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The visiting Bears look to keep their fading playoff hopes alive against a Packers team that's trying to maintain its divisional dominance.
Will Jay Cutler quarterback a clean game and give his Bears a chance to win, or will Aaron Rodgers keep the Packers united in their pursuit of an NFC North title?
Here are three keys to the game for both the Bears and the Packers.
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1. Have perfect ball security at quarterback
Jay Cutler has been making better decisions this season, but the old Jay reared his head against the Denver Broncos last Sunday. He turned the ball over twice (one interception, one fumble), allowing the Broncos to squeak out a victory in a low-scoring affair. In order to beat one of the NFL's top teams, such as the Packers, the Bears can't afford anything less than perfect ball security from their quarterback.
2. Don't let Eddie Lacy start his engine
We've seen what happens this season when Eddie Lacy can't reach his ripcord: Green Bay's oversized running back starts to look like a lumbering load. Last weekend, however, the Minnesota Vikings allowed Lacy to get his engine started, and he powered the Packers to a convincing victory with 100 rushing yards on 22 carries. The Bears must block up his running lanes until he sputters out in Week 12.
3. Avoid another bad coaching decision
The Bears passed up an easy opportunity to score three points last week, and they ended up losing to the Broncos by two. John Fox is known as a conservative head coach, so it was surprising to see him take an unnecessary risk that ultimately cost his team a win. Fox will go toe-to-toe with an experienced head coach in Green Bay's Mike McCarthy on Thursday, so there's no room for another bad decision.
1. Find the hot hand and feed it
The Packers can't waste time picking a direction at running back. Eddie Lacy and James Starks have both experienced their hot and cold moments this season. Last week, for example, Lacy averaged 4.5 yards per carry while Starks averaged 1.8. Against the Bears, the Packers should give both backs some early touches and gradually give the hotter hand more carries as the game goes on.
2. Have faith in the Rodgers-Jones connection
James Jones' honeymoon with the Packers came to an end during Green Bay's three-game losing streak earlier this month. Jones and the team hit rock-bottom against the Lions in Week 10, when he was held without a catch in an 18-16 loss. Then, last Sunday, he sprung back to life with over 100 receiving yards against the Vikings. All seven of Jones' touchdowns this season have come in Green Bay's seven wins.
3. Devise a versatile game plan on defense
The Packers must be prepared for whatever the Bears throw at them on Thursday. There's Jeremy Langford to worry about at running back, but Matt Forte may be back in the mix this week, too. They can't focus too much attention on Martellus Bennett at tight end, since Zach Miller has turned out to be just as dangerous. And even if Alshon Jeffery is out, the Bears have a couple other receivers who can step up for him. Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers must come up with a versatile game plan in order to contain Chicago's assortment of offensive weapons.
