On Sunday night, when the Chicago Bears take the field for a primetime matchup against the Green Bay Packers, the Bears will look to earn their first win against their biggest rivals since the 2018 season. For more than a decade, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has tormented the Bears but Sunday, when the Bears trot out rookie quarterback Justin Fields, it’ll be the 11th overall pick’s first game at Lambeau Field.
What could be Fields’ first game at Lambeau Field against the Packers could also be Rodgers’ final game against the Bears in a Packers uniform. While 2022 isn’t set in stone, what we know is this: The Bears are committed to Justin Fields through 2022 and beyond. Meanwhile, after an offseason that featured rumors about Rodgers not wanting to return to Green Bay, the future at quarterback is uncertain for the Packers should Rodgers leave next offseason.
The Packers may have 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love on the roster but in just one career start, Love is 19-for-34 with 190 yards, one touchdown, and one passer rating of 65.9. Love’s numbers may not blow anyone away, however, to fairly evaluate him, the Packers need to see him start for a full season before coming to any conclusions.
Currently, with the end of the 2021 season quickly approaching, Fields is clearly the one quarterback with the most intriguing future. The NFC North appears to be wide open in 2022 should Rodgers not return, meaning Fields will have the opportunity to dominate for the next decade and turn the tide in favor of the Bears.
For the tide to begin turning, a win on Sunday night merely starts the process. The Bears have won just four games all seasons and while the chance of making the playoffs seem slim, a win on Sunday night on national television makes a lost season more bearable while continuing to build Fields confidence and setting the stage for a passing of the torch.