To say anybody had a clue how this season would end up panning out in the early goings would have the majority of fans in disbelief.
The Chicago Bears are 3-1, a quarter of the way through the season, and have won each of their games with a different starting quarterback due to injuries.
Now, the Bears go into Week 5 and travel to take on their most-despised rival, the Green Bay Packers.
It's a tale as old as time.
Well, not quite. This is the oldest and most bitter rivalry in the history of this game, but a tale as old as time? Maybe not exactly. But it could certainly be compared to one that is.
On the one hand, this has indeed been a David vs. Goliath type of battle for years, with the Bears falling short more often than not. For years, the Packers dominated this rivalry thanks to the likes of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
But, now?
The Bears are going into this week as an early favorite, on the road, no less, and down their starting quarterback in Caleb Williams.
The Bears being an early favorite against the Packers prove things have drastically changed
My oh my, how the tables have turned. The Packers have quickly gone from Goliath to the underdog, and the differences between these two teams are staggering, right now.
Metric | Bears Rank | Packers Rank |
|---|---|---|
Total Offense | 1st | 20th |
Rushing | 1st | 32nd |
Passing | 15th | 11th |
Scoring | 9th | 27th |
Total Defense | 3rd | 14th |
Points Allowed | 4th | 23rd |
The Chicago Bears? The no. 1 team in total offense? What kind of world are we living in?
Ben Johnson's world, that's what.
The Bears continue to pile up yards offensively, even without Caleb Williams. Whether it's been Case Keenum or Tyson Bagent, it hasn't mattered. Ben Johnson has called a pair of excellent game plans and, despite some areas to clean up, the Bears' offense has been impressive.
Shockingly enough, the Bears' defense has been equally impressive.
Say what you will about the first four opponents, weather conditions, etc., but the fact of the matter is, the Bears' defense is a top-5 unit as it stands.
And, that's without a couple of top-tier players in nickel corner Kyler Gordon and safety Coby Bryant.
It's also with a defensive line that lacks star power.
Yet, these Bears are getting it done on defense. The line has been active. They've been consistent in getting after the quarterback and disrupting throws. We've seen strong early showings from Dayo Odeyingbo and Austin Booker, among others.
Because of this sudden strength up front, the Bears' secondary has been able to stay close to the plays and shut the majority of them down before they get too far out of hand. Rookies Dillon Thieneman and Malik Muhammad have played big roles in that respect, too, as the former leads the team in tackles so far with 30.
The vibes are great in Chicago, again, without Caleb Williams. It's pretty shocking.
Now, over in Green Bay, the Packers might have the worst offensive line in football. Sure, they've brought in reinforcements, but this Packers team still barely beat the 0-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers without Baker Mayfield.
Green Bay's offense has scored more than 20 points just once all season long, and their defense has given up 35 or more points in two of four games.
The Packers' leading rusher, on the season, is MarShawn Lloyd with 81 yards.
For comparison, Caleb Williams has 107 rushing yards and he's played two games this year -- oh, and he plays quarterback.
Many Packers fans are calling for the firing of Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst, which is a breath of fresh air and quite the beautiful change if you ask Bears fans.
Green Bay simply isn't a good football team, while Chicago is the polar opposite. Ben Johnson has this entire team on the same page. He has set the tone from Day 1, and nothing has changed.
So, as these two teams meet in Week 5 with the Bears having won the last two in dramatic, comeback fashion, I think it's safe to say Bears fans are hoping for a much different result.
On paper, the Bears should wipe the floor with Green Bay.
Read more: An alarming Ben Johnson trend is haunting the Bears' no. 1 ranked offense
Let's hope, for the first time in a while, we see exactly that.
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