nothing in the preseason and many of the starters barely even played. They will be a work in progress.
Not as bad as I expect the Bears defense to be, however.
If that unit isn’t the worst in the league this year, they gotta be close.
Aaron Rodgers alone is enough to win this game.
He could go play some 1-on-11 and the Packers still get the win.
Packers 27, Bears 17