Bears vs. Packers: Hub Arkush's 3 keys to the game

Here are three keys to Thursday night's season-opening matchup between the Bears and the Green Bay Packers:

1. If the Bears' pass rush gets home again, as it did consistently in the two meetings last year, the Packers are in trouble.

One thing Green Bay learned a year ago is it must know where Khalil Mack is at all times, and it must always have at least two blockers there to deal with him. If they are successful in at least slowing Mack a bit, the Packers still must account for Leonard Floyd, Aaron Lynch, Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman and Bilal Nichols - and there may not be enough green and gold to handle all of them.

The Bears will attempt to pressure Rodgers up the middle, possibly blitzing Roquan Smith or Danny Trevathan, and if they're successful they cannot allow Rodgers to escape outside where he often does the most damage finding receivers downfield on broken routes.

2. All eyes will be on Mitch Trubisky when the Bears offense is on the field.

Unlike Rodgers and the Bears 'D,' Green Bay would prefer to keep Trubisky in the pocket, where he hasn't always been accurate on deep balls, and you don't want to let him beat you with his legs.

Not only does that allow the Packers to drop an extra defender or two into coverage, it enables them to set up a wall with their four linebackers and the safeties coming up when necessary to take away the run.

If the Bears are successful running the football, it sets up play action, which would give Trubisky all the time he needs to relax in the pocket or scramble into holes left by Green Bay defenders scurrying to stop the run.

3. Both teams have to guard against letting the moment get to big for them, and this may be more of a risk for the Bears than the Packers.

Coming off their worst season in 10 years, at 6-9-1, the Packers are hopeful for a big rebound, but expectations are muted.

In Chicago, however, last year's turnaround and the arrival of Khalil Mack have set the bar sky high.

The Packers are nobody's gimme and if the Bears lose focus for any reason, they will be in trouble.

If the Packers allow themselves to even think about their recent dominance of the Bears prior to last season, they could get blown off the field.