Packers' Playoff Berth Lies in Bears' Hands

By Angie Wiatrowski in Miscellaneous on Jan 2, 2011 8:00PM

It's one of Chicago’s most heated rivalries and the Bears have a playoff spot in the bag. So what do they have to play for? How about sending Green Bay packing and out of the playoffs?

The Monsters of the Midway have clinched their third NFC North title in six seasons and secured a first-round playoff bye heading into the final week of the regular season. The Packers need to beat the Bears to stay alive in the playoffs, or go to extremes. For instance, a loss would require the Giants to lose to Washington and Tampa Bay to fall to New Orleans. In that case, Green Bay would win a three-way tiebreaker at 9-7 over the Buccaneers and Giants. I’m pretty sure they don’t want to go that route.

The Bears will visit Lambeau Field where the Packers are 6-1 and have outscored opponents 124-40 in wining their last three at home. Chicago may still have some tricks up their sleeves and definitely won’t make it easy for Green Bay to hang on. Matt Forte is averaging 5.7 yards per carry over the last five games, and is only 22 yards shy of reaching 1,000 for the first time since his 2008 rookie season.

Quarterback Jay Cutler has also become a threat, compiling a 104.2 rating while completing 60.7 percent of his passes for 1,042 yards with 11 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.

Each of the last four Bears-Packers meetings has been decided by 6 points or fewer, with each team winning twice. The Bears won the season’s first meeting 20-17 in Week 3. Another interesting tidbit to add, the Bears have a chance to have, for the first time since 1995, a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver in the same season.

Now the question arises, what’s the better scenario? Is it more thrilling to eliminate Green Bay now or have them reach the playoffs and take deny their northern rivals of a championship? Interesting tidbit No. 2: since the end of World War II, the Bears and Packers have reached the playoffs just twice in the same year. Both teams were wildcards in 1994, and in 2001 the Packers earned a wild-card berth behind the NFC Central champion Bears. Both teams suffered losses in the divisional playoffs both years. What does that say? Bear down Chicago, and Packers be prepared, the Monsters of the Midway are about to invade Green Bay.