Packers visit Bears in NFC North Winner Takes All
The final week of the NFL regular season has arrived with a number of great matchups with playoff implications on the line. One of those games features the Green Bay Packers visiting the Chicago Bears with the winner becoming the NFC North champion and the loser eliminated from postseason play.
Green Bay enters the game with an overall record of 7-7-1 SU and 6-9 ATS. On the road, the Packers are 3-4. Chicago is 8-7 SU and 4-10-1 ATS. At home this season, the Bears are 5-2.
Christmas came late for Green Bay, nonetheless Santa was good to the Packers as he gave the team a healthy Aaron Rodgers. The team announced on Thursday that Rodgers was cleared to play and would start against Chicago on Sunday afternoon.
Last Sunday, Rodgers sat out his seventh consecutive game and Green Bay lost 38-31 in the snow to Pittsburgh. The loss put Green Bay near elimination, but the Bears were routed later than night by Philadelphia 54-11 to set up the winner take all game for the NFC North crown today.
With a win, Green Bay wins its third consecutive division title. Rodgers gives the Packers the best chance to win even though he has not played for seven games.
Prior to his injury Rodgers had thrown 15 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions in the team’s first 7 games. During his absence, three quarterbacks started for the Packers, with Matt Flynn starting the past four straight games. Rodgers’ replacements in eight games recorded 8 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Randall Cobb one of Green Bay’s top receivers was also reactivated for the game. Cobb has been out since mid October with a fractured fibula.
Clay Matthews the Packers star linebacker however will not play. He re-fractured his right thumb on Sunday after making a sack and will be in street clothes for today’s matchup. Matthews will be replaced by Mike Neal.
The absence of Matthews brings a smile to the face of Jay Cutler the Bears starting quarterback. He did not play in the first game between the two teams, which was won by Chicago 27-20, due to a groin injury.
Cutler’s record against the Packers is a dismal 1-8 including a loss at home three seasons ago in the NFC Championship game 21-14. Cutler left that game early due to suffering a knee injury.
The Bears had their worst performance of the season last Sunday night against Philadelphia. They were behind 21-0 after just the first quarter and ended with only 257 total yards on offense for the game.
The Packers hope rookie running back Eddie Lacy will recover from his ankle injury to play today. The Packers will look to exploit the weak link in the Chicago defense, which is a poor defense against the run.
The Bears are giving up 161 yards a game on the ground, which is the worst in the NFL. Last Sunday, the Eagles rushed for 289 yards against Chicago, which is the second highest total any team in the league has had this season. The Bears allow 5.4 yards a carry to opponents, which is the worst average since the Minnesota Vikings in 1961.
Green Bay will face a tough explosive offensive unit for Chicago. Alshon Jeffrey and Brandon Marshall have 180 receptions, 2,560 yards and 18 touchdowns between them.
