Bears-Packers means something again |
Anthony Pasquale
· · 6 hours ago
The NFL announced that week 16’s matchup between the Bears and the Packers has been flexed to 7:20 p.m. CT. That is the second flex for a Bears-Packers game this season, the first coming this Sunday. Chicago’s trip to Lambeau Field was originally scheduled for 12:00 on FOX and has taken the Game of the Week window at 3:25 instead. These actions on display from the NFL illustrate one point: Bears vs Packers matters this year.
You could ask any fan of either team, and they’d tell you it’s the most important game on the schedule. It’s one of the greatest rivalries in sports. The rivalry has spanned over 100 years and is the most-played matchup in NFL history. Despite obvious divisional relevance, this year’s contest contains more profound playoff implications. The Bears are currently the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and the Packers are only a half-game behind Chicago in the NFC North. The winner of this Sunday’s game becomes the NFC’s top seed for another week. The loser? The 2nd or 3rd wild card spot. There is plenty at stake. The Bears have been somewhat polarizing in their success this season. Despite their 9-3 record, talking heads have discounted the Bears’ accomplishments. It appears Chicago garnished the doubt of many when they trounced the then No. 1 seed Eagles on Black Friday, a team the Packers only mustered seven points against in their week 10 loss. As for other similar opponents, both teams have beaten the Commanders, Bengals, Steelers, and Giants. The Bears beat the Cowboys 27-14 in week three, and the following week, the Packers tied Dallas. In the division, the Bears were embarrassed by the Lions in week two, allowing over 50 points. Green Bay has handled Detroit in both of its meetings this year. By the numbers, the Bears are number one in takeaways defensively, number two in the NFL in rushing, and in big plays as well. Meanwhile, Green Bay is excellent at pressuring the quarterback and is the best in the league at protecting the football. Even in weekly power rankings from different media outlets, the Packers have respect that the Bears have somehow yet to earn. Against current playoff teams, the Packers are just 0-1 — why isn’t their schedule being questioned or their success downplayed? One reason: Pedigree. For the last 35 years, the Packers have been the cream of the crop in the NFC. From Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, the Packers have possessed top talent at the league’s most premium position. Green Bay has the most wins in the NFL during that time span at 342; the Bears are 22nd with 246. Their record against Chicago is remarkable as well. Since Brett Favre got to Green Bay, the Packers are 50-16 vs the Bears — a surge that has put them ahead in the record of the NFL’s oldest rivalry. When Aaron Rodgers played the Bears, it was even more lopsided: 25-5. Love is 3-1 in his four career starts. Bring on Caleb Williams, who those in Chicago hope is the key in the ignition to the Bears’ franchise turnaround. Williams could very well be 2-0 against Green Bay, as he drove the Bears into field goal range before Cairo Santos’ attempted game-winning kick was blocked last season. It was week 18 where Williams’ Bears got the win in Lambeau, their first against the Packers since 2018 and their first in Green Bay since 2015. For all intents and purposes, however, that win has also been discredited because the Packers did not play their starters for the entire contest. While it is undeniable that getting the monkey off the Bears’ back of beating Green Bay was important regardless of who was in the green jerseys — the Bears haven’t beaten a full-strength Packers roster since 2018, the last time the Bears won the NFC North. Bears head coach Ben Johnson has this Bears team atop the NFC. Despite that, not many are giving the Bears much of a shot in Green Bay. Vegas has the Bears at +7. The NFL.com experts are 9 out of 10 in favor of Green Bay. This week, the Bears have a matchup against an in-division opponent in one of the toughest places to play against one of the best teams in football. But the Bears are also battling 30+ years of dominance, opposing the metaphorical ghosts of Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, BJ Raji, and Randall Cobb at Lambeau. It’s once again David vs Goliath — but his time, David believes.
