Despite Week 1 upset, Bears need different script to beat Packers

The Bears received a boost from the weather during their Week 1 upset. Even with some rain in the forecast, they'll have a harder time reprising the feat against the Packers on Sunday.

Of all the underdogs in Week 1, few engendered less faith from the public than the Chicago Bears. The rebuilding NFC North franchise, which this offseason replaced its front office and coaching staff while dealing cornerstones like Khalil Mack, drew the title-contending San Francisco 49ers in the opener. Given the talent discrepancy on paper, most anticipated a blowout loss for the Bears.

But as the idiom goes, on any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team. The Bears emerged victorious in an ugly affair, producing enough plays in key moments while holding the 49ers to just 10 points. In the process, Matt Eberflus notched his first win as Chicago's head coach.

Certainly, the Bears feel emboldened by the development. When asked about the team's Week 2 matchup with the Green Bay Packers, defensive lineman Trevis Gipson told the Daily Herald's John Dietz, "We gonna win. You've got my word. … Our coach told us this morning. We're way better than they are."

Sure, Chicago might have shocked the league with a season-opening upset. Perhaps those projecting that the team would finish at or near the bottom of the standings will look silly. The NFL routinely turns expectations on their heads, and stranger things have transpired than this iteration of the Bears playing winning ball.

However, little of the script that Chicago followed in Week 1 appears replicable for Sunday's prime-time showdown with the Packers.