The Green Bay Packers were dead and buried in 2022 with their 4-8 record. Same in 2023 after starts of 2-5 and 3-6, followed by embarrassing back-to-back losses against the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2022, the Packers won four in a row to host a win-and-in Week 18 showdown against the rapidly improving Detroit Lions. They lost.
In 2023, the Packers have won two in a row to host a win-and-in Week 18 game against the Chicago Bears, who have won four of their last five. Will history repeat itself? Here are three reasons why the Bears could crash Green Bay’s playoff party.
Will history repeat itself? Here are three reasons why the Bears could crash Green Bay’s playoff party. 1. KHALIL HERBERT AND JUSTIN FIELDS VS. THE PACKERS Explosive Bears running back Khalil Herbert didn’t practice on Friday and is questionable with a back injury. However, the expectation is Herbert will play.
This hasn’t been the season anyone expected when the Bears let David Montgomery sign with the rival Lions and handed the keys to the running game to Herbert, who averaged a robust 5.7 yards per carry in 2022.
Through Week 15, he had 350 rushing yards and zero touchdowns. However, in back-to-back wins, Herbert carried 20 times for 112 yards and one touchdown vs. the Cardinals and 18 times for 124 yards and one touchdown vs. the Falcons. He had seven of his 15 runs of 10-plus yards in those games.
“I’ve always thought that kid’s a heck of a back, even when in years past when Montgomery’s been there,” defensive coordinator Joe Barry said. “Got a lot of respect for him as a runner.” Of course, Green Bay’s problems stopping the run hardly need to be addressed.
The Packers are 28th in rushing yards allowed per game (131.6) and 26th in yards allowed per carry (4.50). It has, however, played relatively well the last three weeks.
Since allowing 209 rushing yards and a 6.1 average against the Giants, Barry’s defense has limited the Buccaneers to 99 yards on 27 attempts (3.7 average), the Panthers to 96 yards on 25 tries (3.8 average) and the Vikings to 67 yards on 16 carries (4.2 average).
The Packers will have to contend with more than just Herbert. Quarterback Justin Fields, despite missing four games, ranks second at the position with a team-high 630 rushing yards. (More on him on Sunday’s “Big Matchup” story.) Herbert’s backfield running-mates, Roschon Johnson (6-foot, 225 pounds) and veteran D’Onta Foreman (6-foot, 235 pounds), are physical runners. And their receivers and even tight end Cole Kmet have gotten the ball 26 times.
