Seven things that could swing the Bears’ fight for the seventh playoff seed — or higher — on Sunday:
Aaron Rodgers’ brain
Perhaps no one has benefited more from empty stadiums than the Packers quarterback, who uses the quiet to play chess at the line of scrimmage, shouting out pre-snap instructions and getting the Packers into the proper play call.
“He’s a master of their system, No. 1,” Bears outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino said Monday. “No. 2 he’s extremely talented. No. 3, he’s got rare football IQ and feel for the passing game. And I think that their staff there does a great job of giving him enough freedom down-to-down to get them out of a good play and into a better play. …
“I haven’t seen Patrick Mahomes on tape, but I know this guy’s playing as good as any quarterback that I’ve ever seen.”
Mitch Trubisky’s impulses
The Bears quarterback has thrown end-zone interceptions the past two weeks. He needs to remember Sunday that he doesn’t necessarily have to outduel Rodgers to win.
“We say a lot in the quarterback room, ‘It’s not about them, it’s about us,’” quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo said. “And really buying into that and making it all about you. And you know what you do well, and staying patient ... That’s real, though. That’s real because we’re all human.”
Jared Goff’s right thumb
The Rams quarterback had surgery Monday night after breaking and dislocating his throwing thumb on Sunday. He won’t start against the Cardinals, leaving the starting job to John Wolford. An undrafted free agent from Wake Forest, Wolford has never thrown an NFL pass.
To earn the seventh seed without beating the Packers, the Bears need the Rams to beat the Cardinals. The Bears will be the No. 6 seed if they win and the Cardinals win — but left out of the playoffs if they lose and the Cardinals win.
Kyler Murray’s right leg
The star quarterback hurt his lower right leg on the Cardinals’ last offensive play in Saturday’s loss to the 49ers. He might not play — and if he does, the second-leading rusher among quarterbacks could be compromised.
“I think if that’s how he’s got to play, if he’s got to adjust his style, he can definitely play from the pocket,” Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters Monday.
Chris Steveler — a 25-year-old rookie and 2019 CFL Grey Cup champ – is the Cardinals’ backup. He’s never started an NFL game.
Jaylon Johnson’s right shoulder
The Bears hope to get their rookie cornerback back after he missed the last two games with a right shoulder injury. He would be critical in slowing Packers star Davante Adams, given the Bears’ policy of not having Kyle Fuller “travel” from one side of the field to the other in coverage.
Coach Matt Nagy said Johnson “was really starting to get used to the speed and where things are at and things [that] are going to happen throughout the game.”
Davante Adams’ feet
The Packers’ receiver, who ranks third in catches and fourth in yards, is the league’s best route-runner. He and Rodgers are on the same page.
“The quarterback expects him to be there — and he gets there,” Bears secondary coach Deshea Townsend said. “That’s what makes him pretty special.”
A 13-year vet, Townsend compared Adams’ route-running to some of the great tacticians of his era: Chad Ochocinco, Marvin Harrison, Keenan McCardell and Antonio Gates.
Khalil Mack’s long-arm pass rush
In the 2018 opener, Mack, who’d been on the Bears’ roster for eight days, put together one of the game’s great individual defensive performances when, in only 42 snaps, he recorded a sack, returned an interception for a touchdown, forced a fumble and recovered one. Three months later, Mack had 2 ½ sacks against the Packers.
Since then, Mack has no sacks, nine tackles and one forced fumble in three rivalry games. The Bears need Mack to produce when it counts most.
