The Green Bay Packers have officially finished the regular season, earning a 9-7 record. A season that began with high expectations has slowly dwindled. This weekend the wild card round features a Packers – Bears matchup.
This wild card matchup will be the third game between the two teams and is arguably the most important. The Packers found a way the first time around. The second matchup was led by Malik Willis when Jordan Love went down early.
Green Bay had the ultimate collapse the second time around and had multiple opportunities to put the game away. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has brought the Bears back in late games multiple times and took advantage of the Packers collapse in game two.
This third and final matchup of the season is for all the glory and loser goes home. The Packers missed out on the NFC North and finished second behind Chicago. With this matchup on the horizon, the Packers would have major bragging rights if they found a way Saturday.
Will this Packers team find a way to earn a wildcard victory in Chicago? Without Micah Parsons and a thin secondary, it’s going to take near perfect games in these playoff atmospheres.
Green Bay began this season looking dominant. The middle of the season looked as if they had lost their identity and just when things began to click players began to get hurt.
Not just any players, emerging star tight end Tucker Kraft went down with a torn ACL and of course, Micah Parsons fell victim to an ACL tear later on as well. Two huge pieces of this team and the impact of their absence have been significant.
The offense has managed to find a way at times, but the defense and more specifically, the pass rush, has been extremely lackluster since Parsons got injured.
The Bears offensive line has been one of the best in the NFL this season and with the additions of Luther Burden and Rome Odunze returning from injury, this could be a recipe for disaster for this Packers defense.
The Packers lost another body at corner in Kamal Hadden and have since signed Trevon Diggs, a former teammate of Micah Parsons. Thankfully, there were some positives in the loss to the Vikings in the final game of the regular season.
Green Bay may have found something in rookie Barryn Sorrell out of Texas. Sorrell finished the game with eight tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and he recovered a fumble.
The pass rush has needed a spark like this, and the coaching staff would be crazy not to put Sorrell out there more against Chicago.
On the offensive side of the ball, having Jordan Love back makes all the difference. The Bears have struggled covering the middle of the field, so hopefully Love can take advantage.
Josh Jacobs is also emerging as being healthy again. Jacobs on his knee, “This is the best I’ve felt in 6 weeks.”
So, with the state of this Green Bay team, it’s hard to imagine they go on a serious run. Can they grab one more game against Chicago? Maybe, but it’s going to take a lot to get it done.
