STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
NFL Team Report - Green Bay Packers</h2><br>FRIDAY INJURY REPORT<p></p>GREEN BAY PACKERS<p></p> --DOUBTFUL: T Bryan Bulaga (knee)<p></p> --QUESTIONABLE: CB Bashaud Breeland (groin, not injury related), DT Kenny Clark (elbow)<p></p>CHICAGO BEARS<p></p> --QUESTIONABLE: S Eddie Jackson (shin), DT Bilal Nichols (knee), WR Allen Robinson II (hip)<p></p><p></p>PLAYER NOTES<p></p> --Starting RG Byron Bell was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. He had made nine consecutive starts until being inactive for last week's game. Justin McCray, who started the first three games of the season, figures to move back into the lineup. "Byron's made a real valuable contribution to the ballclub," interim head coach Joe Philbin said. "It's tough for players. They want to play and when that happens, it's difficult for them. Justin, as a coach, when you go to bed at night, you kind of think about the players on your team and the faith that you have in the guys and the competitiveness of the men on your team. And this guy's a competitor, he battles every single play. I think as a coach, you appreciate that, you respect that. So yeah, we'll see. He did some good things in the game."<p></p> PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: QB Aaron Rodgers. Chicago's defense might be the best in the NFL. It ranks third in the league in points allowed, in the top four in just about every category that matters and is forcing turnovers at a ridiculous rate compared to the rest of the league. Chicago's defensive front has the potential to dominate Green Bay's beat-up line. All of that means Rodgers is going to have to play his best game of the season if the Packers have a chance to keep their dim playoff hopes alive with an upset win. The problem is Rodgers hasn't played like his two-time MVP self for much of the season. While he's thrown 23 touchdowns vs. one interception, he's completed only 62.0 percent of his passes.<p></p> GAME PLAN: Chicago's defensive front dominated the Rams' high-powered offense last week, resulting in quarterback Jared Goff's dismal four-interception performance. Outside linebacker Khalil Mack and defensive tackle Akiem Hicks are premier players and have made life miserable for quarterbacks all season. It stands to reason that the Packers will dust off the game plan that worked in the second half of the Week 1 matchup between these teams, when Rodgers played through a knee injury to lead a massive second-half comeback. The winning recipe that night? A bunch of quick-hitting passes, with Rodgers getting the ball to the perimeter before the pass rush could get to Rodgers. Of course, Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has to know that will be Green Bay's game plan. That puts the pressure on the Packers' receivers to get open quickly and Rodgers to throw it on time and on the money.<p></p> Defensively, Green Bay has to put the game in quarterback Mitchell Trubisky's hands. Trubisky, last year's first-round pick, has had his moments but hasn't done so consistently. After missing two games with a shoulder injury, Trubisky was just 16-of-30 for 110 yards with three interceptions against the Rams last week. The key is keeping Trubisky contained in the pocket - he's the team's second-leading rusher - and forcing him to throw the ball. With the emergence of rookie Jaire Alexander and the return of Bashaud Breeland, who had a pick-six last week, the Packers' cornerback corps is in reasonably good shape to match up against receivers Taylor Gabriel, Allen Robinson II and rookie Anthony Miller.<p></p>MATCHUPS TO WATCH<p></p> --Packers RT Bryan Bulaga vs. Bears OLB Khalil Mack. Bulaga, when healthy, is one of the better right tackles in the NFL. However, he missed last week's game against Atlanta with a knee injury and was replaced by Jason Spriggs. His availability will be vital against Mack, who has 10 sacks and is tied for the NFL lead with six forced fumbles. Mack is one of the favorites to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and can be a one-man wrecking ball. He had a sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and a pick-six in Week 1 against the Packers. Surely, the Packers will provide some help to contain Mack, but that limits the options in the passing game.<p></p> --Packers ILB Blake Martinez vs. Bears RBs Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen. Chicago's offense runs through their running backs. The hard-charging Howard is the team's lead rusher while the diminutive Cohen is a dynamic runner on the perimeter and the team's leading receiver. They'll test Martinez, who is second in the NFL in tackles but has struggled in zone coverage and missed too many tackles. Green Bay's best hope on defense is to force Chicago into third-and-long situations. They'll have a hard time accomplishing that goal if Martinez isn't on his game.
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