Bears vs. Packers: Three things to watch in Sunday's season opener
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's the start of the NFL season, and the Bears are kicking things off with the Packers.
We get to find out if Aaron Rodgers; departure for Gang Green means the grass is greener for the Bears, or if they have to worry about a new Love spell being cast.
Here are three things to watch (in no particular order) when the Bears host the Pack.
Let's start in the trenches. The Bears have a good secondary when healthy. They made major upgrades at linebacker. But all eyes are on a defensive line that was among the least imposing in all of football last year. Will the additions of guys like defensive end DeMarcus Walker and defensive tackle Andrew Billings pay off? How good will rookies Gervon Dexter Sr. and Zacch Pickens be out of the gate? We're about to find out.
And then there's Justin Fields. It's year three. It's go-time. No Bears quarterback has ever thrown for 4,000 yards in a season. He said he can throw for 4,000 this year, but for a guy who has only thrown for 200 yards in two games last year, Bears fans would take 3,000. D.J. Moore is in the fold. Show your stuff, QB 1.
Finally, we're watching Matt Eberflus. In his rookie season as a head coach, the cupboard was bare, so we let him slide with a franchise-record 14 losses and just 3 wins. But the Bears made upgrades. The excuses are less plentiful. We're waiting to see if he makes a difference; whether it's game planning, his team's level of intensity, or late-game decisions. The H.I.T.S. principle is under the microscope.
That's three things to watch when the Bears kick off the season against the Packers at 3:25 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field.
