Well, well, well… we are at the doorstep of the 2023-2024 Bears season, and standing there, is a familiar foe. Jump right in, the water is warm… no pressure. All the work building the roster, all the work in the offseason, all the talk of a much improved Bears team… time to show and prove. It’s not going to be easy, but there is no week during the NFL season that will be easy. The second you think that, is the second you will get upset. I know it sounds like a cliche, and yes, I like cliches, but… it’s a week to week league, and you have to stay focused on the game at hand. There should only be one thing on the Bears’ minds.
The Packers have owned us, that’s no secret. Yet, our “owner” is nowhere to be found, heading to the East coast, following our previous “owner’s” footsteps. Yes, like Favre before him, Rodgers has left Green Bay to head to the New York Jets; good luck to him… not really though. But, I’m not really concerned about him any longer. Sure, I’d prefer he fall flat on his face, but MY focus is the Bears, and since we don’t play the Jets, not worried about it. The Packers on the other hand… yeah, they are my concern… they always are. If you want to be successful, you need to beat teams in your division; the Packers are not only our hated rivals, they are in our division, so yes, these games DO mean a little bit more. I would argue this particular game means even more. I understand it’s only 1 game in the standings, but this game… this first game without a HOF QB (that is unless Jordan Love turns out to be a HOFer… fat chance) on the field for our rivals… presents an even playing field, since, you know, our QBs have NOT been of HOF caliber… in our lifetimes. No excuses any more. Why have the Packers owned us in the last few decades? Because they’ve had HOF QBs at the helm. We can’t say that any more. Like I said, no excuses.
How will this game break down? Well, it’s the start of NOW for Justin Fields; this is his time… he has the keys. Where will HE take us? Of course, it’s not only him… the OL does need to block for him, and um, there are already issues there. He does need weapons. Unlike last year, he has those. The defense needs to hold up their end of the bargain; we have many new pieces on that side of the ball. In Green Bay, they look to Love to be their QB of the future; big shoes to fill, but it’s been done before unfortunately up there… can it happen again? His RBs are solid, OL not bad, WRs… well, word is that Watson is already out and Doubs is questionable; that’s good news for us. Their defense is full of 1st round draft picks that have underperformed, except for a brief stretch last year; are they ready to live up to their draft caliber?
I’ve been all over the board on this game. Obviously way too much emotion to trust my gut completely on this game, but… I loved the Bears when I heard this game pop up on the schedule; I loved the Bears when I saw the -2.5 line. Then, I started getting worried; why only -2.5? Then the line started moving DOWN; wtf?!?! It was down to -1 before the news of Watson, which bumped the line back up to -1.5; still… sucker bet? Then I read Sports Illustrated, and they picked the Packers to win the division; say what? So, there is some more belief in Green Bay outside of Chicago and Green Bay huh? Well, after further consideration, I’ve come full circle on this game.
Final Score Prediction: Bears 27 Packers 13
Ace in the Hole: Justin Field 3 total TDs
You thought I’d pick the Packers? Then you don’t know me. Never that, and this time, hopefully the next number of times, it’s actually believable that the Bears can win, and not just me absolutely hating the Packers. Will it be the dawn of a new era or the same old shit? My Monday morning, heck, my entire next week depends on it. Bear Down!!!
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