Bears must focus on Packers, not dwell on past losses
If there's anything positive in the aftermath of what is, so far, the low point of the Bears' 1-5 season, it's that the Packers are looming Thursday night, and there's no time to dwell on Sunday's loss to the Jaguars.
"All our focus will be on Green Bay," said John Fox, who saw his overall record as the Bears' coach plummet to 7-15. "I think guys will come back in a good frame of mind. These game are all close, that's just how it is, and we'll treat this one no different. Obviously it's a big game."
It's an opportunity for the Bears to redeem themselves after losing at home for the 12th time in 14 tries, and to a team that was 1-17 in its previous 18 road games.
Playing at Lambeau Field might be an advantage for the Bears, who have been awful at home for three years (4-15 since 2014). And the knowledge that they somehow managed to defeat the Packers 17-13 in Green Bay last year should help, although they probably can't count on Aaron Rodgers throwing 4 straight incompletions eight yards shy of the endzone in the final minute.
Although Fox is new to the Bears-Packers rivalry, he knows the history.
"They kind of had their way with us the year before," Fox said, aware the Packers outscored the Bears 93-31 in the two 2014 games. "Our guys understood that. It's a division game (just the second this season for the Bears), so I'm kind of excited to get back on Thursday, with a short week, against a rival."
Knowing they've outgained their last three opponents by an average of 440-325 should help buoy the Bears' confidence, and even though two of the games were losses, both came down to the final possession.
"We know that we can compete against any team," said Willie Young, who has 5 sacks in the last two games and 6 of the Bears' 13 this season. "It's never a case where we haven't had an opportunity to win. It's just closing it out.
"This is a rival game for us. It's going to be hostile; Thursday Night Football."
Oldest rival. National audience. Past performance. Fox may need to use all those as motivational devices and then some for a team teetering on the precipice. Firing up a 1-5 team may be more difficult than devising a game-plan to defeat a superior opponent, but Fox has faith in his young, injury-ravaged team.
"They're pros," Fox said. "You remind yourself that it's a long season. We're not even halfway through. You bring up examples. A year ago, the Kansas City Chiefs started 1-5, and they made the playoffs. All of those things are possible. But if you lay down your sword - not so much."
On the basis of their 30-16 trouncing at home by the Dallas Cowboys Sunday, and their 3-2 record, the Packers are vulnerable. The Bears' next game is at home on Monday night, Oct. 31, against the Vikings, the NFL's only undefeated team, and another NFC North foe.
But the Bears are not a team that can afford to look ahead, which is the advice seven-year veteran Young would give his younger teammates.
"Just take it one play at a time, and play that one play as hard as you can," Young said. "Don't dwell on mistakes. You've got to be able to put it behind you and keep plugging away. If we can do that, we'll come out the way that we want to come out."
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