Conversions in red zone a must

Fourteen weeks after the Bears and Packers opened the NFL’s 100th season in prime time, the rivals will meet again Sunday at Lambeau Field. Both teams are in much different positions than they were when the season began.

The Packers, at 10-3, lead the NFC North and hope to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Bears, meanwhile, are striving to keep meaning in their 2019 season for as long as possible. Matt Nagy’s team also heads to Green Bay with the momentum of a three-game winning streak.

Can the Bears win their fourth in a row? Here are three keys for Sunday’s game.

Red alert! Be efficient inside the 20 on offense.

Pregame analysis: Bears fans remember the frustration of Sept. 5. All the buildup. All the anticipation. The grand visions. And then the Bears delivered an offensive effort that produced only 254 yards and no touchdowns. Worst of all, with new life in the fourth quarter and a chance to finish a game-tying drive, Mitch Trubisky stared down Allen Robinson and threw an interception in the red zone with two minutes left.

Those miscues just can’t happen Sunday. The Bears will have chances to move the ball all afternoon against a middle-of-the-road Packers defense. But they must finish drives with points against a defense that has shown a great ability to stiffen near the goal line.

Mike Pettine’s defense ranks sixth in the red zone, allowing touchdowns on only 50% of opponents’ trips inside the 20. Opposing quarterbacks have posted just a 68.7 rating in the red zone. Only the Patriotshave been better (48.5).

Find ways to keep up with the Smiths.

Pregame analysis: The Packers have seen a promising return on investment on two of their biggest free-agent signings from last spring with outside linebackers Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith combining for 21½ sacks through 13 games.

Bears offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich offered his praise of Za’Darius Smith: “He’s scary. He’s playing at a very, very high level. Both the Smiths are deployed in a lot of different ways than they have been in the past. That makes it that much more difficult.”

Believe in star power.

Pregame analysis: We’re all aware of Aaron Rodgers’ 18-5 career record against the Bears, including the postseason. But Rodgers isn’t invincible and isn’t exactly on a tear in his first season running Matt LaFleur’s offense. The Packers rank 16th in passing yards per game (233.1) and passing yards per play (6.81).

The Bears, meanwhile, have their own stars on defense. Remember, on their last trip to Lambeau Field, Khalil Mack had a strip-sack and an interception return for a touchdown. Safety Eddie Jackson finished his 2018 All-Pro season with an interception of Rodgers to seal a division-clinching win at Soldier Field. And defensive lineman Akiem Hicks could be back.