Nov. 26--You don't have to say much for the recollections to come flooding back.
Week 10 last season. The Bears' last trip to Green Bay. A prime-time showdown against the Packers at Lambeau Field.
Remember all that?
"That was the night we got our ass kicked," Bears right tackle Kyle Long said Tuesday. "That was definitely a (sobering) moment."
Alshon Jeffery, your memories?
"They pretty much kicked our behinds," Jeffery said. "... I felt like it was disrespectful the way they put up points. At the same time, it's our job to stop them."
Fair or not, the 55-14 walloping the Packers put on the Bears a year ago will provide part of the context for Thursday night's prime time reunion at Lambeau Field. Last season, in the worst defeat of the Bears' embarrassing 11-loss free fall, Aaron Rodgers threw for 315 yards with six touchdowns -- before halftime.
With every blink, it seemed like a new Packer was leaping into the stands and a new level of humiliation was being felt on the visitors' sideline.
"It was embarrassing," Matt Forte said. "It's time that the Bears stop going up there and losing games like that because if it gets out of hand, it's embarrassing."
The good news for the Bears? Of the 46 players who played in that game, only 16 remain on the 53-man roster. So any lingering mental trauma will be minimal.
Better news: this year's Bears, under the guidance of John Fox and his coaching staff, have forged an identity as a tough-minded team that is prepared consistently and no longer seems vulnerable to blowouts.
And the best news heading into Thursday's game? After a three-game absence, Forte will be back in the backfield, a linchpin for the offense and quite possibly the catalyst of a game plan that will need him to be at his best.
The Bears already proved this season that they have closed the gap on the Packers. That happened in the season opener when they took a 13-10 lead to halftime before eventually falling 31-23. The Bears' competitiveness -- at the time, equal parts impressive and surprising -- came in big part because of a shrewd offensive game plan and crisp execution early.
Forte's 141 rushing yards in that contest remain his season best, with 105 coming in the first half.
The Bears held the ball for 18 minutes, 20 seconds before halftime, defending Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers with their offense.
"I remember looking at the time of possession and it being impressive," Long said. "Any time you can keep Rodgers off the field, it's a good thing. You don't want him to have the ball."
Rodgers threw only 13 passes in the first half and his 189 passing yards for the game is his second lowest total this season.
It would stand to reason that the Bears would look to attack similarly Thursday, prioritizing their running game and pushing again to chew clock. In reviewing the season opener, Forte noticed how well the Bears' offensive linemen controlled their guys, opening holes at the first and second levels.
"(The Packers) have a lot of big guys up there in their 3-4 defense," Forte said. "If we can control those guys, we can establish the run. That's the key."
Still, coordinator Adam Gase knows each game has its own nuances. He understands Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers has assessed the Bears' Week 1 strategies and made his own tweaks for the rematch. The Bears must adapt as well.
They also will need to revive a running game that was stagnant in Sunday's loss to the Broncos. A tenacious Broncos' defense stacked the box. The Bears' offensive line never generated consistent push. And running backs Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey combined for only 57 yards on 22 rushes.
"All about details," Long said. "Yes, the Broncos have the No. 1 defense in the league and they loaded the box. But we have to do a much better job with assignments and technique. That's on us."
It's also on the Bears to leave last year's Lambeau letdown in the past.
Said Jeffery: "I guarantee you it's going to be a different outcome this time."
dwiederer@tribpub.com
