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NFL Week 1 Preview: Bears vs. Packers

NFL gambling preview for the Week 1 NFL matchup between the NFC north rivals the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears…

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

Two of the NFL’s brightest young stars go head to head when the Chicago Bears travel to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football.

Oddsmakers have tagged the Packers as 3.5-point favorites, while the total is posted at 46.5.

Gunslinging quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler headline this clash between long-time NFC North rivals. The teams split their two meetings last season – Rodgers’ first year as the Packers’ starter – with Green Bay covering the spread in both games.

Rodgers quieted all doubters in 2008 by passing for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns. Now, heading into his second season as the No. 1 quarterback, the former Cal pivot is on the verge of becoming a premier QB in the NFL. This preseason, Rodgers passed for 465 yards and six touchdowns without a single interception, leading the Packers to a 3-1 warmup record.

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His divisional counterpart, Cutler, didn’t post staggering numbers in the preseason, finishing with 329 yards and two touchdowns. However, he proved his toughness with a 144-yard performance against his former team, the Broncos, and a Denver crowd that was out for blood. Cutler threw for more than 4,500 yards and 25 touchdowns in Denver last season but now faces a more defensive-driven division in the NFC North.

Overshadowed by the battle under center are the two backfield talents taking handoffs from Rodgers and Cutler. Chicago running back Matt Forte is also on the verge of a breakout year. As a rookie the product of Tulane rushed for more than 1,200 yards while adding another 484 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns. Forte will get the majority of the carries Sunday night with backup RB Kevin Jones done for the season with an ankle injury.

Green Bay’s rushing attack is hoping for big things from running back Ryan Grant. The third-year back out of Notre Dame totaled over 1,200 yards on the ground but just four touchdowns in 2008. Grant had just 21 carries in the preseason, compiling 93 yards and two scores. Last season, Grant punished the Bears in Week 11; he hung 145 yards rushing and a touchdown on the NFC North rival.

While the offensive stars steal the spotlight in this Sunday night showdown, the real game will be played on defense. Green Bay’s stop unit spoiled plenty of games last year, allowing almost 335 yards and 24 points per contest. The Packers are switching to the 3-4 defense in order to utilize their athletic linebackers and plug up the run. Opponents rushed for nearly 132 yards against per game in 2008.

The Bears are also looking to their defense to find its form of two seasons ago. Chicago made it all the way to the Super Bowl behind its stop unit, but in recent years has been lit up by opposing offenses. Most of the trouble comes defending the pass; the Bears gave up more than 241 yards through the air in 2008, which ranked third-worst in the NFL.

Chicago’s pass defense is hoping to have a major cog of their secondary back in action this weekend – cornerback Charles Tillman returned to practice this week after missing the entire preseason rehabbing from back surgery. While Tillman isn’t the defensive threat he once was, he matches up with opponents’ top receivers – in this case Green Bay’s Greg Jennings. Jennings caught 80 balls for almost 1,300 yards last year.

Green Bay also has some injuries on the defensive side of the ball. The Packers could be without backup corner Will Blackmon, who is also the team’s kick and punt returner. Last season Blackmon totaled over 1,000 return yards on kickoffs and picked up nearly 400 return yards on punts while taking two back to the house for touchdowns. He did not practice earlier this week with a quadriceps injury and is questionable for Week 1.

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One reply on “NFL Week 1 Preview: Bears vs. Packers”

This is a classic opening day match up in the NFC North. This one will come down to which team’s quarterback has a better day, Jay Cutler for the Bears or Aaron Rodgers for the Packers. My money in on Green Bay in this one

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