Predictions Summary Projections by Position Projection Team Boxes

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Prediction: CHI 20, GB 34 (Line: GB by 7)

UPDATE: Martellus Bennett is questionable because of his ribs and was held out of practice on Friday after being limited on Thursday. But there is no word that he is expected to miss the game. I am leaving the projection alone but be aware that he has a rib issue and check his status pregame just in case it is worse than has been reported.

This is a rematch of week four when the Packers won 38-17 in Chicago and started the downward spiral for the Bears. The 5-3 Packers remain a half game behind the Lions while the 3-5 Bears have won only once in the last five games.

The good news is that the Bears have home games against the Vikings and Buccaneers right after this and with that a great chance to get back on the winning track. Much of the finger pointing has been directed towards Jay Cutler but the defense has been ravaged by injuries and allowed over 27 points to four of the last five opponents. This week is going to be tough to get back on track but the Vikes and Bucs the next weeks will help the fantasy fortunes of all involved.

QUARTERBACK : Jay Cutler passed for two scores and 256 yards against the Packers in week four. He also tossed two interceptions. He’s been struggling to score in successive games though he posted three touchdowns against the Patriots for a bounce back from two straight bad games.

RUNNING BACK : Matt Forte ran for 122 yards on just 14 carries and added five catches for 49 yards versus the Packers earlier this season. Even Ka’Deem Carey gained 72 yards on 14 runs. While the Bears have not passed as well in the last month, the rushing game with Forte has been golden for fantasy purposes. Forte is on a four game streak with at least one score and over 100 total yards per week. He’s totaled six touchdowns in those four games with three coming via receptions. Forte has yet to catch fewer than five passes in any game.

WIDE RECEIVER : This is where the disappointment has been for the last month or more. Even against the Packers, Brandon Marshall (2-19) and Alshon Jeffery (4-39) turned in marginal production though both did score once. Marshall hasn’t scored since that week four matchup and other than the Falcon win, he has been held to under 50 yards since the season opener. . Jeffery is little better and while he scored twice in the four games since the Packers meeting, he’s been held to marginal yardage in most games. The season started strongly with both wideouts posting nice games as they did the entirety of 2013.

TIGHT END : Martellus Bennett racked up nine catches for 134 yards in the last meeting with the Packers. He’s turned in around 50 yards in games since and even comes off a six catch, 95 yard effort versus the Patriots where he scored for the first time since week three.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Bears defense is bad and not likely to improve because of missing personnel. But the offense still has the same set of skill players and coming off a bye week should help. But playing on the road against the Packers is going to be a tough venue to start a turnaround. The Packers have been great at home against the pass but only faced MIN, NYJ and CAR there so the test has hardly been tough. Cutler should manage a repeat of week four if only during trash time – almost all decent passing offenses post two or three scores on them. Forte will rush for less yardage but he just makes it up as a receiver anyway.

The Packers were on a four game winning streak before getting crushed by the Saints in New Orleans. This is only the fourth home game for the Packers and they’ve won all three so far. With four home stands in the next five games, the Packers should stay up with the Lions and make the season finale when they host them a game that can decide the division.

QUARTERBACK : Aaron Rodgers tweaked his hamstring in the loss to the Saints but still played and has spent two weeks healing up anyway. He’s expected to be fine for this matchup. Rodgers passed for 302 yards and four touchdowns in Chicago. That was a high game for Rodgers in scoring though he’s scored at least three times in all but the Saints game where he still managed a passing and a rushing score. He’s never thrown less than three touchdowns in a home game.

RUNNING BACK : While Eddie Lacy has not delivered as he did when he was a rookie, he’s still posted decent stats in most games and ran for 48 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries in Chicago this year. He’s topped 100 yards only once but at least his last two home games resulted in a total of three touchdowns. James Starks is also figuring in now for a half dozen carries per week which depresses Lacy both literally and figuratively.

WIDE RECEIVER : Jordy Nelson (10-108) and Randall Cobb (7-113) would both catch two touchdowns in the earlier meeting with the Bears. Davante Adams would only managed two receptions for 18 yards. Nelson was on a four game streak of scoring until the Saints figured out how to stop him. Cobb has scored in all five games since and posted over 100 yards in the last two games. Aside from the Saints slowing down Nelson, this duo has been incredibly productive for the last month and it all started around the last meeting with the Bears.

TIGHT END : Richard Rogers caught two passes for 52 yards in Chicago and while he comes off 59 yards on four catches in New Orleans, he was held to a single catch for one yard over the two previous games combined.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: No reason to spend too much time breaking down what just happened a month ago and in Chicago – not at home for the Packers. The Bears secondary has been shredded by more than Rodgers and the most recent game saw Tom Brady lay down 354 yards and five touchdowns. Richard Rogers is too unreliable to consider even though the Bears gave up six touchdowns to tight ends over their last three road games. Start all the usual suspects – Rodgers, Lacy, Nelson and Cobb.

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