Stats to Ponder Tonight
When the Packers and the Bears close out the NFL’s regular season with another installment of their decades-long rivalry tonight, many eyes will be on Green Bay QB Brett Favre. Consider the following statistics:
1. Favre won 21 of his first 26 starts against the Bears, but has lost the last three.
2. Favre has not thrown a touchdown pass against the Bears in these last three games, but has thrown 51 against the Bears, which is the most he’s thrown against any team.
3. The Bears lead the all-time series 87-78 with 6 ties.
These are just a few small pieces of trivia to keep in mind when you watch this age-old rivalry unfold tonight. If you want to see the Bears live, head to StubHub.com.
Bears vs. Packers Now Comes Down to Pride
Although the executives at NBC were no doubt disappointed that the Giants beat the Redskins Saturday night, thus rendering the Bears/Packers game tonight all but meaningless in terms of playoff implications, fans could still be in for a very good show as they get set to ring in the New Year.
There are several sub-plots still brewing in the NFL’s oldest and most storied rivalry. Will this be Brett Favre’s last game? Can the Packers close the all-time series lead that Chicago currently holds? Can the Bears go into the playoffs on a high note? Will the game be a revenge game for Green Bay? Will this game have an effect on 2007?
Overall, though, this game should be watched simply for the rivalry/dislike aspect, as these teams have been battling each other for the better part of 80+ years. If you’d like to find Bears tickets like these, head to StubHub.com.
Bears Need to be Smart with Tillman
As the Bears prepare for the playoffs by playing out the string against Green Bay tomorrow night, they need to make sure, above all else, that they are healthy in a couple of weeks when their games begin to really count once again. Perhaps the biggest key to their postseason success is the return to health of CB Charles Tillman, as his presence will solidify the secondary.
Tillman has been out for awhile, and he’s one of many in the defensive backfield who have missed time. He’ll most likely miss the game tomorrow night, but he hopes to be back and 100% for the playoffs. That should almost be seen as a requirement if Bears fans want the chance to purchase Super Bowl tickets for the first time since the 1985 season.
Don’t Overlook Bears’ Offense
As the Bears look to end the Packers’ season and head into the playoffs primed for a run towards the Super Bowl, the national, general notion of the Bears is that they’re a team led by a dominant defense and top-notch special teams unit that typically overcomes an anemic offense.
However, a look at the Bears’ season shows that this is not the case. Despite all the well-chronicled struggles of QB Rex Grossman, the Bears’ offense has quietly had a very good statistical year. None other than a Packers’ daily newspaper has taken note of the fact that only the San Diego Chargers score more on average than the Bears, which means that anyone who goes into a playoff game in Chicago had better be ready for a team that can score.
The entire country will get a look not only at the Bears’ offense tomorrow night, but also their depth, as the team has a backup QB in Brian Griese that can step in and lead the team to scores. There’s still time to get Bears tickets to the game from StubHub, so start your New Year’s Eve celebration right with a traditional battle in the Windy City.
Bears looking to finish Favre’s Season
This weekend’s game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers is by-and-large meaningless for the Bears. The Bears are already going to the playoffs with the Number 1 seed in the NFC. Chicago Bears Playoff Tickets cost anywhere from $140 and up. As long as the Bears stay healthy and avoid any unwanted injuries, cool. So they don’t need a W. And they don’t need any heroics. But many Bears fans are looking to this game as THE GAME where the Bears will put an end to the career of Brett Favre.
The rivalry between the Bears and the Packers dates back to the 1920s. The Bears humiliated the Packers in the season-opener in Green Bay with a 26-to-nothing stomping. So the Packers are coming into this weekend with a vendetta, and Bears coach Lovie Smith said he’s not going to go easy on the Packers.
Bears’ Defense Motivated to Dominate Green Bay
As the Bears head towards the playoffs, they feel that they have a few “housecleaning” issues to handle to make sure they’re primed for a run towards the Super Bowl. In fact, Brian Urlacher isn’t happy at all with the way the defense has played, and he wants to make sure the vaunted Bears’ D gets back on track on Sunday night against the Packers.
If the Bears’ defense can get back to the level at which it was playing early in the season, they’ll be awfully tough to beat in the NFC, as the road to the Super Bowl runs through Soldier Field. Fans are ready to back their team, and Chicago Bears tickets are sold out for Sunday’s game and for the playoffs. Of course, you can work with StubHub to find what you need and to watch this potentially-historic team make its mark.
Chicago Bears Playoff Prospects
The Chicago Bears will take on the Green Bay Packers this weekend in their regular season finale. Arguably, members of the team and Chicago Bears fans are already looking past this game to the upcoming post-season. With the best record in the NFC, the Bears will enjoy a bye-week and home field advantage through the playoffs. Fans can buy Chicago Bears Playoff Tickets through Stubhub.com. Tickets to the NFC Divisional game cost anywhere from $140 to $2,942. In the event that the Chicago Bears make it to the NFC Championship, fans can pick up tickets for anywhere from $150 to $5,000.
While the Bears are still the favorites to win the NFC Championship, they are not going into the playoffs on the right foot. Sure, they beat the Detroit Lions last weekend, but barely. The Bears defense has slipped from first to fifth in the last four weeks with opponents’ yards per game jumping from 261.1 to 288.9. The Lions had 327 total yards against the Bears. With Rex Grossman still struggling and the defense showing signs of fatigue (and injury), the Bears look vulnerable going into the playoffs. Though this weekend’s game against the Packers is, all things considered, meaningless for the Bears, the Packers and Brett Favre may still be in contention for a wildcard spot.
QB Issues?
As the Bears basically play out the string by finishing their last regular season game, Bears fans have to wonder if Chicago Bears tickets will have them watching Rex Grossman or Brian Griese in the playoffs. Grossman was in serious danger of losing his job just a few weeks ago, but has played better recently. However, in a meaningless game against the Lions, Griese came in and led the Bears to a win.
Does this pose a potential problem? Probably not, as this is the playoffs we’re talking about, so it’s not as if there will be several games to use for a decision. As everyone knows, it’s one-and-done if you don’t perform, so the Bears aren’t going to hem and haw over who takes the snaps from center.
Lovie Smith appears to be handling this well. He’s sticking with Grossman, who hasn’t been the turnover machine he was in the middle of the season in recent games. However, Grossman will also be on a short leash. If he is turning it over too often, Bears fans will see Griese in the playoffs, as the Bears can not afford to suffer through a six-turnover game from their QB - that could end their season prematurely.
However, one thing to watch for on Sunday night against the Packers, who at this point have everything to play for - what happens if Grossman plays poorly and Griese comes in and lights up the Packers? Does Lovie have a problem on his hands then? Stay tuned.
Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers
The Chicago Bears will host the Green Bay Packers on December 31 at Soldiers Field in Chicago. Chicago Bears Tickets to the game cost anywhere from $35 to $50,000 through Stubhub.com. This is the Bears final home game of the season and given that the Bears are guaranteed home field advantage through the playoffs, one has to begin to ask what the philosophy should be going into this game. Do you start your best players and crush the Packers, keeping them from going to the playoffs and ending Favre’s career on a downer? Or, do you play your second string to keep your starters healthy for the post-season? Da Bears Blog says to hell with caution, play the starters. “These are the Packers. For ten years they’ve stomped on us while #4 basically set passing records in soldiers Field.”
The troubling thing about the win against the Detroit Lions was that it was close. The Bears defense, which had all of its starters, basically let the Lions march up and down the field as they saw fit and was just barely able to hold on for the win. While the Bears have yet to announce their plans for this weekend’s game against the Packers, it remains that the however much Grossman has struggled all season, the Bears keep winning. Now, facing the prospect of finish 14-2 and knocking the Packers out of the playoffs, the question to ask is: Is finishing the season 14-2 worth the gamble of hurting the starters?
Chicago Bears Defeat Detroit Lions
The Chicago Bears managed to rally in the fourth quarter to put up another check in the W column, topping the Detroit Lions by a score of 26 to 21. The Chicago Bears have one home game remaining in the regular season. It will be on December 31 against the Green Bay Packers and fans can still get Chicago Bears Tickets for anywhere from $35 to $50,000 through Stubhub.com.
As the Chicago Bears get themselves ready for the playoffs, this one had some promising signs. Rex Grossman completed 20 of 36 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown. He was then pulled from the game and replaced by Griese who completed 6 of 9 passes for 51 yards. The savoir in this game was Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould who connected for three field goals in the fourth quarter to salvage a win for the Bears. With 12:21 remaining in the game, Gould brought the Bears to within a point of the Lions. He then connected for two more, from 39 yards and 44 yards to secure the win.
The odd thing about this game is that both the Bears and the Lions had nothing riding on the outcome. The Bears came into the game 12-2 and the Lions came into the game 2-12. The Bears are in the playoffs. The Lions are not. Ultimately, what the Bears need to do now is just stay healthy.