Week 1 of the National Football League is always special. With the Green Bay Packers, there tend to be some high-profile games in Week 1. Last year, the oldest rivalry in the NFL took place in Week 1 with a dramatic Green Bay Packers comeback versus the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. It was arguably the best moment of the Packers season and just a footnote on one of the Bears’ first division title season since 2010. The league thought it was so good they would run it back for another season. This time on Thursday night to kick off the NFL’s 100th season at Soldier Field. There is no better way to kick off the season.

Three storylines that I care about
1. The ever-hyped, most-talked-about relationship in Wisconsin – The Rodgers/LaFleur dynamic: People are going to keep all eyes on this come tonight. People will be all over the place with their takes with these two. If Rodgers lights the world on fire in the first half, people are going to freak the fuck out and the takes will be off the chart. If he looks like he did last season, the same thing will happen just that the takes will be on the other end of the spectrum. This is a great unknown for all of us. No one can predict what will happen with the Packers offense. My overall hope for this team offensively is there is a great deal of creativity, innovative and exciting. We will react to it tomorrow on the podcast and blog.

2. The great safety debate – One game doesn’t prove anything, but trust me, Bears/Packers fans alike will be watching the safety position. Bears fans told Packers fans how much they will not miss Adrian Amos. Packers fans told Bears fans how much they’ll hate watching Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Who is going to win? Again, one game doesn’t decide it, but I’ll tell you right now if one of those guys gets burned or misses a big tackle, Packers or Bears Twitter will lose their mind. More pressure is on both of those guys compared to the rest of the team.

3. Contain Mitch Trubisky, please – One thing that I don’t want to happen is for Mitch Trubisky to beat Green Bay with his legs. Packers improved their pass rush in the offseason, and they should get to the quarterback more often than they did last season. Packers sacked the Bears quarterback four times in the opening game, but Green Bay only brought him down once in December. He needs to be flustered and made nervous in the pocket. That’s when the mistakes will happen from him.

Don’t sleep on him
Robert Tonyan – I’m down with a Tonyan game. I’m not sure if he will get more than five targets but I could see him playing a role especially down at the goal line. Jimmy Graham is a little banged up, Mercedes Lewis is just a blocker and Jace Sternberger is out for the season. Don’t be surprised if the Packers try to shoot the seam with him either. (PS: I hate sleeper picks when they’re just guys that we don’t talk about too much. I feel like Tonyan is a good choice)

Prediction
Packers 23 Bears 17 – This will be a close game. It will be a competitive game. In the end, it comes down to the quarterback and special teams. I will not be shocked if Chicago missed a field goal or two that could be the difference in this game. Rodgers comes through with a great game as the Packers get a spirted week 1 victory.