The Packers and Bears split their two games during the regular season and now pro football’s most historic rivalry will move into the playoffs. It’ll be just the second playoff match-up between the two teams in their long history. 1941 is when the only other meeting took place, a 33-14 Chicago victory.
The Packers had to beat the Bears in the regular season finale to get into the playoffs and Chicago, having nothing to gain, still played their starters throughout. Packers guard TJ Lang said to me, “The Bears tried to keep them out of the playoffs and failed. Now they’re going to pay.”
The Packers have had to win a pair of playoff road games to get to the NFC Championship game, while the Bears had a first round bye and then beat Seattle last week to advance and set up this historic match-up.
It took roughly 70 years to go from the last playoff meeting to this one. Who knows how long it’ll be before it happens again? That’s what makes this match-up even more special.
This match-up is more for the fans then the players. Many players admit there’s no hate towards the opposition, just a general dislike once the game is underway. But the fans, they live and breathe Packers/Bears. They have so much emotion tied into this match-up, that it’ll be difficult for the loser to get over anytime soon.
This is for ultimate bragging rights, for the right to play in the Super Bowl. The fans of the winning team won’t let the losers off the hook very easy at all.
Fans are dishing out more than $600 a pop for tickets to this one. A small price to pay to watch your team win and advance to Dallas for the Super Bowl. But it’s also a bitter pill for the loser.
The Packers are favored by 3-points at the moment, but this one will likely go right down to the wire, in a game that will be remembered long after it’s conclusion.