Durkin: What To Watch For During Bears-Packers
By Dan Durkin--
(CBS) The Bears kick off the 2015 season against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in a game that marks the 191st meeting between the two franchises. The Packers have won nine of the last 10.
The Bears are playing their first game under a new regime, while the Packers enter Year 10 of the Mike McCarthy-Aaron Rodgers era. Here are a few storylines to focus on during Sunday's action.
What to watch for when the Bears have the ball
Establishing the run
The Bears made a concerted effort to run the ball in the preseason, but the majority of the production came when the second- and third-team offense was on the field.
General manager Ryan Pace deserves credit for making running back a position of strength this offseason. The Bears now have three capable runners -- Matt Forte, rookie Jeremy Langford and Jacquizz Rodgers -- with varying styles and skills.
In order to play keep away from the Packers offense and set up bootleg keepers for quarterback Jay Cutler, the Bears must maintain their commitment to moving the ball on the ground on outside-zone runs.
The Packers defense was vulnerable against the run last season. Their personnel up front played a part, but so did their preference for five- and six-defensive back personnel groupings.
There will be opportunities for the Bears to get some chunk runs to the perimeter and make the Packers defensive backs who are in the game primarily to cover become run defenders.
Prepare for pressure
Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers deploys an attacking, pressure-based scheme that uses multiple fronts and personnel groupings. Given the Bears' issues along the offensive line, he'll turn up the heat this weekend.
Linebacker Clay Matthews was moved inside at the midpoint of last season to address the team's deficiencies against the run. As a result, he was forced to drop into coverage more but was also used as a blitzer. Capers will deploy him from his customary two-point stance on the edge when they play their NASCAR and amoeba fronts (in which outside linebackers are used along the defensive line) so he can do what he does best -- bend the edge and speed rush the passer.
If Kyle Long moves outside to right tackle, the Bears will line up with an offensive line that's never played together in live action. Thus, communication issues may occur as the group gets adjusted to who's playing next to them, which will likely lead to frequent pressure and muddy pockets for Cutler.
What to watch for when the Packers have the ball
No-huddle
The Packers like to run an up-tempo, no-huddle offense at several points throughout the course of a game. Rodgers has played in the same system since becoming an NFL starter, a system he's mastered and earned the right to take the reins and coordinate the offense from the line of scrimmage.
Playing with tempo has several benefits. It gets the defense on its heels and into more vanilla looks and limits substitutions. Most importantly, it effectively removes the defensive coordinator from the game.
During such series, the onus will then fall onto Bears inside linebacker Shea McClellin, who will be making the defensive calls for the first time in his career in a brand new defensive system. How quickly and effectively will he be able to properly align the front and get the coverage calls communicated?
The Packers should have a decided advantage during these stretches of the game and may be inclined to run it more frequently than planned.
Where's Randall?
After losing receiver Jordy Nelson to season-ending ACL surgery in a preseason game against the Steelers, Packers' nation suffered a mild palpitation the next week when Randall Cobb left their preseason dress rehearsal against the Eagles with a right shoulder injury.
The Packers dodged a bullet as Cobb (who was limited in Wednesday's practice) appears to be on track to play this Sunday. Now the Bears defense must know where he's aligned on each snap, as it can vary from the slot to the outside to the backfield.
The Packers' goal in moving Cobb around so frequently is simple: get him the ball in space. His suddenness and run-after-the catch skills in the open field are unique and make him a matchup nightmare.
Given the Bears' revamped secondary and coverage issues at linebacker, look for Cobb to be frequently utilized inside, where he can match up against the Bears' third cornerback, safeties and linebackers. All are scenarios that heavily favor the Packers.
Dan Durkin covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @djdurkin.
