Keys To Victory: Can the Chicago Bears Pull Off A Week One Upset?

With the 2018 NFL regular season officially underway, the Chicago Bears will begin their 99th season in the NFL.

Without question, the 2018 offseason will be remembered as a memorable one for Bears fans. However, now, all attention shifts to the regular season, where the Chicago Bears will begin by playing the Green Bay Packers, their biggest rivals.

There’s no knowing what to expect from the Bears on Sunday night. The team showed limited flashes of the offense during the preseason, and the defense just got a whole lot better due to the addition of Khalil Mack. One thing, however, seems to be clear: The Bears are in win-now mode.

Each week, we’ll be previewing the Bears regular season matchup. Additionally, we’ll examine what the Chicago Bears must do to win. What are the key players on the opposing team that the Bears will need to stop? Each week, will the offense or defense make a bigger impact?

Below, you’ll find how the Bears can pull off a week one upset.

1. Stop Aaron Rodgers

Last year, when the Bears played in Lambeau Field in week four, Chicago had just two sacks going up against a Packers offensive line that was missing Bryan Bulaga and David Bakhtiari, the two cornerstones of this teams offensive line. Just two sacks the whole game isn’t exactly a formula for success when beating the Packers. 

Now, most are under the assumption that just because the Bears have added Khalil Mack, winning this game just became a whole lot easier. And yes, Mack can be a factor in winning this game for the Bears, but it’ll still take the whole Bears front seven to win.

Aaron Rodgers is coming off a season-ending injury meaning he’s hungry to win. Not to mention, he just signed a new contract meaning he wants to prove that he earned every penny of his historic extension.

Over the years, it’s clear what Rodgers does to keep plays alive. He rolls out of the pocket, uses his legs to extend plays, giving him a few extra seconds to find an open wide receiver. Most of the time, this allows for a big pass play downfield.

What the defense must do is collapse the pocket and consistently throughout the game. This means doing it from the first play until the final whistle. Additionally, if the Bears front seven can slow down Rodgers, then the secondary will also benefit. Chicago will have ample time to slow down DeVante Adams and Jimmy Graham, the Packers two biggest pieces in the passing attack.