The Green Bay Packers will look for their first win of the season as they take on the Chicago Bears on Sunday night. Of course, expectations are high as they look to bounce back after a disappointing Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. As the Packers have prepared for their next game, much attention has been paid to Aaron Rodgers and the offense. And there should be. The offense has to perform better than it did in Minnesota. However, there are plenty of players on both offense and defense that have put up stellar numbers against the Bears in the past. Here, I highlight three of those players.
#1. Edge Rusher Preston Smith
Last week, Rashan Gary was the only Green Bay Packers defender to record a sack. To be sure, Gary will be a major factor against Chicago on Sunday night. However, among Packers’ edge rushers, it is Preston Smith who has had the most previous success.
Since signing with the Packers in 2019, Preston Smith has dominated the Bears. In six games, he has 17 tackles, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a touchdown. In his last game against the Bears in 2021, Smith had four tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble.
The Bears’ offensive line is still shaky at its best. It is a good bet that Smith will be able to take advantage and find Justin Fields in the backfield at least once.
#2. Wide Receiver Allen Lazard
Of course, we have no guarantee that Allen Lazard will be able to play this week. However, he was spotted back at practice on Thursday.
If Lazard is able to play on Sunday night, it will be a major benefit for the Green Bay Packers. Not only is Lazard the team’s number-one wide receiver, but he also has had a great deal of recent success against the Chicago Bears. In four games against the Bears since 2020, Lazard has three touchdown receptions. In his last game against Chicago in 2021, he had six receptions for 75 yards and a score. He also rushed once for 14 yards.
The offense will obviously be better with Allen Lazard on the field. Aside from catching passes, he blocks in the run game and does all the little things that do not show up in the stat sheet. His recent success against Chicago, though, point to a big game from him if he is healthy.
#3. Kenny Clark
As Gilbert Brown noted on the latest episode of "The Graveyard Shift with Gilbert Brown," Kenny Clark is a player fans will want to watch against the Bears. Since 2019, Clark has 4.5 sacks in six games against Chicago. That total is his most against any other team. Last season alone, Clark had two sacks and five quarterback hits against the Bears.
In last week’s loss to the Vikings, Clark was one of the bright spots on the defense. While he did not record a sack, he had four total tackles, a tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits.
Last week, 90 interior defensive lineman registered at least one pass rush snap, per PFF. Kenny Clark led them all with six pressures. He may not have gotten home to Kirk Cousins in Week 1, but he, like Preston Smith, is going to register at least one sack against the Bears.
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