Strong Feelings for Lucas Patrick's Homecoming Game

Where Bears lineman Lucas Patrick plays this week takes on less importance than where he's playing.

The explanation: Moved to guard last week because of the ball cast on his right hand, Patrick this week appears likely to split time at right guard once again but this time he's playing said game in Green Bay against his former team.

"Definitely know where the play clock is," Patrick said. "I definitely know where the scoreboard is. I understand the stadium runs north to south, just off Oneida Street across from the Resch Center. So, when we're pulling up, I can kind of circumnavigate myself to find the place if the bus gets lost."

Patrick also knows the Bears are coming to Lambeau to play after the Packers lost a game badly to the Minnesota Vikings, and that's probably a sign they'll get the Packers' best shot.

"They really didn't execute well on their part, whatever they were feeling," Patrick said of his old team. "But we're not really necessarily worried about how they did. We're worried about how we do. This game's about us."

It's a point of emphasis coach Matt Eberflus has made early this week. The Bears are concerned with the Bears. Still, for Patrick it's not going to be easy ignoring the opposition colors and he will go there as the honorary Bears captain for this week.

"Any time you can be a captain and be up there representing your team and this great organization, it means a lot," he said. "It's pretty impactful to me. I know it's going to be a storyline–me going back there and all that. But it's pretty cool for me to be an honorary captain for this game and be out there on Lambeau with my guys."

He's obviously not the only ex-Packer returning to Lambeau. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and wide receive Equanimeous St. Brown are going to go through the same thing.

For Patrick, though, the role will be a little less than for those two. He only got on for 27 plays last week as he's trying to work his way back into shape after the broken thumb which resulted in his ball cast. Teven Jenkins handled 31 plays, and did it quite well according to Pro Football Focus. Jenkins had the eighth highest PFF grade in the NFL last week among guards at 77.9, Patrick coming in at 65.9.

The cast didn't affect him much at guard.

"Like I said, I’ve done that before in my career," Patrick said. "Had that and kind of banked reps way early on. Made the team on the practice squad in Green Bay. I’m very used to this process. Not too worried."

Alternating with Jenkins isn't much different for Patrick, either.

"My first few years in the league I was a rotational inside guy," he said. "So I understand internally how to prepare myself to go in at a moment's notice or come out at a moment's notice.

"I've gone in for guys where their shoelaces popped and run four plays and come out. And I've gone in where guys unfortunately don't return to finish the game. So another scenario I have a lot of banked reps at."

Those came, of course, with the Packers. And he'll go into this game with some mixed feelings.

"Speaking honestly, probably a lot of gratitude," he said. "I'm not going to sit here and bash an organization because I wouldn't be here today standing with you all if it weren't for the opportunity afforded to me. I had a lot of memories there with close family and friends. I know you (media) guys probably don’t like to hear this, but we have personalities and feelings.

"I have some friends still there so, yeah, I'll definitely have some gratitude and some emotions but at the end of the day, I have a job to do. But I got to execute that job."