The city grades the Bears on how they fare against the Packers.
So does the Bears’ chairman — George McCaskey famously uses the team’s twice-annual rivalry game as a measuring stick for his franchise.
That doesn’t bode well for a reeling Bears team as it prepares to play a 6-3 team that’s coming off its bye on Sunday — much less a franchise that’s beaten Green Bay only three times since Jan. 1, 2011.
“They’ve been doing really well …” tight end Cole Kmet, a lifelong Bears fan, said after Sunday’s 19-3 loss to the Patriots. “I haven’t won that [rivalry] game yet. But that’s a game that can course correct a lot of things, I think, especially if you look good.”
The chances of the Bears looking good have dwindled after three consecutive losses. The 6-3 Packers look much better, though they have their own concerns — they’re 0-2 in the NFC, the first time that’s happened in 19 years. Head coach Matt LaFleur had only three divisional losses in his previous three seasons combined.
The Packers won on all four Sundays in October — against the Rams, Cardinals, Texans and Jaguars — before losing to the NFC North-leading Lions 24-14 last week. Quarterback Jordan Love, who missed two games with a knee sprain earlier this season, played his worst game of the year against the Lions. He posted a season-worst 69.7 passer rating and threw an inexcusable pick-six to safety Kerby Joseph as he lingered along the defensive line.
The Packers were 3-6 through nine games last year but rallied to make the playoffs behind a breakout second half from Love. From Week 10 on last year, he ranked second in the NFL with 2,439 passing yards and 20 touchdowns and fourth with a 107.6 passer rating.
With two games left against the Bears plus contests against the Saints, Seahawks and Dolphins upcoming, the Packers figure to remain squarely in the playoff hunt this season. The Packers will need to see that version of Love again this year to go where they want to go — not the player who was tied for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions and two pick-sixes entering Week 10.