Green Bay @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2014 ) Chicago 14, Green Bay 55

The league's oldest rivalry has turned one-sided over the past few years and the Green Bay Packers hope to continue that trend when they kick off the season with a visit to the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The Packers have won eight of their last nine meetings against the Bears, including a pair of lopsided victories last season in which they outscored Chicago 93-31.

Reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay entered the season trying to erase the memory of blowing a 16-point halftime lead in an eventual loss to Seattle in the NFC title game. The Packers then suffered a huge setback in the preseason, losing top wide receiver Jordy Nelson to a season-ending knee injury. The Bears, meanwhile, will be trying to put a forgettable season behind them in which they lost their final five games to finish 5-11, leading to the dismissal of Marc Trestman and the hiring of former Denver Broncos coach John Fox. “They’ve had great success as of late. I think they’ve beaten us five straight here,” Fox said. “It’s a real challenge and one we’re looking forward to.”

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Packers -6.5. O/U: 49

ABOUT THE PACKERS (2014: 12-4, 1st NFC NORTH): Rodgers finished with 38 touchdowns versus five interceptions last season and he fattened those numbers in the two drubbings of Chicago, throwing for 617 yards with 10 scoring passes and zero picks. Randall Cobb, who set career highs with 91 receptions and 12 touchdowns a year ago, expects to play after suffering a sprained shoulder in the preseason but the onus will be on Nelson's replacement, second-year wideout Davante Adams. Fortunately for Green Bay, it has a strong running game led by third-year back Eddie Lacy, who rumbled for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns while adding 42 receptions and four more scores. Linebacker Clay Matthews registered 11 sacks last year to lead the defense, which may be without starting strong safely Morgan Burnett (calf).

ABOUT THE BEARS (2014: 5-11, 4th NFC NORTH): Quarterback Jay Cutler will be in the eye of the storm following a season in which he threw for a career-best 28 touchdowns but was also intercepted 18 times and lost half of his 12 fumbles. “At this point in my career, we can’t change anything that’s happened in the past six years,” Cutler said. “There’s a real good energy here and we just have to buy in as a team and try to get better.” The Bears have issues at wide receiver with Alshon Jeffery battling a calf injury and first-round draft pick Kevin White possibly out for the season, but Eddie Royal will man the slot and Cutler has a safety net in running back Matt Forte, who had a staggering 102 catches last season. Fox needs to repair a defense that has been singed for 442 and 478 points in the past two seasons.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Rodgers is the only QB in league history with six consecutive seasons with a passer rating of at least 100.

2. Cutler is 1-11 in his career against Green Bay, including the postseason.

3. Cobb has five TD receptions in his last three games versus the Bears.

PREDICTION: Packers 27, Bears 20