Green Bay Packers (-3) at Chicago Bears

[Mike C]

Everything else is meaningless. This is Packer/Bear week. Anything can happen.

[Ursa Majoris]

In 2005, the Steelers beat #3 Bengals, #1 Colts & #2 Broncos all on the road to earn a spot in the Super Bowl.

If the Packers and Jets meet in the SB, they will both have emulated the Steelers in the same year.

[Bier Meister]

In 2005, the Steelers beat #3 Bengals, #1 Colts & #2 Broncos all on the road to earn a spot in the Super Bowl.

 

was thinking about that year as well..... that has to be the toughest road we've seen in a while.

[Fatman]

The Bears still suck...GO PACK GO!

[Hugh 0ne]

All bets are off, it's a divisional game, and in the Norris that usually means the underdog wins. I think the Bears can pull this off if they rattle Rodgers early and get tons of pressure on him. Cutler's gonna have a hard time against the Packers defense as well. I see a close, low scoring game. 17-13 Bears.

[rocknrobn26]

My take, I hate predicting, but:

Pack 27 Bears 24, but read below. (and it will be a nail biter to the end if the same Bears show up this Sunday)

Seeing as I was one of the few to predict that Da Bears were going to go balls out in week #17 , I should have some credibility.

This week you saw Martz blow the dust off off of the TE's. Olsen and Davis (Davis who?) scoring TD's was unique and Un-Martz-like.

Admitted that there is not too much either team can change to fool the other. They know each other tooo well.

Lovie...Lose the Wildcat! Forte is not a QB!

Analysis:

Offense=Advantage Pack

Defense=Advantage Bears

ST=Advantage Bears

Intangibles=The coaching decides this game. (The Pack has more tools to score TD's)

Delimiter=IF Da Bears "D" can get into the "Elite Rodgers" head, then game over.

If/Then:

Bears 27 Pack 21

Beware:

Run, Run, RUN!!!

I also predict it will be the most watched postseason game sans the SB.

It could be a turn off early game if either team craps their pants.

Packer fans get into Chi Early...The borders close on Midnite 1/21/2011!

Fatman is a dick!

BP...if you get a ticket, wear body armor!

Chavez...If you want, come on down here to watch the game. (Right! )

Gil...same Offer, my SIL is gonna be here and I have plenty of Black Jack!

Go BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fatman]

Bring it RR!

[tosberg34]

My take, I hate predicting, but:

Pack 27 Bears 24, but read below. (and it will be a nail biter to the end if the same Bears show up this Sunday)

Seeing as I was one of the few to predict that Da Bears were going to go balls out in week #17 , I should have some credibility.

This week you saw Martz blow the dust off off of the TE's. Olsen and Davis (Davis who?) scoring TD's was unique and Un-Martz-like.

Admitted that there is not too much either team can change to fool the other. They know each other tooo well.

Lovie...Lose the Wildcat! Forte is not a QB!

Analysis:

Offense=Advantage Pack

Defense=Advantage Bears

ST=Advantage Bears

Intangibles=The coaching decides this game. (The Pack has more tools to score TD's)

Delimiter=IF Da Bears "D" can get into the "Elite Rodgers" head, then game over.

If/Then:

Bears 27 Pack 21

Beware:

Run, Run, RUN!!!

I also predict it will be the most watched postseason game sans the SB.

It could be a turn off early game if either team craps their pants.

Packer fans get into Chi Early...The borders close on Midnite 1/21/2011!

Fatman is a dick!

BP...if you get a ticket, wear body armor!

Chavez...If you want, come on down here to watch the game. (Right! )

Gil...same Offer, my SIL is gonna be here and I have plenty of Black Jack!

Go BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Dude - you're high.

 

The Bears have a BETTER defense than the Packers? What the hell are they putting in the water down there?

Edited January 18, 2011 by tosberg34

[rocknrobn26]

Dude - you're high.

 

The Bears have a BETTER defense than the Packers? What the hell are they putting in the water down there?

 

If you had any credibility.......Nah won't go there.

Asian Carp!

Drinkin' truth juice. Bears have the better "D", by a small margin, but better none the less.

Get your head out of your homer ass and read ALL of what I wrote.

[tosberg34]

If you had any credibility.......Nah won't go there.

Asian Carp!

Drinkin' truth juice. Bears have the better "D", by a small margin, but better none the less.

Get your head out of your homer ass and read ALL of what I wrote.

 

That's right you won't - because anyone who makes the statement "Bears have the better 'D'" clearly doesn't have ANY credibility. Actually, because you're a Bears fan you actually have NEGATIVE credibility.

 

Even the stats don't back you up.

 

Packers 38, Bears 14. GO PACK! BOO rocknrobn26!

 

(this is all in good fun, of course)

Edited January 18, 2011 by tosberg34

[piratesownninjas]

Favre says Green Bay by far the best team, Rodgers the best QB.

[tosberg34]

Favre says Green Bay by far the best team, Rodgers the best QB.

 

Well, I guess that seals it. The King has spoken.

[tazinib1]

I love you Rob, but I think the front 7 are a wash. GB's backfield will be the difference.

 

Pack wins this one with surprising ease.

[Pope Flick]

More or less a coin flip game, but there are several factors in the Bearszs favor that I like:

 

- being a home dog in the playoffs. Everyone's annointing the Packers at this point. Nice chip to put on the Bearszs shoulder, and if the Pack begin to buy into it it won't be good for them.

 

- the Bearszs should win the field position battle all day long with their decided edge in special teams.

 

- GB is a truly one dimensional team (but it's a deadly dimension). You guys have a rookie 6th rounder in your backfield. By way of introductions: "Brian Urlacher, James Starks; James Starks, Brian Urlacher." Tell me who's more intimidated in that exchange?

 

- the Bearszs can handle Rodgers and if they rattle him they'll have no run game to fall back on, unlike Chicago if the reverse is true and Cutler gets rattled. Chester Taylor has finally showed up the past few games, and he's their backup. Forte is having a very nice season and will be the difference down the stretch. Also, the Packers run D is by no means all that great compared to the Bears. It's a #2 rush D for the Bears and the Pack isn't even in the top half of the league, coming in at #18 for 2010. The Bearszs should have 100+ yards on the day. Barring a long run, the Pack won't.

 

- I've seen enough Martz in the past to know he'll also negate some of the familiarity factor: we know what GB is going to do, and they're going to dare us to stop it. Fair play, they're very good at that. But Martz takes the wraps of Olsen and Davis this past weekend, and Seattle reels for 3 quarters. Don't be surprised if they're given few looks this week and Martz pulls the curtain back on looks the Pack hasn't seen before and goes elsewhere.

 

- don't get me wrong, it gives me the willies that our DBs are the weak spot of the team. But if the front 7 get the necessary pressure that goes a long way to leveling the playing field. I expect them to get said pressure but we'll know early.

 

I have great respect for the Pack this year, and don't see this as much more than a coin flip game, with a few % points in the Bearszs favor, maybe 53-47 or 55-45 for the reasons above.

 

The key is going to be Tommie Harris IMO. If he plays to his potential, he'll HAVE to be double teamed to stop him. If you do that, Peppers runs free and the Pack is in a world of hurt. If you double Peppers and Harris runs free the Pack is in a world of hurt. Have fun blocking those guys, rook.

 

By the way: Green Bay at Chicago for the NFC Title game? Get the (the really bad word) outta town!

[Scooby's Hubby]

All bets are off, it's a divisional game, and in the Norris that usually means the underdog wins. I think the Bears can pull this off if they rattle Rodgers early and get tons of pressure on him. Cutler's gonna have a hard time against the Packers defense as well. I see a close, low scoring game. 17-13 Bears.

 

+1

 

Pack O-Line scares me a little. Peppers at home could suprise some like Ray Edwards suprised the Boy's last year in MINN. Briggs and Urlacher - and I liked the way the Bear DBs played with their in your face style last week. If Peppers and company can rush Rodgers and force quicker throws, then the Bears can do this. Chicago on offenses will have to find a way to involve Chester Taylor and Forte catching passes, along with Olsen the Bears can battle the rush from Mathews this way.

 

I hope a Jet/Bears Super Bowl won't offend.

Edited January 18, 2011 by Scooby's Hubby

[Randall]

More or less a coin flip game, but there are several factors in the Bearszs favor that I like:

 

- being a home dog in the playoffs. Everyone's annointing the Packers at this point. Nice chip to put on the Bearszs shoulder, and if the Pack begin to buy into it it won't be good for them.

 

- the Bearszs should win the field position battle all day long with their decided edge in special teams.

 

- GB is a truly one dimensional team (but it's a deadly dimension). You guys have a rookie 6th rounder in your backfield. By way of introductions: "Brian Urlacher, James Starks; James Starks, Brian Urlacher." Tell me who's more intimidated in that exchange?

 

- the Bearszs can handle Rodgers and if they rattle him they'll have no run game to fall back on, unlike Chicago if the reverse is true and Cutler gets rattled. Chester Taylor has finally showed up the past few games, and he's their backup. Forte is having a very nice season and will be the difference down the stretch. Also, the Packers run D is by no means all that great compared to the Bears. It's a #2 rush D for the Bears and the Pack isn't even in the top half of the league, coming in at #18 for 2010. The Bearszs should have 100+ yards on the day. Barring a long run, the Pack won't.

 

- I've seen enough Martz in the past to know he'll also negate some of the familiarity factor: we know what GB is going to do, and they're going to dare us to stop it. Fair play, they're very good at that. But Martz takes the wraps of Olsen and Davis this past weekend, and Seattle reels for 3 quarters. Don't be surprised if they're given few looks this week and Martz pulls the curtain back on looks the Pack hasn't seen before and goes elsewhere.

 

- don't get me wrong, it gives me the willies that our DBs are the weak spot of the team. But if the front 7 get the necessary pressure that goes a long way to leveling the playing field. I expect them to get said pressure but we'll know early.

 

I have great respect for the Pack this year, and don't see this as much more than a coin flip game, with a few % points in the Bearszs favor, maybe 53-47 or 55-45 for the reasons above.

 

The key is going to be Tommie Harris IMO. If he plays to his potential, he'll HAVE to be double teamed to stop him. If you do that, Peppers runs free and the Pack is in a world of hurt. If you double Peppers and Harris runs free the Pack is in a world of hurt. Have fun blocking those guys, rook.

 

By the way: Green Bay at Chicago for the NFC Title game? Get the (the really bad word) outta town!

 

 

We'll see about that. The field sounds pretty bad.

 

 

 

Greg Jennings didn’t need to see the Seattle Seahawks slip and slide all over Soldier Field on Sunday to make an assessment of the playing surface at the Chicago Bears’ stadium.

 

 

The Green Bay Packers receiver has been playing on the brownish, divot-filled grass once a year for the last five seasons. All but one of those games have been in December, when the natural grass surface has deteriorated.

 

“It’s probably one of the worst, probably the worst in the league,” Jennings said Monday as the Packers get ready for the NFC championship game in Chicago. “But at the same time, you have to go out before the game and kind of get a feel for what you’re working with, what you’re dealing with, get your footing, because that’s going to play a huge, huge role in the game. But you can’t allow that to affect the way you play.”

 

If anything, guys like Jennings could have an advantage because as a receiver, at least he knows where he’s going. Defenders don’t, which means their movements have to be more reactionary.

 

“Chicago’s field has always been like that,” Packers cornerback Tramon Williams said. “So it’s nothing different. It’s something that we’re prepared for, and you just got to have the right cleats or whatever. It shouldn’t really be a problem.”

 

The footing seemed especially poor in Sunday’s Seahawks-Bears divisional playoff game, perhaps because a steady snow fell during the game, but as of Monday there were no plans to put down any new sod on the natural grass surface.

 

Soldier Field is operated by the Chicago Park District but for the NFC championship game, the NFL handles all field issues and makes the final decisions. The league will work closely with the stadium’s field manager but if it determines that action needs to be taken, the league will take those steps.

 

“We’re not going to concern ourselves with the turf,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “It’s something you (deal) with every week, every game you play, in particular on the road. You go out early. You make sure you’ve got the right, proper shoes on.”

 

The Packers have been practicing with the doors to The Don Hutson Center open during their preparations for late-season cold weather games, and McCarthy said he would take the players outside on Thursday for the team (11-on-11) periods.

 

However, it will be hard to simulate Soldier Field’s poor footing because in 2009 the Packers installed heated coils under the Nitschke Field grass in order to keep the field in shape for late-season practices.

 

“We’ll have an opportunity to get out on the grass, and our field’s in great shape,” McCarthy said. “We’ll try to get as close as we can to the environment that we’re going to play in on Sunday.”

[i_am_the_swammi]

Bears, but could easily go either way. Key for Bears is another error-free game. Key for GB is (surprise) Rodgers.

 

is windless, precipitation-less Chicago weather. If its ugly, and that GB passing attack is slowed by the elements, they lose.

 

If its a playable day.....GB 23, Chicago 16.

[bpwallace49]

Tickets go on sale in 4 hours, 12 minutes.. . . .

[myhousekey]

is windless, precipitation-less Chicago weather. If its ugly, and that GB passing attack is slowed by the elements, they lose.

 

If its a playable day.....GB 23, Chicago 16.

It's sure to change but here's a link to the weather..

Edited January 18, 2011 by myhousekey

[Randall]

These teams only met once in the postseason(1941)?

 

I would have thought they had met several more times.

 

 

 

Even these Bears fans (secretly) favor Rodgers, sort of...

By Lori Nickel of the Journal Sentinel

Jan. 17, 2011

 

Had to put this up as a blog post after talking to my friend, WTMJ 4 reporter Jessie Garcia, as we made our Monday commutes to Green Bay.

 

Some of you may have seen her hilarious bit on Channel 4 in Milwaukee Sunday when she interviewed Bears fans at Soldier Field – and asked them who they’d rather have as quarterback: Aaron Rodgers or Jay Cutler?

 

"Cutler," said tailgating Bears fan Ben Branch loudly. Then he leaned in, away from his friends.

 

"Is anyboody watching?

 

"Rodgers."

 

Bears fans Jonathon Bosley: "No comment."

 

"Would you rather be rich or poor? We'll take Rodgers, " said Jack Wambach, another Bears fan.

 

These fans want Rodgers in the elements.

 

"The guy's a surgeon in a dome," said Bears fan Jim Rossini. "Come to Soldier Field in 20 degrees, the turf is a little rough, I don't think it's the same game."

[piratesownninjas]

I love the whole chip on the shoulder approach that the Bears fans are taking... As if the Packers, the no.6 seed are going to relax. All of this sports betting crap will have nothing to do with who wins the game. The Packers aren't going to walk in there assuming the game will be handed to them because people are predicting a Packers win.

I also like how you jokers think Chicago's D is just better than GB's... The Packers gave up 46 less points, had 13 more sacks and 3 more INTs. They're both great defenses, but you bears fans are a cocky bunch. I think the odds of Cutler turning the ball over are far greater than rattling Rodgers, which the majority of you assume will happen. One thing is for sure, you're not playing the seahawks.

 

Oh and to Pope with your MR. Starks meet Mr. Urlacher...

 

Cutler and Forte will meet Matthews and Bishop in a few days.

[piratesownninjas]

"The guy's a surgeon in a dome," said Bears fan Jim Rossini. "Come to Soldier Field in 20 degrees, the turf is a little rough, I don't think it's the same game."

I guess bears fans forget that Green Bay plays outside as well. He's put up numbers in Wisconsin for three straight years.

[Menudo]

I love the whole chip on the shoulder approach that the Bears fans are taking... As if the Packers, the no.6 seed are going to relax. All of this sports betting crap will have nothing to do with who wins the game. The Packers aren't going to walk in there assuming the game will be handed to them because people are predicting a Packers win.

I also like how you jokers think Chicago's D is just better than GB's... The Packers gave up 46 less points, had 13 more sacks and 3 more INTs. They're both great defenses, but you bears fans are a cocky bunch. I think the odds of Cutler turning the ball over are far greater than rattling Rodgers, which the majority of you assume will happen. One thing is for sure, you're not playing the seahawks.

 

Oh and to Pope with your MR. Starks meet Mr. Urlacher...

 

Cutler and Forte will meet Matthews and Bishop in a few days.

 

Funny, maybe I need to re-read some posts, but, I didn't get the feeling that Bears fans were being cocky at all. Now, in your last two posts, I got the feeling that a Packers fan was being cocky.

 

I do agree that what you think, what bears fans think, what Vegas thinks, what commentators think, what Brett Favre thinks all mean absolutely nothing. It's the NFC Championship game. Both teams will be plenty fired up and need no further motivation than the fact that the winner gets to play in the Super Bowl.

 

By the way, I do agree 100% on your comment about the Packers receivers. They aren't the best receiving corps, but, they are the deepest.

Edited January 18, 2011 by Menudo

[Ursa Majoris]

Funny, maybe I need to re-read some posts, but, I didn't get the feeling that Bears fans were being cocky at all. Now, in your last two posts, I got the feeling that a Packers fan was being cocky.

Yeah, I was all too. Through his posts it was a reasonable discussion. Then it's all

[piratesownninjas]

Funny, maybe I need to re-read some posts, but, I didn't get the feeling that Bears fans were being cocky at all. Now, in your last two posts, I got the feeling that a Packers fan was being cocky.

 

I do agree that what you think, what bears fans think, what Vegas thinks, what commentators think, what Brett Favre thinks all mean absolutely nothing. It's the NFC Championship game. Both teams will be plenty fired up and need no further motivation than the fact that the winner gets to play in the Super Bowl.

 

By the way, I do agree 100% on your comment about the Packers receivers. They aren't the best receiving corps, but, they are the deepest.

All I've read from the majority of bears fans is how the bears d is better than the Packers D. After that I gave statistical numbers, and that I think Cutler is more prone to the crazy INT than Rodgers is to getting rattled. Just so we're clear I never said either defense was better. I think the Bears defense is much better stopping the run, and the Packers are much scarier against the pass.

Believe it or not, I'm not being cocky or abrasive. I gave you numbers and an opinion on the quarterbacks. I'm as nervous/anxious as I could be for a Tuesday afternoon.