Chicago Bears hope for more success with the run vs. Packers
In their last six games, the Bears have twice rushed for more than 220 yards, but they were held to 103 in their first game against the Packers, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry.
Jordan Howard, who already has three 100-yard games, had just 53 yards on 18 carries (2.9-yard average) in Green Bay.
“They stop the run pretty well,” Howard said. “They had some success against us the last time, so we just have to come out and give our best effort and stay on track.”
The Packers are 23rd in rushing yards allowed and 15th in average gain allowed per rush, but they shut down the Lions' poor ground game (29th in yards, 30th in average gain) on Monday night, permitting just 64 yards on 33 attempts, a 1.9-yard average.
The Bears are No. 6 in rushing yards and 10th in average gain per run and will be a much tougher test for the Packers. But the Bears are last in passing yards.
“(We) just have to stay focused on the task at hand and not worry about things we can't control,” Howard said. “But the pass game is going to come.”
The Packers are 20th in passing yards allowed and 26th in average gain per pass allowed.
Any sack will do:
Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd is second on the team with 5 sacks, and he says it doesn't matter if it's Aaron Rodgers or Brett Hundley at quarterback for the Packers.
“As long as you play quarterback, I'm trying to get you,” Floyd said. “So it don't really matter who the person is.”
Because of Hundley's running ability — he ran for 1,747 yards and 30 touchdowns in three years as the starter at UCLA — Floyd says the Bears must be controlled in their pass rushes.
“Just rushing smart, not taking moves too early,” Floyd said. “Just everybody rushing on the same level, knowing that he can get out of the pocket and run.”
Two-way player:
In his resurgent season, cornerback Kyle Fuller leads the Bears with 8 pass breakups, twice as many as the next teammates, nickel corner Bryce Callahan and rookie safety Eddie Jackson.
Fuller is also third on the team with 39 tackles.
“I like it a lot,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said of the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Fuller's run support. “You've got to be able to tackle on defense. You can't afford to have any of your 11 guys out there that aren't good tacklers, and he's tackled well. That's an important part of defense that we're very passionate about, and he's done a good job about it.”
Keeping it simple:
Filling in for Sherrick McManis on the field-goal-block team in Week Eight, Kyle Fuller jumped offside, allowing the Saints to accept the penalty, take the 3 points off the board and eventually score a touchdown for a 7-0 lead.
Special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers was asked what the coaching point was during film review.
“The coaching point is: 'Line up on our side of the ball,'” Rodgers dead-panned.
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