The Packers released Will Shephard from the 53-man roster and signed him to the practice squad.  The Packers signed Jordan Riley, a nose tackle who was released by the New York Giants, to the 53-man roster.  The Packers then claimed DL Quinton Bohanna off of Seattle's practice squad and moved Devonte Wyatt to the injured reserve list.  Bohanna, a 6th round pick in 2021, is on his fifth team but has managed to play 640 defensive snaps in the NFL. 

The Packers activated Jayden Reed from his practice window and released WR Malik Heath.  Heavy.com reports that Heath reposted a fan's comment wondering why the Packers hate Malik Heath so much. The Packers benched Heath in response to that implicit criticism of the coaching staff.  It remains to be seen whether The Packers want to sign Heath to the Practice Squad and it very much is unclear whether Heath wants to return or feels it is time to see if the grass is greener somewhere else.

The inactive players due to health were Edge Lucas Van Ness and WR Savion Williams.  OL Donovan Jennings, NT Nazir Stackhouse, and NT Bohanna were healthy scratches.  Stackhouse was not given an injury designation at all this week so his demotion appears to be based on merit rather than injury.  The coaches have said that Wicks and Golden were on pitch counts.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN:

The run blocking was good.  The Packers had a +0.16 EPA per running play, which is in the 93rd percentile.  For context, Chicago had an excellent +0.28 EPA per running play.  Per Pro Football Focus, the line managed just 0.80 yards before contact, with the running backs adding a terrific 3.7 yards per carry after contact.  For context, the Bears had 2.0 yards before contact and 1.9 yards after contact.  The Packers do like to run up the middle a lot, whereas the Bears are proficient running wide.  The Packers had 4 explosive runs.  Overall, the Packers gained 117 yards on 26 carries for a 4.50-yard average, with a long of 21.  The running backs averaged 4.17-yards per carry.  The Packers only had 1 negative run, though their success rate was more modest.  DL Grady Jarrett wreaked havoc inside (90.2 initial PFF grade).

The Packers allowed 13 pressures, including 1 sack, 10 hurries, and 2 throwaways.  The Bears blitzed liberally but the Packers generally picked up those blitzes very well, allowing just 2 unblocked pressures.  In any event, Love carved up the Bears when they blitzed by throwing 3 touchdown passes when blitzed.  PFF indicated the Packers had a passing EPA of 0.25, which is solid (73rd percentile) to very good.  Love had 2.89 seconds on average to throw.  Caleb Williams had 3.69 seconds to throw but that includes rolling out and flushes. 

Rhyan and Bank each allowed a hurry.  Rasheed Walker allowed the only sack.  Belton allowed 2 hurries and Tom allowed 4 pressures.  

RUNNING BACKS:

Josh Jacobs gained 86 yards on 20 carries (4.30-yards/carry) with a long of 21.  Jacobs found a crease to punch in a short run for a touchdown.  Jacobs earned his yards by breaking 5 tackles, including a couple on his long run.  Without the long run, Jacobs gained 65 yards on 19 carries (3.42-yards/carry).  Jacobs caught 2 passes for 6 yards with a long of 6.  Emanuel Wilson gained 10 yards on 3 carries (3.33-yards per carry).  Chris Brooks had no carries but caught 1 pass for 6 yards.

The Packers need to keep paying Jacobs.  PFF gave Jacobs an 82.8 initial grade.

QUARTERBACKS:

Love completed 17 of 25 (68%) for 234 yards (9.36 yards/attempt), with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.  His passer rating was 120.7.  Love had 2 throwaways.  He torched the Bears when they blitzed, getting the ball out quickly and throwing 3 touchdowns when blitzed.  His interception was right to a defender.  PFF gave him an 81.0 initial grade.  Love had 1 designed run, which lost a yard.  There are reports that Love changed the play call at the line of scrimmage on at least a couple of his touchdown passes.  Green Bay should keep paying Love, for that matter.  

TIGHT ENDS:

Musgrave caught his both of targets for 22 yards with a long of 12.  He had another catch erased when the officials after a replay decided he failed to maintain control while falling to the ground.  Whyle caught his only target for 21 yards.  Fitzpatrick caught two passes for 14 yards with a long of 8.  None of the tight ends caught a pass in the second half.  

WIDE RECEIVERS:

Watson caught all 4 of his targets for 89 yards, a 22.25-yard average, with a long of 41.  The Packers got Watson matched up on a safety on both of his touchdown receptions.  It is great to have a mismatch on the field.  PFF gave Watson an 83.8 initial grade.  Bo Melton did not play that many snaps but he caught 1 of his 2 targets for a 45-yard touchdown on a busted coverage.  Reed caught all 4 of his targets for 31 yards, including a big 18-yard reception on the game-winning drive to get the Packers into Bears' territory.  Reed also added 22 yards on 2 carries.  Reed played 1 snap when the Packers were in 12 personnel, with the rest of his snaps coming in 11 personnel.  Doubs (2 targets) and Golden (1 target) and Wicks (no targets) had no receptions.  Wicks and Golden were on pitch counts due to injury.  Doubs played a lot of snaps given that he had no receptions.  

DEFENSIVE TACKLES:

Wooden had 3 tackles (2 solo).  Brooks had 3 tackles (1 solo) and a hurry.  Wooden and Brooks each had 1 run stop.  Brinson had 2 assisted tackles.  Jordan Riley had no official statistics but PFF assigned a missed tackle to him.  The unit was pretty stout in the first half, allowing 48 yards on 13 carries (3.69-yards per carry).  The defense appeared to visibly tire in the second half.  In the second half, the Packers allowed 90 yards on 19 carries, a 4.74-yard average, but even that is not disastrous against a run-heavy team.  The Packers gave up 4.31 yards per carry for the game as a whole, and they stopped the outside runs at which the Bears excel almost entirely.  Moreover, the Bears did not have an explosive run all game, as their long run was 9 yards. 

The Packers have decided to have only 4 defensive tackles active for their games this year.  It remains to be seen if the Packers will move to 5 DTs in the future.  I take leave to doubt such a move.  I think the Edge players got tired more than the tackles.  I like Stackhouse better than the Packers appear to, so I wonder whether the Packers feel they have a fifth DT who is worthy of being active.  I think a lot of the problem was that Caleb Williams can really move and at least for this game he was excellent at feeling and eluding pressure.  His rollouts and flushes meant defenders had to sprint often.       

DEFENSIVE ENDS:

Enagbare had 4 solo tackles, plus a tackle for loss.  He had a sack and a hurry for 2 total pressures.  He received 2 unblocked pass rushes and 14 pass rushes altogether, for a 14.3% pressure rate.  He had 2 run stops.  Parsons had 1 assisted tackle and 2 quarterback hits.  PFF listed him with 2 run stops and 7 pressures (6 hurries, 1 QB hit) in 31 pass rushing snaps, an excellent 22.6% pressure rate.  Parsons set the edge on one end around that allowed Enagbare to lower the boom.  Gary had 2 solo tackles and 1 QB hit.  PFF listed Gary with 4 pressures (all hurries) on 28 pass rushes, a 14.3% success rate.  Gary had no run stops.  Sorrell had 1 assisted tackle and 1 hurry on 9 pass rushing snaps (11.1% pressure rate).    

The Packers time of possession in the first half was 16:44 but they finished with a TOP of 26:31, which means the Packers had the ball for just 9:45 in the second half, and Chicago had the ball for just over 20 minutes in the second half.  That disparity plus sprinting after Caleb Williams 36 times will tire out players.  The Packers did not get too much pressure from the tackles today.  Assuming that Van Ness is out for a while, finding a roster spot for Brenton Cox when he gets healthy seems like a good idea, both because he represents a good chance of being able to play well but also so the Packers can go four deep at Edge.  They play Chicago and Williams again, plus LaMarr Jackson and Baltimore, so they will be chasing fast quarterbacks in the remaining games. I think I would go with an extra Edge player being active rather than moving from 4 DTs to 5 TDs, at least against Chicago and Baltimore.    

LINEBACKERS:

Walker had 9 tackles (3 solo).  PFF assigned 2 run stops to Walker.  He allowed 3 of 5 targets to be completed for only 24 yards, a 72.1 passer rating.  Cooper had 11 tackles (5 solo).  He had 4 run stops and no pressures on 4 pass rushes.  He allowed all 5 targets to be completed for 37 yards, and he allowed a 97.5 passer rating.  McDuffie had 5 tackles (2 solo).  He had no pressures (4 pass rushing snaps) and no stops.  He allowed 3 of 4 targets to be completed for 34 yards, good for a 139.6 passer rating allowed. Hopper had no defensive statistics but he had 3 assisted tackles and a forced fumble on special teams.  Welch had an assisted tackle on special teams.

It seemed to me that Chicago gained too many yards after the ball carrier was initially stopped when linemen pushed the carrier forward.  The front seven needs to swarm to the ball since the plays are not being whistled dead as soon as they used to be.  I can only think of a couple of plays where Jacobs got a big push from his linemen: most of his yards after contact are due to his own leg drive.

DEFENSIVE BACKS:

Mckinney had 7 tackles (3 solo).  PFF indicated that he allowed 1 of 2 targets to be completed for 24 yards, a 93.8 passer rating allowed.  Evan Williams had  6 tackles (4 solo) with a pass defensed.  PFF assigned 0 completions on 2 targets. He had 1 run stop and 1 hurry on 9 pass rushing opportunities.  Nixon had 2 solo tackles, 1 QB hit, 1 intercepiton and 1 pass defensed.  PFF credited Nixon with allowing 2 of 5 passes to be completed for just 11 yards. His interception was balanced by allowing a touchdown completion, though that was tight coverage.  Nixon had 47.9 passer rating allowed.  He was committed 2 penalties for 30 yards on the same drive.  The Packers need his physicality but it sure would be nice if he could play a cleaner game.  In the mean time, I can live with Nixon's foibles.  Bullard had 4 tackles (2 solo) and 1 QB hit.  He allowed 4 of 4 targets to be completed for 29 yards, a 96.9 pass rating allowed.  He had no stops and he missed a tackle.  Nevertheless, I thought Bullard was very active and played well.  Valentine had 4 tackles (3 solo).  He allowed 1 completion on 1 target for 27 yards, a 118 passer rating allowed.  Valentine had 1 stop.  The corners might have a bigger challenge next time if Odunze is healthy. 

Caleb Williams finished 19 of 35 (54.3%) for 186 yards (5.31 yards/attempt) and just a 76 passer rating.  The Bears scored just 21 points and they did not run wild.  That is a good defensive effort.  The blemish is that while Caleb Williams had only 32 passing yards in the first half, he exploded for 154 passing yards in the second half.  That is a productive half and there was a similar split in the rushing yards, with the second half being much better.    

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Whelan punted 3 times and averaged 48.5 per punt with 1 inside the 20.  McManus made all of his extra points but had a kickoff go out of bounds, giving the Bears the ball at the forty. 

All statistics nflgsis or pro football focus.

Photo coutesy of Sarah Kloepping, USA Today Network.

OL: 5.11 (not as high as the last few weeks)

RB: 1.02

TE: 1.38

WR: 2.49

DT: 1.87

DE: 2.16

LB: 2.53 (a very high number due to Chicago's run game)

DB: 4.44