Is it Sunday yet? We know what week it is. By now, Chicago Bears fans are just ready for kickoff. It's been a while since the Bears have had a team that can confidently take on the Green Bay Packers, but head coach Ben Johnson has done exactly that.
This team is playing with a ton of confidence and has won nine of its last 10 games overall. Johnson has been asked plenty, of course, about the impending matchup in Green Bay this weekend. He's had a lot to say, but maybe the most truthful thing he's said is also the biggest reality check to date:
"This might be the best defense we've seen all year," he told ESPN's Courtney Cronin.
Johnson is absolutely right. The Packers are, without a doubt, the best defense the Bears will have seen all season. We'll be saying the same thing next week, too, when they prepare for Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns. But for now, let's focus on Green Bay.
The Packers defense is elite, but Ben Johnson might have the perfect offense to combat it
Real quick, let's see where Green Bay's defense ranks amongst the NFL in major categories.
Category | Packers Rank |
|---|---|
Yards allowed per game | 4th |
Passing yards allowed per game | 6th |
Rushing yards allowed per game | 8th |
Points allowed per game | 6th |
Takeaways | 4th-worst |
Take a look at the above numbers and answer the question: what sticks out?
Obviously, it's the takeaways. The Packers defense has been that good, this year, that they haven't even needed a large amount of takeaways to be dominant.
That's terrifying, to put it bluntly.
Conversely, Green Bay leads the league in taking care of the football, though, as they have given it away less than any other team; just seven total giveaways this year on offense.
Meanwhile, the Bears lead the league in turnover differential at +17. They don't give it away too often (tied for third-fewest turnovers this year with just nine), and they take it away at a higher clip than anyone else in the league.
As they like to say, "something's gotta give."
Micah Parsons is up there with Myles Garret in terms of frightening and absolutely soul-crushing defensive presences, which means this Bears offensive line will have their hands full. Fortunately, that area has been all the rage this week among national outlets.
Ryan Poles went out and made the moves, while Johnson and offensive line coach Dan Roushar have helped the Bears' offensive line become one of the top units in all of football.
Read more: JJ Watt noticed what every Bears fan loves most about Ben Johnson
Once more, something must give. What will it be?