The Chicago Bears are gearing up for a pivotal wild-card showdown against the Green Bay Packers, where Chicago is looking to earn its first win since their previous victory over Green Bay back in Week 16.
There is a major sense of urgency for the Bears to put it all together for a full 60 minutes, for what would be the first time this season. Head coach Ben Johnson spoke emphatically after the Week 18 loss to the Detroit Lions, voicing his displeasure with the offense’s slow start and the fact that they only put up 16 points in their regular season finale.
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Now, for the third time this season, the Bears will prepare to take on the Packers, a team that they have struggled to get going against all season. Needing an improbable comeback in overtime to split the regular season series, Chicago and quarterback Caleb Williams need to have a fast, and nearly flawless, performance if they want to come away with the victory and continue their playoff run.
Here are the top offensive keys for the Bears facing the Packers in the wild-card playoffs:
Get off to a fast start
There’s no denying that getting off to a fast start is of the utmost importance for the Bears offense, as they’ve struggled starting strong for most of the season. Chicago’s inability to start hot has forced the team to battle back all season, which has led them to putting together six fourth-quarter comebacks, the most in the NFL, but it’s certainly not ideal in the playoffs. The offense needs to establish a rhythm and flow to build their confidence early in the game, and it could unlocked the best version of the offense that has yet to be seen.
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Find success in the passing game
Although there’s been nothing officially announced yet, it appears that the Bears’ top wide receiver Rome Odunze will return to the field for this matchup on Saturday night, bringing a big boost for the passing game. Quarterback Caleb Williams has thrown for 436 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception in the two meetings against Green Bay, and getting his top weapon back should only boost what he can do against the Packers this weekend, as well as having Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, Cole Kmet and DJ Moore at his disposal.
Establish the run early
In some of their best games that Chicago has won this year, specifically against the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bears wasted no time in establishing the run. Over their past two losses to the 49ers and Lions, Chicago’s run game was virtually non-existent, putting them at a disadvantage and making them a one-dimensional offensive team. For a team that finished third in the NFL for rushing yards per game with 144.5 yards on the ground, the Bears need to get both D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai involved early and often.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Packers: Top offensive keys for Chicago in wild-card matchup
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