Green Bay Packers Roundtable: Previewing the Showdown in Chicago

As everyone probably knows, it's Packers-Bears this week on Monday Night Football.

And if that isn't good enough already, both teams happen to be 2-0 and the top spot in the NFC North is on the line.

In all honesty, it's tough to beat that in a Week 3 NFL matchup.

To help breakdown this contest and share a little insight on the rest of the Packers season, I've invited two of our brightest Packer minds here on b/r to join me in a Packers roundtable.

Let me quickly introduce our two other contributors: Ian Hanley and Carter Bierwirth. 

1. Should the Packers start Bryan Bulaga at left tackle the rest of the season?

Carter: Bulaga appeared very solid in his action against Buffalo last Sunday, and he does have the luxury of knowing both the guard and tackles positions. Daryn Colledge was reported to have a knee injury following Friday's practice, so now he is also an unknown variable in our offensive line's game of musical chairs.

The way I see it, I would play Bulaga regardless whether or not Clifton is healthy.  Let Bulaga get the start, and if need be use Clifton to back him up if things are getting shaky out there. I'm pretty sure some will agree with me that Clifton will finally retire once this year passes, so I think we should let him rest up and use him in more of a back-up role in order to avoid a permanent injury that could leave us short one much-needed offensive lineman.

Zach: I'm confident that McCarthy will make the right choice week-by-week on the left tackle position. I think whoever appears most ready after each week of practice should play.

The Packers have the luxury of having two good left tackles on their roster, and with Clifton's knee barking at him constantly, it's a good thing they do. If both are medically ready to play, however, let the practice time during that week decide who starts. It's just not a cut-and-dry decision at this point.

Ian: I'm of the opinion that the Packers should make the switch to Bulaga from Chad Clifton. Ideally, you would like to ease a rookie into this position, but at this point, Bulaga is an upgrade in the running game for sure, and unless Clifton is 100 percent healthy, probably better in pass protection.

Clifton has been sub-par this season against two teams with below average pass-rushers, and a pass-rusher of Julius Peppers' skill could have a field day against the 34-year-old.

2. How will the Packers better utilize their own rushing attack and run defense? The Packers have had troubles with both in the first two weeks, and they could be key in determining the winner Monday night.

Carter: Personally, I've always known how under-appreciated Ryan Grant was in our offense, but the guy just couldn't avoid that one bit of bad luck. Now he's gone and for the moment we are fixed with Brandon Jackson, Jon Kuhn, and the newcomer Dimitri Nance. I would absolutely love to see more out of Nance in this contest, since in his two three-yard runs against Buffalo he did show the ability to hit a hole.

Jackson could very well be the Kevin Faulk for Green Bay. I love what he can do on screen passes and pass protection, but his ability to read holes hasn't exactly shown any vast improvement. As for Kuhn, if he was a tad faster I can see him as the running back, but for now he is a very reliable short-yardage bowling ball.

If Green Bay hopes to keep the Chicago defense honest in the coming game, I expect McCarthy to pound the middle and edges with a combination of the three. As much as I love seeing Rodgers throw the ball, I'm not convinced that he and his receivers can put together a solid game (hopefully, I'm proved wrong).

As for the defense, I keep reading article after article on how Green Bay has the 28th ranked rushing defense in the league as of Week 2 (136.5 yards). Now, take away the performances by a reborn Mike Vick and the one quarter for Buffalo in their loss at Lambeau Field and I find that our run defense is still stout. Chicago running back Matt Forte has mustered 79 yards from scrimmage plus 35 from Chester Taylor.

The danger in a Mike Martz offense will not exactly come from the backfield, but more so the flats and screens. Forte has 12 receptions for 188 yards and three touchdowns using this concept, so from Chicago's two outings, I don't see Martz easing up on what's working.

Zach: I'm not worried about either unit. The running attack just needs to be efficient, not spectacular. If Jackson and company can balance out the offense, the Packers will score a bunch Monday night.

The run defense is nothing to worry about either. The Bears have struggled to run the ball themselves, and the Packers have faced Mike Vick and a Buffalo team that can only run. If Chicago beats Green Bay, it will be on the arm of Jay Cutler.

Ian: To be honest, I'm not sure the Packers will be able to run the ball against the Bears. The Bears' front seven is the strength of their defense, and I have not seen enough out of Brandon Jackson, John Kuhn, or Dimitri Nance to make me believe they can have success running the ball. I think the Packers best bet would be use short passes and screen passes to help keep the Bears defense honest.
 
The Packers' stats against the run are a little misleading. Remove the 103 yards rushing given up to Michael Vick, and they allowed only 46 yards rushing against the Eagles and the Packers run defense was able to hold the Bills rushing attack to under four yards per carry. The key for the Packers defense will be defending the short pass to both Matt Forte and Chester Taylor, which the Bears have been able to utilize very effectively so far this season.

3. Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz and Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers face off for the first time ever Monday night. What's the key for Capers in stopping the Bears new offensive attack?

Carter: The key for Capers is going to be decision-making on key matchups. 

Martz, as a whole, has brought much of what Green Bay has done with their offense, utilizing everyone in the field to create favorable one-on-one situations. Man-for-man, I expect Martz to target the two rookies in Sam Shields and Morgan Burnett. Bears receivers Johnny Knox and Devin Hester may not be the most experienced tandem in the game, but they are fast, and having the gung-ho Jay Cutler at the helm can create many make-or-break situations.

Zach: I think the key has to be early pressure. Martz-led offenses rely so much on five- and seven-step drops to let receivers get open down field. One way or another, you have to disrupt that timing. If the Packers let Cutler have the time he needs, the defense will be in some serious trouble.

I'm sure Capers has some new schemes and blitzes that he's going to pull out come Monday night to disrupt Cutler and the offense.

Ian: Just getting to Jay Cutler will not be enough, as evidenced by the Dallas game where Cutler was hit repeatedly. The key for Capers and the Packers defense will be to create confusion for Cutler. Capers is known for his creative pass rushes and defensive schemes, and will need to use a wide variety of looks to keep the Bears offense on their toes.
 
The other key for the Packers defense will be the two rookies in the secondary, Morgan Burnett, and Sam Shields, neither of whom have been tested by a quarterback of Cutler's caliber.

4. Regardless of who starts on the Packers offensive line, can that unit keep pressure off Aaron Rodgers from the likes of Julius Peppers and company? And will turnovers tell the tale of who wins Monday night?

Carter: Apart from the pathetic display in the first quarter of the Eagles game, the offensive line has been relatively sound. Tauscher didn't appear to be extremely rusty on most plays, and both Sitton and College remained stiff.

Now, this is a very difficult situation to evaluate since I've yet to see a heavy amount of action amongst the offensive line, but they played stout so I think they can do their job at Soldier Field. Rodgers will have to keep his head on a swivel, however, for this will be a firm test for the entire team. And I doubt Julius Peppers is going to want to make it any easier for the offense.

Turnovers can decide the outcome in any game and this one is no different. A few interceptions off Jay Cutler can really rattle his mindset, and momentum is always the key in divisional rivalries like the Packers and Bears.

Zach: I'm not going to lie, Peppers and company scare me. I'm positive the Bears defensive strategy will be centered around getting pressure on Rodgers, and with all the passing the Packers do, there is going to be several cases where Rodgers is under heavy duress.

With that said, I don't anticipate Rodgers turning over the ball under pressure. He's well-versed in those situations, and he's also the least picked-off quarterback in NFL history (percentage wise).

Turnovers will most definitely tell the tale, but I'd expect them to come from Cutler instead of Rodgers.

Ian: I think the Packers' offensive line can and will have success keeping Aaron Rodgers protected, as long as Rodgers gets the ball out of his hands quickly.
 
Forcing the Bears to turn the ball over will be a key for the Packers, a team that had the best turnover ratio in the league last year. The Lions were able to create four turnovers against the Bears in Week 1 and were one bad NFL rule away from stealing a victory at Soldier Field.

5. Let's say the Packers win Monday night (of course, we hope so), who's the unsung Packer contributor we're talking about on Tuesday?

Carter: On offense, I can personally see Bryan Bulaga as the unsung hero. Should he get the start over Clifton or have to come in at anytime for him, I firmly believe he has what it takes to keep the likes of Julius Peppers from touching Rodgers.

Zach: Bulaga would be a great choice, but I'm going with Morgan Burnett. I think the Packers are going to blitz Cutler early and often, and that's going to leave a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of the defensive secondary. I think Burnett's ball-hawking skills make another appearance this week, but this time with the game-clinching interception in the fourth quarter.

Ian: Who ever plays left tackle. Blocking Peppers will be crucial to the Packers chance at winning on Monday night.

The Bears have the top-rated run defense so far this season, and with the Packers running game being what it is without Ryan Grant, the Packers are going to need to throw the ball a lot. If Aaron Rodgers is given enough time he should be able to pick apart the weak secondary of the Bears.

That's all for this week's Packers Roundtable. If you'd like to be a part of next week's piece, feel free to contact Zach Kruse through b/r or at [e-mail].