PLAYER NOTES
–WR Allen Robinson II (hip) did not practice Wednesday but the injury is viewed more as precautionary and he’s expected to play on Sunday.
–CB Bryce Callahan (foot) suffered a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot and was placed on injured reserve. Callahan has two interceptions and has had his best season as the extra defensive back in nickel coverage.
–CB Marcus Williams, a former Bucs, Jets and Texans defensive back, has been added to the roster and has experience guarding the slot position. Sherrick McManis is getting first crack at the nickel spot.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: WR Allen Robinson II. Robinson is starting to make a big impact with 330 receiving yards in the last five games after his groin injury. He now appears well past the torn ACL that cost him last season and has stepped forward as Mitchell Trubisky’s chief all-around threat. The sure indication of Robinson’s better health has been his greater athleticism, hauling in a deep pass off a defender’s helmet against the Giants and lunging forward toward the goal line to help set up a touchdown against the Rams.
GAME PLAN: The Bears’ defense faces a similar assignment to the first game, although Joe Philbin will be making the play calls for the Packers as acting head coach. They came after Aaron Rodgers and tried to mix in occasional blitzes, either off the slot or the middle. It worked to get Rodgers out of the game and build a 20-0 lead, but he returned. They’ll need to do this again. The Bears can’t ignore the run and start a dead sprint to Rodgers this time because the Packers have blended Aaron Jones in for an impressive 76 yards rushing on average over the last seven games, balancing their attack. Rodgers appears more mobile than in the second half of the first game between the teams and more willing to scramble and slide. So less blitzing and man-to-man coverage is preferable. Defensive backs have to stick to the closest receiver when Rodgers scrambles. The Bears anticipate getting turnovers will be difficult. The Packers have the lowest interception percentage in the league because Rodgers knows when to throw the ball away and how to do it.
Offensively, the Bears need to get the running game going early to keep the rush from forcing Trubisky into mistakes. He had a hard enough time maintaining his passing mechanics last week after two weeks away without having to worry about blitzes or a heated pass rush. The Bears can do a better job using Tarik Cohen in this one than in the first game with the Packers, and multipurpose players of his ilk have been a matchup problem for Green Bay linebackers. Short crossing patterns and screens can burn the Packers if they’re caught blitzing at the wrong time.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Bears LB Khalil Mack, who has 10 sacks and six forced fumbles, vs. Packers RT Jason Spriggs, who has eight career starts in three seasons. Spriggs may play for Bryan Bulaga, who has battled a knee injury. Mack played on the left side of the defense in the first game and beat up Bulaga, but has moved around according to matchups and likely would be pitted often on this side against either Spriggs or Bulaga in a mismatch. Mack wore out the Packers’ line in the first game off the edge or bull-rushing for a pick-6, fumble forced and recovered and a sack. No doubt the Packers will devote more double- or triple-teams to Mack’s side in this one, and also run more early to set up play-action and freeze Mack.
–Bears RT Bobby Massie, who hasn’t had a holding penalty this season, vs. Packers OLB Clay Matthews Jr., who last week broke a five-game streak without a sack. The Packers have used Matthews more in coverage than in some recent years in their new defense. Massie has allowed just two sacks this season, according to two independent scouting services, and in a contract year is also benefiting from having a mobile quarterback.
–Bears nickel CB Sherrick McManis, who is replacing injured Bryce Callahan, vs. Packers WR Randall Cobb, who returned two games ago from injury. Cobb enjoyed his biggest game of the year against the Bears in the opener, including the game-winning catch and run for 75 yards in the middle of the field. He always has had the Bears’ number, and it’s certain Aaron Rodgers will work this matchup.
