Hot Packers prepare for cold one against Bears (Dec 18, 2016)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers offered a clear message to his coach as questions swirled about a calf injury that forced him to miss practice this week.
"Game-plan-wise, his comments were, 'Don't hold anything back,'" Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said.
Not exactly what the Chicago Bears wanted to hear.
Rodgers and the Packers (7-6) will go for their fourth win in a row on Sunday afternoon when they visit the Chicago Bears (3-10) at Soldier Field. Frigid temperatures are forecast along Lake Michigan with highs expected to be at or near 0 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff.
McCarthy had his team practice outside this week to brace for the deep freeze. McCarthy knows a setback could be devastating to his team's playoff hopes as it aims to reach the postseason for the eighth consecutive year.
"We're fortunate we can practice in (the cold)," said McCarthy, whose club trails Detroit by two games in the NFC North with three games to play. "The biggest thing is the football and the fundamentals."
The same principles hold true for Chicago. The Bears already have secured their third straight season with double-digit losses, but they look forward to the chance to play spoiler against their rivals to the north.
Already, the Bears have knocked off division rivals Detroit and Minnesota at Soldier Field this season. Chicago is 3-3 overall on its home turf as it goes for a home sweep against the NFC North.
Green Bay is 2-4 on the road but has played much better on both sides of the ball in recent weeks. During their current three-game winning streak, the Packers have outscored opponents 86-36.
Rodgers has not practiced all week, and was officially listed as questionable on Friday, although he is still expected to play Sunday.
If Rodgers is limited in any way, the Bears could have a better chance. He exited last week's blowout win against the Seattle Seahawks because of a calf injury. He also has dealt with a bad hamstring this season.
That said, Rodgers leads the NFL with 32 touchdown passes and has thrown for multiple touchdowns in eight consecutive games.
Rodgers torched the Bears for 39 completions (a franchise record), 326 passing yards and three touchdowns on Oct. 20 as the Packers cruised to a 26-10 win. Wide receiver Davante Adams hauled in 13 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns as Rodgers' preferred target.
To avoid a sequel, Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said his players would have to be ready.
"He's a complete quarterback," Fangio said. "He's got a big arm. He's very accurate. He anticipates things well. He's got a quick release. And then, on top of all the passing talent he has, the scrambling and the improvising just makes it really a complete package."
When the Bears have the ball, they will turn to inexperienced but improving signal-caller Matt Barkley. The former USC standout will make his fourth consecutive start in place of injured teammates Jay Cutler and Brian Hoyer. In his past three games, Barkley has passed for four touchdowns and two interceptions.
Barkley has been burned by dropped passes in recent weeks, but this time around he will have a Pro Bowl playmaker in his ranks. Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is set to return after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Jeffery has 40 catches for 630 yards and one touchdown in nine games this season.
"It was pretty tough watching, knowing that there was nothing you can do," Jeffery told reporters this week when asked about his suspension. "I feel like if I was playing, some of those games, we would have had a different outcome. We probably would have won."
Bears running back Jordan Howard needs 31 rushing yards to reach 1,000 as a rookie. Meanwhile, in the opposite huddle, Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson needs 87 yards through the air for his fourth career season with 1,000 receiving yards.
