Packers' Rodgers no Superman against Bears
It's not as if the Bears are kryptonite to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but they have done a better job against him than the rest of the league.
Since Rodgers took over from Brett Favre in 2008, the Packers are 6-2 against the Bears.
But Rodgers usually doesn't put up the kind of spectacular numbers vs. the Bears that have given him the highest career passer rating in NFL history at 103.3.
By that lofty standard, six of Rodgers' eight career games against the Bears have been below (his) average. His career passer rating against the Bears is 91.1, which is excellent.
But the Bears probably would settle for that given Rodgers' passer rating this season of 120.1. That would be the second-best season in NFL history, behind Peyton Manning's 121.1 in 2004.
“He's definitely one of the best,” said Bears defensive end Julius Peppers. “It's going to take a group effort, four guys trying to harass him.”
The Bears hope to be able to get after Rodgers on Sunday night using just their four linemen.
If tackle Henry Melton is back to the level he was performing at before a shin injury kept him out last week — 1 sack in three straight games — the Bears like their chances against a Packers offensive line hobbled by injuries.
The best way to neutralize Rodgers is to make him throw the ball sooner than he'd like, but that doesn't guarantee success because he's so adept at getting rid of the ball in a hurry.
“Pressure is always the No. 1 thing,” Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “But he moves so well, and he's doing everything right this year. He slides in the pocket, and he gets outside the pocket.
“But if we can get him going to our right, we may have a better chance of making some plays on him.”
In his first 13 games this season, the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder had at least 2 TD passes. But his last two games are the only ones this season where his passer rating was under 106.2.
In his eight games against the Bears, Rodgers has had a passer rating better than 92.5 just twice. He has thrown 40 TD passes this year and just 6 interceptions, but his career numbers against the Bears are 10 TDs and 7 interceptions.
And this week Rodgers will be playing behind a patchwork offensive line that could have trouble protecting him.
The San Diego Chargers had a similar problem when they came to Soldier Field in Week 11, and the Bears didn't get a single sack against Philip Rivers.
So even that fragile front wall of protection doesn't mean Rodgers won't put on another passing clinic, as he has done so often this season.
“No. 12's still playing quarterback, so that's all that matters in that offense,” Urlacher said. “He gets rid of the football so fast, and he knows where to go with the ball.
“(The offensive line) may be a little bit of a weakness, but he's still playing quarterback for them, so they're still dangerous.”
A week ago the Kansas City Chiefs spoiled the Packers' undefeated season, as Rodgers completed a season-worst 48.6 percent of his passes for a season-low 235 yards, which left him with a season-low 81.1 passer rating.
Rodgers scoffs at the notion that the Chiefs' victory provides the rest of the league with a blueprint for defeating the Packers and corralling their explosive offense.
“I think it's baloney,” the 27-year-old said. “Other teams have played similar styles of coverages and (utilized the) idea of rushing four and dropping seven or rushing three and dropping eight or playing man-to-man with two high safeties, and we beat those teams.
“We just didn't execute well, and they did. They controlled the football; they didn't turn it over to our defense. I don't care who's playing who, that's a recipe for success.”
Sunday night a national TV audience will find out if the Bears can whip up the same recipe.
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