The odds are obviously against the Chicago Bears going into Lambeau Field on Thursday evening and knocking off the defending NFC North champion Green Bay Packers. Then again, odd would be an accurate way to describe the start of this NFL season. We have already seen our share of shockers around the league and a Bears’ victory on the road in prime time against their longtime rival would certainly qualify. Of course, let’s not forget that the team from the Windy City has had some recent success against the Pack. Then again, there hasn’t been a lot.
However, timing is everything, and sometimes it’s not who you play but when you play them.
Knowing lots about history
There are a lot of historic numbers when it comes to this rivalry between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. Including a pair of postseason tilts, it’s all even in the series standings (94-94-6) between these franchises that first met back in 1921. Let’s also not forget that there have been 97 champions crowned in this league dating back to 1920. And the top two organizations leading the way are the Packers (13) and Bears (9). While Green Bay last won a championship in 2010, you have to go back more than three decades since Chicago did the Super Bowl shuffle in 1985. It was Superbowl XX, and Mike Ditka’s club rolled to a 46-10 win over the New England Patriots.
But back to the modern reality of a Bears team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2010, while the Packers have made eight consecutive postseason appearances. And Mike McCarthy’s club has won 12 of the last 14 overall meetings between the clubs entering Thursday evening.
Are the Packers vulnerable?
So can John Fox's team spring a second straight upset victory?
Are these Green Bay Packers indeed vulnerable? When it comes to the men blocking up front, McCarthy’s club is short a bunch of offensive tackles - much to the chagrin of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. And to make matters worse, the other side of the football is hurting as well with defensive tackle Mike Daniels not expected to suit up.
He’s one of the better run-stopping interior defenders in the NFL, and that’s bad news when you’re preparing to stop the likes of Bears’ running backs Jordan Howard and rookie Tarik Cohen. In last Sunday’s surprising overtime win against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Soldier Field, Howard ran for 138 yards, and two scores and the Bears racked up 220 yards on the ground on 38 attempts.
Don’t be surprised if the team employs a similar strategy in this match-up. Still, it’s hard not to give the Green Bay Packers the major benefit of the doubt here.
