Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers
Written by: Daniel Collins
Last Updated: Thu Mar 25, 2021, 18:10 PM
Read Time: 6 minutes
The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are two of the most storied franchises in the National Football League, and they also have one of the best rivalries in professional sports. It’s hard to think about the NFL without talking about the Bears and Packers, and they are two of the oldest football franchises in the world. The Bears and Packers can lay claim to having the most-played rivalry in NFL history, and the two teams are consistently competing against each other for the division crown. The play on the field is always intense when these two teams meet up, but the rivalry from the fans might surpass the hatred of both teams. The states of Illinois and Wisconsin have developed a terrific rivalry through the years, but the Bears and Packers are at the forefront. Green Bay and Chicago are two of the best sports towns in the country, and they absolutely love their football teams. Odds are that this rivalry will continue to grow in the future, but the past has produced some legendary games already.
History of Bears vs. Packers
The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have been competing against each other since the 1921 season. They have met every season since except for in 1982, when a strike shortened the season and didn’t allow for these two rivals to meet up. Chicago and Green Bay have combined to win 22 NFL Championships, and the Hall of Fame is littered with former Bears and Packers players. The Bears have traditionally dominated this rivalry, but the Packers moved past the Bears in 2017 in the all-time series standings. Chicago and Green Bay have played 198 times since 1921, and the Packers hold a slim 97-95-6 lead over the Bears. Remarkably, the Bears and Packers have met just twice in the postseason, and they have split those two games. Chicago once led the all-time series by 24 games in both 1960 and 1992, but the Packers have closed the gap quickly.
The Chicago Bears are the winningest franchise in NFL history, and they also have the most former players in the Hall of Fame. The team was founded in 1920 and actually got their start as the Decatur Staleys. The team moved to Chicago one season later, and in 1922 they officially became known as the Chicago Bears. Legendary coach George Halas was the first owner of the Chicago Bears, and the team’s headquarters are named Halas Hall. The Bears won eight NFL Championships by 1963, but they haven’t been as successful without Halas in the fold. The
1985 Bears are one of the most famous teams in professional sports history as they were known for their “Super Bowl Shuffle” and outstanding defense. Throughout the years, the Bears have been one of the best defensive teams, but running back Walter Payton is the best player to ever wear a Bears uniform. The Bears were NFC North Division Champions in 2018 and will be a popular preseason pick to win it again in 2019.
The Green Bay Packers were founded as an independent team in 1919, but they joined the NFL in 1921. Curly Lambeau was one of the original founders, and the Packers play their home games at Lambeau field to this day. Former Packers head coach Vince Lombardi is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in NFL history, and he led Green Bay to great success. Green Bay is the smallest market of any professional sports franchise, and they are the only community-owned professional sports team in American sports. The Packers are routinely a part of the Super Bowl preseason predictions, but they have won just two Super Bowls in team history. Some of the most famous NFL players to ever play have played for the Packers, including Paul Hornung and Bart Starr.
Head to Head Analysis of Bears vs. Packers
The Chicago Bears have struggled to beat the Green Bay Packers since Aaron Rodgers took over the quarterback duties in Green Bay. Looking at the last 20 games between the Bears and Packers will take us back to December 13, 2009, and a playoff game is thrown into the mix in 2011. The Packers have gone 16-4 in the last 20 games against the Bears, including their lone playoff win against Chicago. Green Bay has rattled off both six- and five-game winning streaks in the past 20 games, but the Bears did win the last meeting between the rivals on December 16, 2018. Odds are that the Bears will eventually regain control of this rivalry, but the Packers have been the best pick since the 2009 season. The Packers have gone 7-2 against the Bears at Lambeau Field in Green Bay and have also gone 9-2 against their rival at Soldier Field in Chicago. Green Bay has been the better prediction in recent years, but plenty of people will pick the Bears in the upcoming seasons.
Just looking at the winner of the last 20 games between the Packers and Bears doesn’t tell the whole story of this rivalry. We also need to look at the results based on point spread and the line for total points for each game. The Green Bay Packers have been the favorite in 19 of the last 20 games against the Bears, with Chicago being the favorite in the last matchup between the rivals. The Packers went 13-6 against the spread as the favorite, which is an example of their dominance with Rodgers at quarterback. The Bears had a line of -6.0 in the most previous matchup and were able to cover the spread with a 24-17 victory. The other thing to look at in this rivalry is the odds for total points. The Bears and Packers have combined to go “under” the point total 11 of the last 20 games, but they have also gone over nine times. Green Bay has been the best pick on the money line and against the spread as the favorite, but the Bears haven’t always made it easy on their rivals.
A Glance at Postseason Success in Bears vs. Packers
The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have combined to win 22 league championships, but the Packers have done most of the heavy lifting. The Packers have won 13 league championships while the Bears have won just nine. Chicago has won more division championships than their rival, winning the division 21 times while Green Bay has won just 18. Green Bay has made 32 playoff appearances in team history, while the Bears have qualified just 26 times. There is a reason that these are two of the most storied franchises in NFL history, and odds are that this will always be the case.
Bears vs. Packers Rivalry Outlook
The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears are both ramping up, and hopes are high that both teams could make a serious play for the Super Bowl in the coming seasons. The fierce rivalry will undoubtedly continue, and it will be exciting to watch a rapidly-strengthening Bears team take on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
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