The Chicago Bears (7-6) will face the hated Green Bay Packers (10-3) Sunday at Lambeau Field, where there will plenty to play for.
Playoff aspirations. Pride. Jobs. Bragging rights.
For the Bears offense, they’re looking to sustain the success they’ve had over the previous two games against the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys, where they were the best they’ve looked all season.
So how do the Bears keep their offense rolling?
Here are three keys for the Bears’ offense in Week 15’s contest vs. the Packers.
1. Utilize QB Mitchell Trubisky’s dual-threat ability
Mitchell Trubisky has been playing his best football of the season over the last month, particularly the last two games, where he’s completing 75.3% of his passes for 582 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions.
In order for the Bears to have success against the Packers, it’s going to start with the success of Trubisky. Last week against the Cowboys, Trubisky rediscovered an important element of his game, which is his mobility. He had 63 rushing yards on 10 carries, as well as a rushing score. But it’s not just the stats that are important. Trubisky’s mobility opened up the Bears offense as the Cowboys defense had to account for Trubisky the passer and Trubisky the runner.
The thing about Trubisky’s runs were that they weren’t forced. When Trubisky went through his reads and saw that nothing was there, he tucked the ball and ran. It was less thinking, more reacting. The Bears are going to need more of that from Trubisky on Sunday.
2. Get off to a fast start, and pound the gas
Something that has eluded the Bears offense this season has been fast starts, which have often left them trailing early on. That’s something they’ve done better over the last two games, utilizing that up-tempo offense to pound the gas and not let up.
Two weeks ago against the Lions, the Bears offense scored on its opening possession for just the second time this season. Last week against the Cowboys, the Bears offense was driving in the redzone, but a Mitchell Trubisky interception halted the drive. But the Bears responded immediately with three scoring drives (2 touchdowns, 1 field goal) in the rest of the first half.
The Bears need to get off to a fast start and utilize that up-tempo offense to get on top of this defense early and often. But it’s not enough to just muster it early. They need to sustain it throughout the first and second half.
3. Play mistake free football
Now, this one goes without saying, but if you limit mistakes and execute, you should be in good shape. While that’s not something the Bears have done well as a whole this season, it’s something that they’ve done well over the last few games.
The Bears have committed three turnovers in the last two games — two interceptions and a fumble — and they’re going to need to clean that up against the Packers, where Chicago’s lone turnover in Week 1 played a huge role in the outcome of the game.
But limiting penalties — especially drive-killing penalties — has been something that the Bears offense has excelled out over the last two weeks. Instead of finding themselves in down-and-long situations — especially on third down — they’re in more manageable positions. That’s something they need to continue against Green Bay.
