The Bears will close the season by visiting the Packers Sunday at Lambeau Field. Here are three things that should increase their chances of winning:
(1) Pressure quarterback Jordan Love.
According to Next Gen Stats, the difference between Love's passer rating when he's pressured (59.5) versus not pressured (112.5) is the largest gap (53.0) among 34 qualified quarterbacks in the NFL.
Love will face a Bears defense that pressures opponents on 36.7% of dropbacks, the fifth highest rate in the league. The unit hopes to replicate its Dec. 26 performance when it held the Seahawks without a touchdown, generated three sacks and allowed only 12 first downs and 265 total yards.
"It was a great snapshot of what we can be when our front four, when they're generating pressure and they're forcing the quarterback off schedule, off his timing," said defensive coordinator Eric Washington. "We've got to do that."
Love has gone six straight games without an interception after throwing at least one pick in each of the first eight contests this season. He enters Week 18 having completed 63.2% of his passes for 3,320 yards with 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 97.3 passer rating that ranks 12th in the NFL.
"The accuracy is really there," Washington said. "He's not missing a lot of targets. He knows where he wants to go with the football. He's diagnosing coverages. He's going to his secondary targets and he's really taking care of the football."
(2) Be balanced and efficient on offense.
In the first meeting with the Packers this season Nov. 17 at Soldier Field, a revitalized offense with Thomas Brown calling plays for the first time scored on four of its first five possessions. The unit compiled 391 total yards and 23 first downs and converted a season-high 56.2% of its third-down plays (9 of 16).
In that game, Caleb Williams completed 23 of 31 passes for 231 yards and a 95.0 passer rating and rushed for a season-high 70 yards on nine carries. D'Andre Swift rushed for 71 yards on 14 attempts. Rome Odunze caught six passes for 65 yards and DJ Moore had seven receptions for 62 yards.
Asked what he hopes to see from Williams Sunday in Green Bay, Brown said: "To be clean, to be efficient, to be his best. That's what I care about the most. I think understanding the responsibility he has playing the quarterback position. He's always made plays throughout this year, almost every game. There's some spectacular plays here and there.
"It's about the operation, day in and day out. The play in, play out, the communication with the entire group and just lead, because you are in a leadership position, whether you like to or not, which I know he welcomes and he should … Just be himself, be his best and cut loose."
The Bears will face a Packers defense that ranks eighth in the league in total yards, sixth against the run and 17th versus the pass. The unit is led by end Rashan Gary and safety Xavier McKinney, both of whom were selected to their first Pro Bowls this season. Gary leads Green Bay with 6.5 sacks, while McKinney's seven interceptions are the most by a Packers player since Charles Woodson had seven in 2011.
(3) Limit explosive plays on defense.
The Bears only allowed 20 points in the first meeting between the teams this season, but Green Bay's offense produced pass plays of 60, 48 and 25 yards, all on Love completions to Christian Watson, who caught four passes for 150 yards. Watson is questionable for Sunday's game with a knee injury that limited him in practice Friday.
Running back Josh Jacobs produced a 21-yard run and 23-yard reception in that contest as well, rushing for 76 yards and one TD on 18 carries and catching four passes for 58 yards. Jacobs powers Green Bay's fifth-ranked ground game, having rushed for 1,285 yards and 14 TDs on 295 attempts. His 1,285 yards are fifth most in the NFL and his 14 TDs are a career high and tied for the second most in the league.
