Packers Versus Bears, take 182

The Packers visit the Bears on Sunday, making this the NFL record 182nd meeting between the two. So these two teams might know a little bit about each other. This year in their two games they split, with each team winning at home in one score games. So who will be heading to the Super Bowl then, the red hot team in the Packers, or the stout defensive juggernaut at home?

The Bears have Soldier Field on their side, so their is a tiny victory before the game even starts. The biggest key for the Bears today will be pass protection though. The Bears may try to run the ball, show a lot of run early to keep them honest, but the Packers and everyone watching know the Bears with Jay Cutler and Mike Martz want to pass the ball. The offensive line has progressed immensely this year, but today they need to keep Cutler upright in order to win. Give Cutler time and he will make the throws necessary to give the Bears a chance to win.

Secondly, just like the Bears will try to do, the Packers will want to try and run the ball for balance, and the Bears must shut James Starks and that running game down. If they are able to do what they did all year then they should be able to eliminate the balance from the Packers offense. Knowledge is power with a defense as good as the Bears, and if you give them a solid game plan to execute they will almost always do it well. They need to pressure Aaron Rodgers, and that first step might be stopping the running game.

The Packers are as hot a team as there is, and they will be hitting on all cylinders presumably the way they are going. In order for them to win, they have to rely on games from a pair of players on each side of the ball. On the defensive side it is those two that you would look to if you are a Packers fan in Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews. The two are two of the most elite pass rushers at their positions, and if they can get to Cutler early then this game could be under the Packers control throughout.

On offense the Packers will get what is expected from Rodgers, Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. The two that will make or break this game for that offense are James Jones and Jordy Nelson. These two are going to find themselves open and getting balls thrown to them, if they can make plays and move the ball then the Packers will be in good shape. The more balls they catch early, the more open Jennings and Driver may be later in the game. Their offense is already great, if these two have solid games they will be hard to stop, even for the Bears.

This game should be a close, hard fought grudge match between two teams that do not like each other. It really is a matter of are you going with the Bears defense or the Packers offense. My head says to go with the Packers, but my heart says the Bears will step up at Soldier Field. The heart just might win out this time.

Head Prediction Packers 21 Bears 13
Heart Prediction Bears 20 Packers 14