Chicago Bears: 5 keys to beating Green Bay Packers

Shut down Mike Daniels

The best defensive player on the field for the Packers is Mike Daniels, period. I may be a Bears fan, but I’m no dummy. I know a stud when I see one, and Daniels is certainly a stud. A Pro Bowl talent on the defensive line is something to beware of, especially when you have questions on the offensive line.

Luckily, the interior of the Bears’ offensive line is still a solid group though there may be some question marks. Eventually, rookie James Daniels may take over the starting left guard spot, replacing Eric Kush. Cody Whitehair looks like he’ll stick at center, and he will have his hands full trying to contain Daniels on Sunday night.

In 11 games against the Bears over the years, Daniels has only mustered up 2.0 sacks. That’s pretty impressive, considering he’s had multiple sacks in one game at the defensive tackle position. The Bears know what they’re getting into when they go up against Daniels, thus meaning they have done a good job keeping him at bay for the most part.

One of the things that cannot go overlooked, though, is his presence in the run game. Per Pro Football Focus, Daniels’ best grade comes against the run at 83.4 a year ago. Outside of his run defense, Daniels actually struggled a little bit last year. He only managed a grade of 56.9 when it came to tackling efficiency — his lowest overall number among all categories.

If Chicago’s offensive line can keep him bottled up, they will likely not have much to worry about up front. Outside of Daniels, I am not too worried about any of the Packers’ defensive linemen.