The Green Bay Packers continue to be without quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That’s certainly not news. But regardless of who Mike McCarthy’s team puts on the field on Sunday, it would be news if they came up short to the Chicago Bears in the Windy City. That’s because dating back to their 21-14 win in the 2010 NFC title game, the Packers have won seven consecutive games at Soldier Field.

Of course, that was with Rodgers on the field. On the other hand, the Bears have their own star that looks to have a big outing against one of the more porous defensive units in the league at the moment.

And at the same time, the team will look to avenge a 35-14 Thursday night loss to the Packers back in Week 4 at Lambeau Field. In any case, Chicago looks to take advantage of a Green Bay squad in the midst of a three-game losing streak.

Picking up where he left off

When last we saw John Fox’s improving Chicago Bears, they were being stifled by the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome in Week 8. In a losing effort, second-year running back Jordan Howard ran 23 times for 102 yards in his team’s 20-12 setback. This season, he’s run for 662 yards and four of the team’s five touchdowns on the ground. Dating back to Week 4 of the 2016 season, Bears’ running back Jordan Howard has played in 21 games, carried the football 402 times and rolled up 1,908 yards and 10 scores.

He’s run for 100-plus yards in nearly half (10) of those outings.

On occasion, Howard is spelled by rookie Tarik Cohen. He’s not only second on the team with 228 rushing yards but leads the club with 28 receptions. Still, it’s the league’s second-leading rusher a year ago with 1,313 yards will be the player that most preoccupies the Green Bay Packers’ defense.

Picking up where they fell off

Anyone recall the issues that the Green Bay Packers had against the run in 2016 after a promising start in that area? Including last season’s three-game playoff run, Dom Caper’s defensive unit surrendered 110.2 yards per game on the ground in their final 15 outings. This was after this same group allowed a combined 171 rushing yards in their first four games in ’16.

This season, the Pack got out of the gates fast by limiting the Seattle Seahawks to 90 yards rushing in a 17-9 Green Bay win.

After eight games, Capers’ defenders are giving up 118.0 rushing yards per contest. That’s bad enough for 23rd in the NFL and very bad news when facing Howard and a Bears’ ground attack that currently ranks sixth in the league by averaging 130.1 yards per game on the ground.
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