If you ask a Chicago Bears fan who their biggest rivalry is with in the NFL, the answer will always be the Green Bay Packers. The Bears have played in the same division as the Packers since 1933, and the rivalry actually dates back to 1920. Chicago won the first ever fixture between the two sides in 1921, where they ran out 20-0 winners. Since then, there have been 201 matches between the two sides so far, with the Bears winning 95 of those games.
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Now, the rivals are due to play each other in Week 17, the final fixture of the 2020 regular season. Based on current form, the Packers are likely to be the bookies favorite. At bonusfinder, a site which lists all you need to know about online gambling, you can find a list of bookies with available odds on the game, such as bet365, who have Green Bay at +265.00 to win the NFC. After losing their last three games against the Packers, the Bears will be looking to return to winning ways.
With the big rivalry game coming up, let’s take the opportunity to look back at some of the most memorable recent victories for the Chicago Bears against the Packers.
September 10, 2006: Bears 26, Packers 0
Every team is always looking to get off to a good start in the opening game of the season. Back in 2006, the opening game couldn’t have gone much worse for the Green Bay Packers. The Bears would end up winning the game 26-0, which meant that Packers quarterback Brett Favre was shut out for the first time in his career. It was also the first time the Packers had been shut out in over a decade.
November 4, 2013: Bears 27 Packers 20
This win for the Bears back in 2013 was significant for ending a six-game losing streak against the Packers. It was already an uphill battle for Chicago before the game had even started, as first-choice quarterback Jay Cutler was sidelined with a groin injury. Aaron Rodgers, the Packers star quarterback, wouldn’t play much of a part either after he was injured in the first drive of the game. Thankfully for the Bears, back up quarterback Josh McCown threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns, which helped drive the Bears towards a 27-20 victory.
December 16, 2018: Bears 24, Packers 17
There was a lot on the line when the Bears took on the Packers in Week 15 of the 2018 season. A win for the Bears would guarantee them the NFC North title, whilst a win for the Packers would keep their slim playoff hopes alive. There was also much pride at stake, as the two sides had met previously in the same season during Week 1, in a match where the Packers pulled off a remarkable 17 point fourth-quarter comeback win. However, it was the Bears that had the last laugh, putting in a dominant defensive display in the Week 15 bout, which led to them winning the game 24-17.
The history between these two sides makes the upcoming clash one to look forward to. The Bears will be hoping to close the gap on the Packers in the series overall and will be looking to end their current losing streak against their closest rivals.