The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, the NFL’s oldest rivals, will face each other in a highly anticipated Week 1 matchup to start the 2023 season. Of course, many fans are excited to watch Jordan Love start his first regular season game since taking over as the starting quarterback.
While all eyes will be on Love, there will be other important storylines to watch during the game. 2023 is not just a big year for the Packers’ new starting quarterback, it is a time of uncertainty within the division. Green Bay can make a statement early these three storylines turn out in their favor on Sunday.
1. Bears quarterback Justin Fields is looking for his first win against the Packers
When the Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the Jets, there was no fanbase happier than Bears fans after Rodgers had tortured them for years, posting a 25-5 record against the division rival.
Meanwhile, Bears quarterback Justin Fields also has begun to think of himself as the King of the North since Rodgers’ departure.
That is some big talk from a quarterback that is 1-8 against his division in his career, including an 0-4 record against the Packers. Fields and the Bears obviously think that flipping the switch from 3-14 to division winners is easy. Green Bay will try to remind them of why they had the number one pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
2. The return of Rashan Gary
The return of Gary to the Packers’ defense is a development that cannot be understated. While he will be playing on a snap count for a while, Gary is a disruptor like no one else on the team.
His ability to return less than a year after tearing his ACL is nothing short of incredible. If the defense can take a step forward with him on the field, it will take a lot of pressure off of Love and the offense.
3. Packers tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft against their predecessors
If Week 1 saw the Packers taking on the Jets, it would be the most hyped game of the year. Love versus Rodgers would definitely be a spectacle.
Of course, that is not happening. But what is interesting about the Week 1 matchup is the fact that it will see the Packers’ two rookie tight ends, Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, on one side while the two players they replaced, Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis, are on the other.
It will be interesting to see how the play of the two pairs of tight ends contrasts.
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