The Packers and NFC North rival Chicago Bears played to a regular-season split, but the winner of Saturday night’s NFC Wild Card showdown at Soldier Field could come down to one key position battle.
Chicago built much of its success on offense around a dominant ground game, led by running backs D’Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai, and the unfortunate reality for Green Bay is that coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense enters Saturday’s game a beleaguered and banged-up bunch, especially up front.
Packers’ run defense could decide playoff game vs. Bears
As Zach Kruse of PackersWire points out, Green Bay’s run-defense could swing the outcome.
“Facing the Bears to open the playoffs will put the spotlight directly on the Packers’ fatal flaw on defense,” Kruse writes for USATODAY’s PackersWire. “Can Jeff Hafley’s defense — which gave up over 300 rushing yards to the Ravens the last time the starters were on the field — survive against one of the NFL’s best rushing teams? The Bears were good in the run game in both meetings in the regular season but didn’t take over either game on the ground, in part because the Packers were good enough at creating some early down wins and preventing explosive runs.
“But don’t be surprised if Ben Johnson spams the run and dares Hafley’s front to consistently hold up. It will be a big challenge against a well-schemed run game, an elite offensive line and two good running backs.”
Green Bay’s ground defense may be an Achilles heel, but Hafley’s front seven held Swift under 100 yards and out of the end zone in each of the regular-season contests between the teams, and Monangai only rushed for 107 yards, combined, in the two games.
If the regular season meetings were any indication, if Ben Johnson redoubles down on the Bears’ ground attack, Green Bay just might be up to the challenge.
