Game Prediction: GB 23, CHI 17

Update: Robert Ferguson is listed as probable on the injury report, but word out of Green Bay is that he may be held out of this game to help him heal his sprained MCL. The coaching staff feel that allowing him to get completely healthy is better than allowing him to continue to play at less than 100% and constantly re-aggravating his injury. He could play, but the likelihood now is that he takes the week off. Since it is a Monday night game, the final word may come well after your lineups are due on Sunday anyway.

The Packers have managed to take a sweet opening stretch for the season - MIN, DET and ARZ - and end up 1-2 and two full games behind Minnesota. In only three weeks. With Seattle, Kansas City and St. Louis looming on the horizon.

Brett Favre threw for 245 yards and one score last week, but it was his interception in the Cardinal's endzone that ended the Packer bid to tie the game. Donald Driver returned to the field after his neck injury and had two catches for 12 yards while Javon Walker (2-44) and Robert Ferguson (3-34) fared no better. Ferguson later left the game when he re-aggravated the knee injury that he re-aggravated the week before. For now I am considering Ferguson questionable and Driver as improved from last week.

The biggest surprise was that Ahman Green was unable to exploit the Arizona defense and only gained 53 yards on 21 carries. One notable fact was apparent in the game - Najeh Davenport has given up his #2 role to Tony Fisher due in part to Davenport fumbling three times against Detroit though he lost none of them. Green is already the designated fumbler for the team.

The Packers came out and played flat, later being hurt when Ferguson went out injured and Favre was unable to make the needed throws to tie the game. When asked after the game if the Packers were guilty of looking past the Cardinals, he responded "Why should we? We ain't that damn good." Those Packers may be miracle workers in the snow, but once the field temperature reached 106 degrees, they melted.

The Bears come off their much needed bye week, having spent the first two games being outscored 20-73 and only now getting their first home game of the season.

After getting blown out in San Francisco in week one, the Bears showed some improvement in week two when they held the Vikings to a 13-17 game until the final Minnesota touchdown iced the game.

Kordell Stewart only has 17 completions for 232 yards on the season though he has thrown a touchdown in each game and more importantly went from three interceptions to zero in his second game.

Anthony Thomas rushed for 53 yards on 10 carries though 34 yards came on one run. Adrian Peterson was never used in week two. Against the Packers last year Thomas only had 19 carries for 71 yards in the two games combined.

The big coming out party for David Terrell also never materialized. HC Dick Jauron stated that Terrell was going to be more heavily used against the Vikings to give him yet more opportunity for him to waste and while Terrell did catch the lone Chicago touchdown, it was his only catch in the game from the four passes sent his way. He dropped one badly as well.

Kordell has done what defenses were unable to do - shut down Marty Booker. With only 58 yards on eight catches, Booker is far behind his pace of last year and considering Stewart's accuracy problem, Booker will need to lineup in the backfield and take dump offs in order to get remotely close to his 100 catch potential. Either Stewart must improve soon or Chandler and Grossman will be flipping coins on the sideline to see who can salvage the passing game.

The last time the Bears beat the Packers was in October of 2000. Since then not only has Green Bay beaten Chicago, but by almost always ten points or more. Both of these teams need a win badly and Favre has had some monster performances at the expense of the Bears. Look for the Packers to follow the formula they intended last week - heavy doses of Ahman Green punctuated with ball control passes while the Bears will still be trying to find the still elusive chemistry and rhythm it needs to succeed. A few more blockers would help as well.

Somehow this game ended up as the Monday night offering but after the great Cowboy-Giant game, and even the fun of a Bronco-Raider game, they must have ran out of good matchups.