Including a loss in the 2013 game in Green Bay, when he left with an injury after one possession, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is 14-4 versus the Chicago Bears with a 104.1 passer rating.
In his last five games against the Bears, Rodgers has a 119.1 passer rating.
“He’s probably, arguably the best guy at his position in football,” Bears coach John Fox said. “He drives defensive coordinators crazy.”
That’s especially true lately. After a slow start — for him — Rodgers leads the NFL with 32 touchdown passes.
“He’s a complete quarterback,” Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “He’s got a big arm. He’s very accurate. He anticipates things well. He’s got a quick release.
“And on top of all the passing talent, he has the scrambling and the improvising and the quarterback running, (which) just makes it really a complete package.”
Enough to give a D-coordinator sleepless night?
“I’ve been up all night a lot of weeks lately,” Fangio said.
No safety in numbers:
Safety Harold Jones-Quartey started the first nine games but was replaced by rookie Deon Bush in Game 10.
When the Bears’ other safety, Adrian Amos, was sidelined with a foot injury, Jones-Quartey was back in the starting lineup for weeks 12 and 13.
But he was benched at halftime last week in favor of Amos.
None of the three distinguished themselves against the Detroit Lions.
“Overall it wasn’t good enough,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “But it was one game. We’re just looking to find the best combination back there.”
Baby, it’s cold outside:
If the forecast is unchanged, Sunday’s Bears-Packers game at Soldier Field will be one of the coldest in franchise history.
“We’re all over the forecast,” Bears coach John Fox said. “It’s something we talked to the team about. I’m not sure you ever get used to that kind of weather. It takes some mentally-tough-minded people to deal with it.
“We’ll practice in it a little bit (Thursday, when) it’s going to be as close to game-time conditions.”
According to team records, no home game in franchise history has been played with a game-time temperature below zero, although forecasts are predicting that for Sunday.
The Bears-Packers game Dec. 18, 1983, was played with a game-time temperature of 3 and a wind chill of minus-15. The Dec. 22, 2008, game vs. Green Bay had a game-time temperature of 2 degrees and a wind chill of minus-13.
The coldest game-time temperature (minus-2) and wind chill (minus-19) in franchise history both came against the Vikings in Minnesota on Dec. 3, 1972.
Injury report:
Nose tackle Eddie Goldman (ankle), wide receiver Eddie Royal (toe) and cornerbacks Tracy Porter (knee) and Sherrick McManis (illness) did not practice Wednesday.
Wide receiver Marquess Wilson (groin) and cornerbacks Bryce Callahan (knee) and Johnthan Banks (ankle) were limited. For the Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (calf), linebackers Julius Peppers (not injury related) and Nick Perry (hand) and running back James Starks (concussion) did not practice.
New arrival:
Linebacker Josh Shirley was signed to the practice squad.
Shirley was originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Nevada-Las Vegas by the Oakland Raiders in 2015 and has appeared in five games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2015) and Seattle Seahawks (2016).
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