Our buddy Jay Glazer, reporting from Soldier Field while trying not to get, you know, stepped on, says that the playing surface “is a mess.”
He says that four inches of snow fell overnight. After the snow was “squeegied” off the tarp and the tarp was then removed, the field (per Glazer) initially “looked beautiful.”
Glazer said the worst areas are outside the numbers and in the south end zone, where the field converts from grass to “painted mud.”
Glazer explains that Packers coach Mike McCarthy promptly called a friend in Seattle last weekend to get more info about the status of the field, where the Seahawks played last weekend. Receiver Greg Jennings. who’ll wear 5/8" cleats, told Glazer that “this is terrible out here.”
It plays into the Bears’ hands. Glazer said that coach Lovie Smith wants his players to talk about the field “as much as you can,” so that the opponent will think about it. Smith said the condition of the playing surface isn’t, and won’t be a problem for the Bears.