No two teams in NFL history have squared off more often than the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. On Thursday Night Football at Lambeau Field, these longtime divisional rivals will meet, looking to break a 94-94-6 tie in the overall series rankings. Once upon a time, the Bears completely dominated this series. Green Bay had its moments in the 1960s under Hall of Fame head coach Vince Lombardi, but the tide would soon turn once again. Starting in 1994, Brett Favre’s third season as Green Bay’s starting quarterback, the Pack came back with a vengeance.
There were 10 consecutive wins over the “Monsters of the Midway," and, over the past 23 seasons, the Packers own an impressive 35-12 mark in this setting -- including a 21-14 win at Soldier Field in the 2010 NFC title game.
Recent history
Back to a little more recent history. In other words, the Aaron Rodgers Era as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback dating back to 2008. Including the aforementioned conference championship game in ’10, the 13-year veteran has faced the “Monsters of the Midway” 19 times. He owns a 15-4 record as a starter, hitting on 67.1 percent of his attempts for 4,661 yards. It adds up to 4,661 yards and more than three times as many touchdown passes (38) as interceptions (11).
In more than half (10) of those contests, the prolific passer has totaled two or more scores. Also, in his last seven starts vs. the Bears, Rodgers has served up 19 TD passes and has been picked off only three times.
What to expect?
The career numbers against the Bears are tremendous, but can Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers once again function without their starting left tackle?
That was the issue last Sunday in a 27-24 overtime win against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Pack rallied from a 21-7 second quarter deficit thanks mainly to their talented signal-caller. Rodgers overcame six sacks and threw for 313 yards, three scores, and one pick, and Mike McCarthy’s club scratched out a victory. The team did have right tackle (Bryan Bulaga) opposite backup Kyle Murphy last Sunday, the latter starting for David Bakhtiari.
Now, both Bulaga and Bakhtiari are not expected to play against the Bears and Murphy is now on injured reserve.
To say that the Pack is undermanned would be an obvious understatement. If Aaron Rodgers is going to continue his mastery of the Bears, he and his team may have to pull a rabbit out of a hat…and put him on the offensive line.
