GREEN BAY, Wis. – After one of the most productive offseasons in franchise history, the Bears will open the 2009 season against the rival Green Bay Packers tonight at Lambeau Field.

Chicago will unveil a revamped offense that features three players who were acquired in the spring in quarterback Jay Cutler, left tackle Orlando Pace and left guard Frank Omiyale. Other new starters on offense are tight end Greg Olsen, right tackle Chris Williams and receiver Earl Bennett.

Brian Urlacher soars over a blocker to tackle Packers running back Ryan Grant last season.

Cutler was selected to the Pro Bowl last season while playing for the Denver Broncos after completing 62.3 percent of his passes for a team-record 4,526 yards with 25 touchdowns, 18 interceptions and an 86.0 passer rating. The Bears record for passing yards is 3,838, set by Erik Kramer in 1995.

Cutler performed well this summer, leading the Bears to four TDs and three field goals on 10 possessions in the final three preseason games by completing 23 of 34 passes for 265 yards with two TDs, no interceptions and a 110.5 passer rating.

Cutler will throw to a young receiving corps led by Devin Hester, who had 51 receptions for a team-high 665 yards last season; and Bennett, a second-year pro who teamed with the quarterback at Vanderbilt.

In the backfield, Matt Forte will look to build on a breakout first season. The 2008 second-round pick set Bears rookie records last year with 1,238 yards rushing, 63 receptions and 1,715 yards from scrimmage. In two games against the Packers in 2008, Forte rushed for 137 yards and 1 TD on 39 carries.

The Bears will face a Packers defense that has switched to a 3-4 scheme under first-year coordinator Dom Capers. The unit performed well in the preseason, generating 12 sacks and 13 takeaways.

On the other side of the ball, the Bears defense returns most of the same players from last season, with two exceptions in strongside linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa and rookie safety Al Afalava.

But the Bears made key changes to their defensive coaching staff. Head coach Lovie Smith assumed play-calling responsibilities, Bob Babich was reinstalled as linebackers coach and veteran assistants Rod Marinelli and Jon Hoke were hired to lead the line and secondary, respectively.

The Bears defense, which ranked 30th in the NFL in passing yards and 29th in sacks per pass last season, must generate pressure tonight on Aaron Rodgers. In leading Green Bay’s No. 1 offense to nine touchdowns in 12 possessions in the preseason, the Packers quarterback completed 29 of 41 passes for 465 yards with six TDs, no interceptions and a 147.9 passer rating.

The Bears didn’t sack Rodgers in either game they played against the Packers last season—a 37-3 loss at Lambeau Field and a 20-17 overtime win at Soldier Field. For the year, Chicago registered 22 sacks in its nine wins and just six sacks in its seven losses.

It’s even more imperative that the front four generates a consistent pass rush given the uncertainty in the Bears secondary. Cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Zackary Bowman and nickel back/free safety Danieal Manning missed all or most of training camp and the preseason.

Bowman and Manning returned for the preseason finale, but Tillman missed all four preseason games while recovering from back surgery and is listed as questionable for tonight’s contest.

The Bears have had success in Green Bay under Smith, who became the first opposing NFL coach to win his first four games at Lambeau Field. But that streak ended abruptly last year with a 37-3 drubbing that was the Bears’ most lopsided loss in Smith’s five seasons as coach.