Packers vs. Da Bearz Championship Week - Part 1

In what will likely be a rolling set of posts as mood, news, time and interest permit, here is the first installment of the NFC Championship week previewing the matchup between our beloved Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears.

According to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, three bookmakers – Sportsbook.com, Bookmaker.com and betED.com – have the early line on the Packers set as three-point favorites over Da Bearz. That's a good start.

Perhaps they are wondering, along with many Bears fans, no doubt, which Jay Cutler will show up: The good Jay (not bad yesterday during the win over the Seahawks...but it was the Seahawks, after all) or the bad Jay?

On the other hand, Packers fans have no such worries. We know we have not only a good quarterback, but a great quarterback: Aaron Rodgers. But don't take my word for it. When you have Hall of Fame QB Troy Aikman commenting during the broadcast of the Pack's de-icing of Matty "Ice" Ryan Saturday night that if he was starting a football team right now he'd pick Rodgers as his QB, that speaks volumes. And then Da Coach himself -- Mike Ditka -- states on ESPN that in his roughly 50 years of football he's never seen a better individual playoff performance by anyone than what he witnessed from Rodgers versus the Falcons. So...there's a couple pretty reliable testimonials for you. Haven't heard anyone saying anything similar about Cutler. Of course, a beat down on him by the Pack this coming Sunday will make sure that trend continues.

This is the thing dreams are made of. The oldest rivalry in the NFL. Storied franchises. Border wars. Friends and families with split loyalties. It doesn't get better than this. In many ways, this game will make the Super Bowl almost anticlimactic. Almost.

Go Pack Go!