Packers kick off Jordan Love era with dominant win over Bears at Soldier Field

By Adam Jahns, Matt Schneidman and Kevin Fishbain

The Green Bay Packers fired on all cylinders in a 38-20 win over the Chicago Bears during the 207th iteration of the NFL’s oldest rivalry at Soldier Field on Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:

In his second NFL start, Packers quarterback Jordan Love went 15-of-27 for 245 yards and three touchdowns.
Green Bay running back Aaron Jones exploded in the third quarter after tallying just 24 yards in the first half. He was the team’s leading rusher and receiver with 41 yards and a touchdown on the ground while also catching two passes for 86 yards and a score.
Bears QB Justin Fields finished with 216 yards and one touchdown on 24-of-37 passing but struggled with turnovers.
Fields lost a fumble late in the third quarter and threw an interception early in the fourth that Packers linebacker Quay Walker picked off and returned 37 yards to the end zone.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Love steps up

Forget about Aaron Rodgers. He wasn’t missed Sunday. The Bears are still the Bears and the Packers are still the Packers. And that’s really it. Green Bay looked superior in nearly every facet in Week 1.

It started with the coaching. Packers coach Matt LaFleur definitely had the edge over Bears coach Matt Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams. But it also was the quarterback play — and that’s what hurts the most in Chicago. Fields was supposed to be better than Love, but it was Love who made more big plays. — Jahns

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A promising start for the Packers defense

To begin a season in which he might be coaching for his job, third-year Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry helped guide the defense to a stalwart performance against Fields and the Bears. Walker’s 37-yard pick-six was the highlight, but first- and second-year defensive linemen Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks and Lukas Van Ness each tallied at least a sack. Safety Darnell Savage Jr., cornerback Keisean Nixon and Walker each chipped in a tackle for loss.

The Bears led the NFL last season with 5.4 yards per rush but only managed 4.2 yards per carry Sunday, an encouraging sign for what has been the league’s worst run defense in the last five years. — Schneidman

What can Green Bay clean up?

The nine penalties that cost them 90 yards. LaFleur won’t look fondly upon those in the film room this week, especially their two unnecessary roughness penalties that cost them 15 yards each. — Schneidman

New roster, same Bears

For all the work the Bears did this offseason to improve their roster, it was the same old Bears on Sunday against the Packers. D.J. Moore, who was electric in the spring and summer, was targeted only twice until late in the game. The defense, fresh with new starters, gave up more points than the Bears had allowed in a Week 1 home game in 55 years. The D-line, totally overhauled, had three QB hits off Love and only one sack.

The offensive line, with two new starters, didn’t do much to instill confidence — the run game struggled and Fields was sacked four times while also having to scramble often. The draft class didn’t make a major impact.

Maybe it’s a sign of how much general manager Ryan Poles still has to do to get this roster to be more competitive, but this was a game the Bears were supposed to win — in large part because of their new additions. — Fishbain

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Jahns: Bears get a stinging reminder that the Packers remain superior in every way