The Green Bay Packers are coming off the bye week and beginning preparations for the Chicago Bears, who have lost three straight games and are now contemplating big changes coming out of Sunday’s 19-3 loss to the New England Patriots.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn’t reveal the plans on Monday but said changes are coming on either the coaching or personnel side.
“There will be changes, adjustments being made,” Eberflus said Monday, via NFL.com. “Again, I’m not going to disclose those right now. I’m not at that point in the process. Monday’s a long day in terms of the evaluation of everything, in terms of lineups, in terms of the coaching, in terms of how we need to do better in that coaching and how we need to do better in the communication in game, during the game, after the game, prior to the game.”
The Bears managed only 142 yards and scored nothing more than a field goal in a demoralizing loss to the Patriots at Soldier Field in Week 10. Chicago’s offense produced only 69 net passing yards and finished 1-for-14 on third down.
Eberflus did say the Bears will continue to start rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who took nine sacks on Sunday and has been sacked 18 times during the current three-game losing streak. After throwing four touchdown passes in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars before the bye, Williams has completed only 50.5 percent of his passes without a touchdown pass in the last three games as the Bears have scored just 27 total points.
It’s possible the Bears could make changes to the playcalling situation — first-year offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has been calling plays — or with the lineup, either in terms of play time for pass-catchers or the arrangement of the offensive line. Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will have to prepare for what could be some new looks or personnel from a desperate offense in need of answers.
The Packers are coming off the bye and hunting their first division win of the 2024 season. Green Bay has lost a pair of home games — to the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions — to start the NFC North schedule. Sunday’s trip to Soldier Field will be the Packers’ road division game of the season.
The Packers have won 10 straight games against the Bears and 15 of the last 16. Chicago’s last win over Green Bay at Soldier Field came in 2018.
The Bears are on the ropes. The Packers are healed up and wanting to start a second-half surge. Can Matt LaFleur’s team produce the knockout blow for the reeling Bears offense on Sunday in Chicago?