Caleb Williams’ injury is the kind of thing that can rattle a team, but Thursday night gave Bears fans one small consolation: the Packers looked far worse.
Green Bay opened Week 3 by getting buried 35-14 by the Atlanta Falcons, a result that turned the conversation in the NFC North fast. Atlanta entered the night 0-2, yet it was the Packers who came apart in stunning fashion.
The Falcons piled up 498 yards of offense and 242 on the ground against Green Bay. Michael Penix Jr., making his first start since his ACL injury last year, shook off an opening-drive interception and finished 18-of-25 for 256 yards, a touchdown and one interception.
The Packers’ offense, meanwhile, looked stuck in the mud without Josh Jacobs, who is dealing with legal issues off the field. Jordan Love was forced to throw it 53 times, completed 52.8% of his passes, and finished with two touchdowns and one interception. Green Bay ran the ball just nine times for 17 yards.
That’s the part that should really stand out to Bears fans. The Packers had time to solve the Jacobs problem over the last month, and instead they made a series of roster decisions that are now blowing up on them.
They dropped two receivers and traded their second-best pass rusher, Rashan Gary, to the Dallas Cowboys. Right now, those choices are coming back to haunt them.
The division picture still runs through Minnesota and Detroit, at least for now. The Vikings appear to have the edge, though the Lions’ defense may be shaky enough to keep the race from getting too clean.
Green Bay, though, looks like a team stuck waiting for help. The Packers are hanging on until Micah Parsons returns from injury and Jacobs gets back on the field, if that happens at all. Until then, they don’t look equipped to make much noise and could wind up near the bottom of the division.
Chicago’s own situation is still uncertain, with Williams expected to miss maybe two or three games. In that stretch, the Bears would face the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Packers. All three are games Chicago can win, though going 3-0 through that stretch would still take some doing.
If the Bears handle Williams’ absence the right way, they can keep themselves in the hunt. Green Bay no longer looks like a real threat, which means the path for Chicago comes down to chasing down the Lions and Vikings.
So yes, Williams’ injury matters. But after what happened to the Packers, Bears fans at least know it could be a whole lot uglier.
In Other News...
Bears Offensive Problem Just Got Harder For Ben Johnson To Ignore
The Bears offense was already in a tough spot before Caleb Williams left Sundays 9-3 loss to the Vikings with a hamstring injury. Chicago moved the ball better than Minnesota in total yards, but it never turned that into a touchdown, and the day turned into another reminder that sustaining drives and finishing possessions are still very much a problem. Williams went 15 of 26 for 138 yards with an interception before exiting, and the lack of rhythm around him made the entire unit look stuck in place.
Now Ben Johnson has a bigger question hanging over a team that already needed answers. The Bears are set to face the Eagles next, and if Williams cannot go, the offense will have to be reshaped on the fly while also trying to fix the same issues that showed up against Minnesota. For a staff looking for signs of progress, the timing could hardly be worse. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Fans Got One Bit Of Relief After A Brutal Week
The week did not get any kinder for the Bears after their loss to the Vikings, especially with the Caleb Williams injury situation now hanging over everything as Chicago looks ahead. At 1-2, the margin for error is already thin, and the next stretch only gets more important if the rookie quarterbacks availability remains in question.
Green Bay, however, gave Bears fans a small dose of comfort on Sunday by taking a 35-14 beating from the Falcons. Jordan Love never settled in, and the Packers defense had no answer for Bijan Robinson, offering Chicago at least a reminder that the NFC North race is still very much unsettled even as the Bears sort through their own concerns. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Head Into Monday Night With A QB Problem Nobody Wanted
The Bears are heading into Monday night with the kind of quarterback uncertainty nobody in the building wanted this early in the season. Ben Johnson said all three quarterbacks on the roster have a chance to play in Week 3, which leaves Chicago waiting on Caleb Williams as he deals with a hamstring injury and Tyson Bagent as he works through concussion protocol.
If both of those situations keep him out, Case Keenum is lined up to start, with Miller Moss positioned as the fourth-string option and an emergency backup. It is an uneasy place for a team trying to settle into a new rhythm under Johnson, especially with the spotlight of Monday Night Football waiting and no clear answer yet on who will take the first snap. [Read more 🡒]