NFL Week 14 Review of Packers win vs. Washington, NFL Week 15 Preview vs. Chicago — A twofer once more!

In yet another of our season-long "twofer" type posts, Packer fans, we are heading down the stretch of the regular season, and doing so by entering play against NFC North divisional opponents for the final 3 games.

But first, a very quick review of the game at Lambeau Field vs. Washington: the Green Bay Packers won 20-15. After getting off to a fast start, going up 14-0, the remainder of the game became a bit of a struggle offensively in terms of moving the ball consistently. More on that in a moment. Let's first acknowledge that the Packers defense once again came up big, getting takeaways that definitely helped the Pack hold on for the win. When the defense creates turnovers, the Packers win, simple as that.

But back to the offense...it's inconsistency has been, unfortunately, a season-long problem for the Packers. Despite the 10-3 record going into today's game, even QB Aaron Rodgers and head coach Matt LaFleur concur that the offense has yet to find its "identity" and at this stage of the season "what you see on film is who you are".

So, we can rejoice in the fact that, somehow, someway, through 13 games the Pack has found ways more often than not to win. There are weapons on offense, although not as many in terms of young wide receivers stepping up as was anticipated. The Packers need someone other than Davante Adams to be a consistent threat at wide receiver. Barring that, the Packers tight ends become better options in the receiving game, along with Aaron Jones who occasionally lines up as a receiver. That versatility offered by RB Aaron Jones, along with the pounding style of Jamaal Williams, makes the running game a legitimate threat each and every game.

Packers rookie left guard Elgton Jenkins has been a great fit and performer
this season along the O-line and will be counted on again today against a stout
Chicago Bears defense.
(Photo: Ronald Martinez, Getty Images)

The Preview and Prediction

Let me first of all just say that my friend, Billy Da Bearz fan, is heading to Green Bay as this is being written. He doesn't think Chicago will win, he told me yesterday, but still holds out hope that Da Bearz will somehow pull off the upset. I've always admired him for his insights. Especially, in this case, about how he doesn't expect Da Bearz to win today.

In the 200th meeting of these teams (the Packers currently lead the series, by the way, 98-95-6), in what will be a cold, 18-degree Lambeau Field, the Pack is favored by 4-1/2 points. While Chicago still has a shot at the playoffs after their 3-game win streak, the Packers have more to play for in the form of the NFC North title, playoff seeding and perhaps even a first-round bye and home field advantage through the playoffs; they'll need to win the 3 remaining games in order to have their best shot at all that.

In looking at today's game, the Packers are the healthier of the two teams, they have the better quarterback and offensive weapons (if they can all step up at the same time) and a bend-don't-break defense that is usually adept at getting pressure on the opposing quarterback and in generating turnovers. If all that holds today, the Packers will go to 11-3.

We're calling it Packers 20 - Bears 17 in yet another close game in this epic NFL series.

Go Pack Go!!!

2016 NFL Week 15: Packers vs. Bears Preview and Prediction

In what might be the coldest meeting ever between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears in their storied rivalry (think about that for a moment), the Packers look to keep their three-game winning streak going at Soldier Field today and, in the process, get to all-square in terms of wins with Da Bearz. Not wins this season, of course. Overall wins. That would be 94 each. Chicago has held the edge for the last 83 years. That ends today.

It won't be easy given the cold and the wind. The air temperature is supposed to be somewhere around zero...a degree or two either way, really, at this stage of things does it even matter? Nope. Throw in what are expected to be wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph coming off Lake Michigan and the wind chill will feel like -30.

Much of the Packers' success today against Chicago will depend
upon how long QB Aaron Rodgers can stay on the field.
Photo by Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
While these conditions are tough on one and all, they are especially so for a quarterback nursing both hamstring and calf injuries. That would be Packers QB Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers had essentially no practice this week as the choice was made to help his body recover as much as possible. But as a sign of possible uncertainty as to how much he might be able to go today -- and, even though listed as questionable on the injury report, make no mistake: Rodgers will play -- the Packers elevated QB Joe Callahan to the active roster. Brett Hundley is the backup to Rodgers. But if something were to happen to him? So, Callahan gets activated and LB Carl Bradford is released to make room.

There are many angles to today's game. But as game time fast approaches (an hour to game time!), we need to get onto the prediction. So here it is...

The Prediction
The Packers are favored by either 4-1/2 or 5-1/2 points depending upon what source you are looking at. Total-points of 38-1/2, the lowest of the weekend, means the pundits are factoring in the weather, as they should. The Packers are finding their game just in time. As long as they play the way they have the last few weeks -- last week in particular -- the Packers should win this game. But adjustments will need to be made for the cold and wind. That means more reliance, one would imagine, on the running game. Da Bearz have a legitimate running back in rookie Jordan Howard out of Indiana. The Packers? Well, we have a receiver-turned-running-back in Ty Montgomery, journeyman running back Christine Michael and FB Aaron Ripowski. Advantage, one would imagine, Chicago in this aspect of the game. But in a quarterback match up between Aaron Rodgers and Matt Barkley...c'mon...it's Rodgers...as long as he can stay on the field, of course. The Pack's defense is coming into form, finally, and that means good things today. A few turnovers should be there for the taking.

Alright, alright (and a third alright for any Matthew McConaughey fans out there), to the prediction...

We're calling it 24-13 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Week 9: Packers vs. Bears Preview and Prediction

The oldest rivalry in the NFL hits the field for the first time in the 2013 season tonight at Lambeau Field: the Green Bay Packers vs. the Chicago Bears. This will be the first Monday night game between the two teams since 1997 (or thereabouts).

There are many takes on this game.

There's a great article on the TMJ4 sports site, "Packers, Bears are franchises going in different directions." You know you are going to want to read that one. You can do so here.

There's of course the analysis, none better than by the radio Voice of the Packers, Wayne Larrivee; check that out here.

Of course, a look at how Aaron Rodgers is now "The new master of the Bears" by ESPN.com's Packers writer, Rob Demovsky, also shouldn't be missed. (By the way, did we mention that Rodgers is 8-2 during the regular season against Da Bears? The only losses came -- gulp -- on Monday night. But both of those losses were in Chicago...whew!)

Any surprises tonight? Packers WR James Jones is listed as questionable for tonight, but a report yesterday by ESPN's Adam Schefter said Jones would play. He may indeed, but we can probably expect a lot more of Jarret Boykin and Myles White than Jones, unless the game stays tight. Expect James Starks to get more carries tonight after looking good last week. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy indicated during the last few days he wanted to cut back on Eddie Lacy's carries a bit. The two running backs can make a very good one-two bunch. Look for that this evening.

Anyway, we're running out of time to get this posted so will cut to the chase.

The Packers are favored by 10 points. The over-under, according to some sources, is 51 points. Time to call it...

We're calling it 34-20 Packers. Go Pack Go!!!

Packers beat Bears 21-14 to go to Super Bowl

It was pretty at the start, ugly inbetween, and finally, thankfully, final. The Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears 21-14 at Soldier Field to capture the Halas Trophy. Next up: Super Bowl XLV and the Lombardi Trophy.

A game re-recap and comments will follow...later. Tonight...tomorrow...whenever. Early clue: defense wins championships and it was the defense that saved the day today.

But for now, let's just say the dream of the Packers winning the NFC Championship for the first times since 1997 and heading to the Super Bowl has come true.

Great job, Packers! From management, coaches and staff to the guys on the field.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers vs. Da Bearz Championship - A Dream

This is the day. Finally! The day our beloved Green Bay Packers send the Chicago Bears back to hibernation. The Pack then gets ready for Super Bowl XLV in Dallas. For those who haven't yet read my preview/prediction of yesterday, I am -- shocking! -- picking the Packers to beat Da Bearz, 24-17.

But perhaps like many fans, I didn't sleep really well last evening. Kept tossing and turning. Was very calm until then, apparently. But the excitement builds consciously and subconsciously, right? Like many, my blood pressure will start to go up as game time approaches. And I'll probably be hyperventilating throughout the game until I hear the radio voice of the Packers, Wayne Larrivee, declare, "There...is...your...dagger!"

Anyway, in my somewhat agitated sleep state of last evening, a dream came to me. And in it, I have to say I see a premonition of what's to come today. So take a look, and see if you agree...



The clues to a win for the Packers are many here: the bear is scared and up a tree; a more advanced mammal aims to take it down; a knockout shot is delivered; the bear bounces and lands on the ground with a thud (obviously representative of Jay Cutler getting sacked over and over); the bear being hauled away by a strongman (a Clay Matthews-like avatar); the reference to years of therapy being needed by the bear (referring to Bears' fans at any point in time, really) and lastly, the 6-pack comment by whats-his-name the announcer...what could be more Wisconsin?

So, that dream pretty clearly seals the deal, don't you think? The real dream, of course, begins after today's win. It's the dream of heading to the Super Bowl again and bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to where it belongs: Green Bay, Titletown, USA!

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers vs. Da Bearz Championship Preview and Prediction

This time tomorrow, we will know the outcome of the NFC Championship Game between our beloved Green Bay Packers and...those other guys...um...Eagles! No, beat them already. Umm...Falcons! No, beat them too. Let's see...I knew it a moment ago...oh yeah...the Chicago Bears. And, yes, the Pack will beat them, too. Shocked, I know, to see yours truly predicting that.

But what else can I do? The Packers are favored. Seemingly at least two-thirds of all the pundits out there are picking the Pack. But are these the only reasons? No. I'm picking the Packers to beat Da Bearz because they are, as ESPN's Jim Rome stated on his show yesterday, not only the hottest team but also the better team.

Granted, the best team doesn't always win. Enough instances of that exist across the league. And, make no mistake, Da Bears are a tough match up. These games always are a slugfest. They have some great players. And it's close enough where an ill-timed penalty, turnover or blown assignment -- or, dare I say, a shanked field goal attempt -- could be the difference in the final outcome. We just hope more of those mistakes occur on Chicago's side of things than on the Packers'.

The Packers are confident and are playing championship calibre football. Da Bearz are probably feeling a bit disrespected and will likely want to take out some of that frustration on the Pack. So it will likely be a tight game, if not throughout at least through the first half.

But if the Pack can get up early on Chicago, bottle up RB Matt Forte, and force Jay Cutler to win the game...that adds up to a win for the Pack.

I normally don't post my prediction until game day. I like to sleep on things and see how things look in the morning. But because many will be heading to the game or viewing parties then, I thought I'd post my prognostication a bit early...while still reserving the right to revise before the game, of course.

Jim Rome predicted the Packers to win 21-17. Peter King of Sports Illustrated picks the Pack 17-16. I think both of those scores for Da Bearz are in the ballpark, although I'm hoping the Pack's defense can hold Chicago to under 17, which they are completely capable of doing. I'm also hoping that the Pack's offense, particularly its running game, keeps opening things up for Aaron Rodgers and the receiving corps. It might not be the long downfield plays given the field and weather conditions. But dink and dunk will work just fine as well, and also not force the O-line into having to pass protect for those long dropbacks and long throws.

Given those assumptions, I'm taking the Packers 24-17 over Da Bearz.

Go Pack Go!!!

P.S. OK, there really wasn't much of a preview here, was there? But really, the whole week has been a preview, hasn't it? Good. Glad we cleared that up.

Packers give it away to Da Bearz

Pain and misery fill the air
Penalty flags flying everywhere.
At Soldier Field on Monday night
It was better to be a Bear.
Pardon my little poetic intro, Packer fans, but what can you say after a game like last night in ChiTown? Well, lots. And it does help to vent.

For purposes of clarity, we can borrow a lyric from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to describe and summarize the game: "Give it away, give it away, give it away, now."

With a franchise record 18 (at last count) penalties, the Packers did to themselves what Da Bearz on their own couldn't do: make them lose the game.

I was in the stands at Soldier Field last night and the game was fugly, as the expression goes. I'm sure it was just as ugly watching on TV. Except the advantage of the latter is you are not surrounded by Bearz fans. Although I must say it was an interesting experience. Other than my two Bearz' fan companions (who generously provided me with the ticket...you know who you are...and thank you again!), the range of conversation by those around us generally focused throughout the game on how lousy a QB Jay Cutler is, how Da Bearz have no offensive line or running game, how the secondary was letting Aaron Rodgers slice and dice them down the field, how much they hate head coach Lovie Smith, and...when the final seconds ticked off the clock, oh, but what a great team Da Bearz are. Yeah, right.

There was one of those in-stadium text polls during the game asking Bearz' fans to vote for which player was the team's best offensive weapon: QB Jay Cutler, WR Johnny Knox and two others I don't recall. Toward the end of the game, the results were posted. Knox got about 43 percent of the vote. Cutler? He got 5 percent. Five percent! Where's the love for your QB, Bearz fans? A bit of an insight there into Bearz fans...yes, I know, it's a scary thing to contemplate. But believe me, it's even scarier to see in person. Yikes!

Anyway...on this night, yes, Da Bearz got a "W" courtesy of great special teams' performance -- where I had given Da Bearz the edge in my preview -- and Packers' penalties. The best offense Da Bearz had going for them was the Packers' penalties. Missed opportunities abounded. A touchdown pass was taken off the scoreboard because of a penalty. At least two interceptions were overturned because of penalties. A blocked field goal, and two big punt returns -- including the one for a TD -- were unexcusible breakdowns.

The old saying about shooting oneself in the foot applies very well to this game. But the Packers didn't rely on just one six-shooter to do themselves in. They had three of 'em to do the job: 18 penalties. Mind blowing. Game losing.

"Give it away, give it away, give it away, now."

I had predicted a close game with a final score of 24-20 Packers. For the third straight week I got the score of the winning team correct. Unfortunately, last night it was Da Bearz 20-17 over the Pack. If James Jones had protected the ball on the sideline and not fumbled it's quite possible the Pack could have driven down and gotten that 24-20 victory I predicted. Even Bearz fans around me were bemoaning the fact that Da Bearz' defense couldn't stop the Packers. The only thing that could stop the Pack last night was themselves. And they did. Over and over and over.

"Give it away, give it away, give it away, now."

In my preseason preview I indicated that the Pack would lose a game they should have won within the first six games. This was that one.

Da Bearz sit atop not only the NFC North but the NFC as a whole. For the moment. They are not, at this point, a good team despite the record. But on this night, they did what they needed to do to come out with a win. The Packers just couldn't get out of their own way.

"Give it away, give it away, give it away, now."

The good news is that the Detroit Lions visit Lambeau Field on Sunday. Just what the doctor ordered for the Packers to help put this miserable showing behind them.

Packers vs. Da Bearz pre-preview: the rivalry

Yes, folks, this is the pre-preview of the showdown in ChiTiown between our beloved Green Bay Packers and Da Bearz. So, it's a bit general yet, sorry.

What we do know right now is that whichever team wins this game (and, really, is there any doubt as to which that will be...c'mon!) will be sitting atop the NFC North. That will be a great place to be. It will open up some space between the top dog and, espcially, the ViQueens. We have to anticipate that at some point Ol' #4's in-season training camp will click in and the 'Queens will start to win a few...beginning, most likely, today in the Humpty Dump versus the Lions.

But back to the game of most importance...

This will be the 180th meeting between the Pack and Da Bearz, the oldest rivalry in the NFL. Somehow, Da Bearz lead the overall series 90-82 with 6 ties. The battles through the years have been furious. There have been cheap shots delivered by players on both teams. The story is told by some Glory Years' Packers that the rivalry between Vince Lombardi and Papa Bear George Hallas was so intense that one game, 5 minutes before kickoff, Hallas marched into the Packers' locker room, went up to Lombardi, and reportedly said, "You better have your team ready to play," or something along those lines. Can you imagine that happening today between two coaches? These days, they're just more likely not to shake hands after a game. It's all gotten way too civil, hasn't it?

Most of the players on both sides today just don't have a sense for the nature and intensity of the rivalry. Players who are asked about the rivalrly by the media generally say it's more a rivalry for the fans than the players who see it as another game. Even Bears TE Greg Olsen was saying nice things about the Packers' defense this week. As St. Vince might say about stuff like that, "What the hell's goin' on out there!". Indeed.

That's why, at least in Green Bay, head coach Mike McCarthy makes it a point to talk to the players, especially the new arrivals, about the history between these two teams, what the rivalry has meant down through the years, the players who have played on both sides of the ball, and especially what it means to the fans. As fans -- and apparently at least some players -- are well aware, the mantra is always this: no matter whether or not you win any other games during the season, beat Da Bearz.

Yes, perhaps over the past decade or two the intensity of rivalry has picked up between the Pack and the 'Queens. For some fans, this has even surpassed the Packers-Bearz rivalry. And that's especially true now with Ol' #4 betraying all things Green 'n' Gold by wearing that funky purple. (It still boggles the mind, doesn't it???)

But given that tomorrow evening, both the Packers and Da Bearz meet at 2-0 with the division lead at stake you just know this will be one of those old fashioned smash-mouth football games.

The Pack is currently favored by 3 points. We'll make our prediction tomorrow by mid-day. You already know we're going to call this game in favor of the Pack. Just need to figure out the score prediction yet.

Go Pack Go!!!

Not related to football at all

How's that for truth in advertising?

But, yes, with the smackdown in ChiTown coming up Monday night between our beloved Green Bay Packers and Da Bearz -- yours truly will be in attendance, by the way -- I am taking a moment to talk about something else: Farm Aid.

This is the 25th anniversary year for this venerable organization, known to most as that outfit comprised of Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and, lately, Dave Matthews, that puts on a concert every year. But, oh, dear reader, it has done and is doing so much more for the family farmer and for the quality of food we each shove down our pieholes every day.

Next weekend, Saturday, Oct. 2 to be exact, the big concert takes place at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI. It's the first time the fundraising concert extravaganza has found its way to America's Dairyland. Why it took so long, who knows? But it's arrived...better late than never.

Anyway, I've added a banner link for the Farm Aid website in the righthand column of this blog...which, if you haven't perused things over there lately or at all, I encourage you to do so. Lots of good things there: you can subscribe to the RSS feed of this blog, send the URL to a friend, follow things here on Twitter, go to the PackerFansUnited.com store to find cool stuff for yourself or others, and get info about organizations worthy of your consideration.

But back to Farm Aid. Having grown up on a farm myself, you might well expect that I'd have a fondness for the family farm. And you'd be right. Like many whose career path led them away from the farm, I still am concerned about the sad state of things for the small farmer these days. But what to do? Well, you can find resources on the Farm Aid website for starters. You can look for opportunities to buy locally: your fruits and veggies, as well as meat, poultry, eggs, and so on. Check out the farmers' markets which might pop up once or twice a week in your neighborhood, depending upon the time of year.

In fact, there is a term which is starting to be used for those folks who prefer to eat locally grown/produced food: locavore. Who knew? While this blog is read by folks all across the globe (true!), for those who might be around the small southeastern Wisconsin city of Delavan on Saturday, Oct. 16, you can even attend a LocaFest from 1-3 p.m. where you can taste local wines, cheeses (this is Wisconsin, after all), breads and more, as well as see a movie about the locavore movement. It's all happening at 104 E. Walworth St. in Delavan. If you leave hungry, it's your own fault.

So, in closing, thanks for allowing me to go off-topic a bit. We'll get back to the business of the Pack vs. Da Bearz shortly. For now, please consider supporting Farm Aid and your local farmers any way you can. We need them around.

Packers - Bears Preview

In honor of Chicago's very own Al Bundy, we will begin this post by stating that this is something like the bajillionith meeting between the two teams in the NFL's oldest rivalry, the Packers and Da Bearz. And while Chicago's head coach is perhaps on the chopping block at the end of this season, one feather in his cap has been his 7-4 record against the Pack since being named coach. That record will get a bit closer to .500 today.

Da Bearz best defensive performance of this season came in the first game against the Packers. Which they still lost. Since then, it's been a steady downhill slide. Losing their defensive leader in that game for the season, LB Brian Urlacher, was the start of it. DT Tommy Harris has been battling a knee injury, as has been LB Lance Briggs. Both are expected to play today. On offense, Da Bearz somehow were about the only remaining team in the league who thought Orlando Pace could still be effective at left tackle. Ooops.

The supposed weapons Da Bearz pulled together on offense, primarily Devin Hester, Greg Olsen, Matt Forte and the second Mistake on the Lake, Jay Cutler, haven't clicked. As Jerry Seinfeld might say, "That's a shame."

Now, don't get me wrong. These guys are capable of making plays. Cutler is no doubt looking for some retribution after his abysmal start against the Pack in Game #1 where he threw 4 interceptions and had a passer rating nearly as low as todays' game time temperature. Expect him to try to go after CB Tramon Williams who, despite the penalty flag parade in Monday's game, has actually performed very well, as this article relates. If Cutler somehow isn't being pressured and is able to get into a rhythm he can definitely slice and dice a defense. But that's doubtful today.

It's also quite possible veteran center Olin Kreutz might have taken it a bit personally when Packers rookie NT B. J. Raji, who will start if Ryan Pickett is unable to go with his bad hamstring, said he wasn't too impressed by Kreutz' strength. As you might well imagine, this has been quite the fodder in Chicago. Perhaps not the best time for Mr. Raji to say such things. So let's see how all that plays out today.

Da Bearz' special teams are obviously superior to those of the Packers, at least in terms of execution. But that's about all Da Bearz have going for them.

The weather shouldn't be a factor today. It will actually be a rather balmy 35 degrees according to the forecast. So the Packers should be able to run and pass just as they have been doing all season. The Packers beat Da Bearz in just about every statistical category imaginable. But the game isn't played on paper (think Tampa Bay). The Pack has to show up and do what they are capable of doing. And there's nothing sweeter than beating Da Bearz up and down Lake Shore Drive.

The spread has the Pack favored by 4. Not surprisingly, I'm taking the Packers...and by more than 4. Packers 27 - Da Bearz 17.

Go Pack Go!!!

By the way, just on a personal note, my good friend Billy Da Bearz Fan, did generously invite me to go to this game today, for which I thanked him. I also had to respectfully decline his invitation. I just hate to see a grown man cry. Especially for a couple hours on the drive home. Even more so since he'd be driving.

A Reader Link: "Give 'em the meat hook!"

As the first lines of a blog entry by a Packer Fans United reader note, "A recent online poll showed Wisconsin football fans were evenly split between the Bears and the Colts. This is deeply disturbing."

Indeed.

As his father apparently used to shout at the TV during those grand ol' Packers-Da Bearz games of the 1960s, "Give 'em the meat hook!" While acknowledging that he really has no idea what exactly his dad meant by that, it still seems worthy of consideration by all good Packer fans everywhere. And the best part is, it can still be applied even when the team playing Da Bearz isn't the Packers. In this case, the Colts can "give 'em the mean hook!" What a concept!

To get the full impact of the idea (as well as an amusing sidebar from the Stevens Point Journal managing editor -- and Da Bearz fan -- who rejected its submittal for publication), click here.

Packers vs. Da Bearz: An Early Perspective

Like many Packers fans, the NFL's switch of game time for the regular season finale from noon to 7:15 p.m. on Sunday means in all likelihood I will not be able to see this game. New Year's Eve plans were made with a noon start in mind. The switch to prime time basically killed the viewing of the game for many fans. News reports this a.m. indicated that Da Bearz fans are unloading their tickets as a result of the time change. Even if the game means nothing to Da Bearz in terms of their playoff position, and even though Da Bearz fans are known for being a bit fickle, it's still the Pack vs. Da Bearz. The fact that apparently so many are trying to unload their tickets means that people made other plans counting on a noon start time.

The biggest problem with all this, of course, is the speculation that this could be Brett Favre's last game. Many fans who would like to watch -- just in case -- are out of luck unless they run out and get a Tivo or tape the game. Either way, not quite the same. And the game is also an important one, of course, because the Pack is still playing for a playoff spot. If the Packers win and the Giants lose -- which is a distinct possibility given their recent play and the fact that Michael Strahan has apparently been placed on injured reserve -- they stand a good shot at the playoffs. According to an article on AOL Sports: "If New York loses, then the Packers would need a win, coupled with either a Rams loss, Panthers win or Falcons win to reach the postseason. If New York wins, Green Bay could remain mathematically alive to win a strength of victory tiebreaker with the Giants, but would need an elaborate, unlikely combination of results from around the league to make that happen."

At the time of this posting, Da Bearz are favored by 3 points. Over the course of his career, Favre is 21-8 against Chicago. Brett has had a couple of mediocre games lately, despite being able to pull out three straight wins. I would count on Brett to have a big game. He's due. Plus, he may be going against Da Bearz' reserves for much of the game. Another lesser known aspect to this game, as reported in an article in today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, is the incentive running back Ahman Green has. Read: cash. He only needs 12 yards to hit the 1,000-yard season marker, his sixth, surpassing Jim Taylor's long-standing record of five such seasons as a Packer. He's already earned $500,000 for hitting the 950-yard provision that was part of his one-year contract. But, if he can rush for 162 yards against Da Bearz, and finish with 1,150 yards for the season, Green can cart off another $500,000. Is it possible? Playing against Chicago's back ups, sure. Is it probable? Probably not. Still, you have to admire the way Green came back off that serious thigh injury of last year. He's playing for some extra cash in this game, he's playing to help the team get to the playoffs, and he's playing for his future, either re-signing with the Packers or moving to another team in the off-season.

The prediction: Packers 17, Da Bearz 10.

So, Packer fans, in the likely event that any additional pre-game postings may not occur here, and that a post-game review might be a few days after the fact, I wish you all a very Happy New Year. I hope you are able to watch the game and cheer the Packers to a victory. Cheer hard! You'll be rooting for all those fans who can only wish that the NFL hadn't pulled this last-minute switcheroo.

Go Pack Go!!!