Two surprise teams face off Sunday night at Lambeau Field in Green Bay as the Packers host the Bears.
The Packers are surprising in that they are 4-0 for the first time since 1998. Brett Favre last week broke Dan Marino's career touchdown passes record as he has transitioned well to Coach Mike McCarthy's short passing game.
"I think I'm playing the way I'm capable of playing, but it's all about where you are at the end of the year," Favre said. "We all know that. It's a feel-good story right now, I guess, if you want to say that, but we're 4-0. It's nothing greater than that. We're not in the playoffs. We haven't won the division; we're not even close."
And Favre has needed to be good, because the Packers are last in the league in averaging 54.3 rushing yards per game. In fact, none of the Packers' top four running backs - Vernand Morency, Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn - have rushed for 100 yards total. Don't expect much to change this week, as Chicago is allowing just 93.2 rushing yards per game, 10th best in the league.
"Our quarterback is making excellent decisions, spreading the ball around to different receivers (against the Vikings)," McCarthy said. "We're doing a lot of positive things in the passing game."
The 1-3 Bears are equally surprising, but not in a good way.
Chicago, the NFC champion last year, has been decimated on defense by injuries, and the Bears benched inconsistent QB Rex Grossman last week (and beyond) for Brian Griese. (Bears Injury Report)
Griese, the different quarterback to start for Chicago since Favre took over in Green Bay, promptly threw three interceptions in the Bears' 37-27 loss at Detroit (only Chicago's third loss in its last 13 games against divisional foes), but expects to be better Sunday.
"It should be more comfortable," Griese said. "Last week, it'd been not quite two years since I'd been out there. So I feel like it'll be a little more comfortable coming in this week, having spent some time with the guys on offense."Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith, 4-2 against Green Bay, says his team can turn its season around. (Bears vs. Packers betting trends and stats)
"We have a good football team that's gotten off to a slow start," Smith said. "That's what we have right now. Thank God we have more football left to go, that they don't give out championships after one quarter of the season."
Chicago's defense will have its hands full. Linebacker Lance Briggs is expected to return from injury, but cornerback Nathan Vasher will be out again, with fellow corner Charles Tillman doubtful. Lineman Tommie Harris continues to be limited by a sprained knee, and even linebacker Brian Urlacher missed some practice this week.
That unit gave up an NFL-record 34 fourth-quarter points to Detroit on Sunday.
"Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong so far for us," Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer said. "This would be a good chance to turn it around."
On offense, the Bears haven't gotten Cedric Benson (239 rushing yards, 1 TD) on track, and they could be without top lineman John Tait this week as well. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner says he will emphasize getting Benson more carries this week, as well as getting rookie tight end Greg Olsen involved and Devin Hester as well.
Hester has been the Bears' best offensive player, albeit on special teams, as he has two kick returns for touchdowns and had another called back.
So will the Packers kick to him?
"There's a whole thought process that goes into it," McCarthy said. "You don't just line up and say I'm not going to kick the ball to the guy and it's that easy. I think everyone would have done it already. There are other things that go on in the planning and execution of keeping the ball away from the returner."
The lowdown: For Chicago, this game is pretty much do-or-die on their season. All the numbers say Green Bay here, but you have to think that lack of a running game will catch up to them eventually. The Bears are +3 at WagerWeb.com, but my gut says Chicago will pull this one out.
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