Another chapter, number 201 as a matter of fact, will be written in the NFL’s oldest rivalry story Sunday night at Lambeau Field when the Green Bay Packers meet up once again with the Chicago Bears. For the record, Green Bay leads the all-time regular season series 98-94-6, throw in the 1-1 split from the 1941 Western Division playoff and the 2010 NFC Championship and the Packers can grab win number 100 this weekend.
The 7-3 Packers can also put a stranglehold on this year’s NFC North race over the second place, 5-5 Bears, building a three game lead with just five to play including the season ending rematch at Soldier Field.
But the tundra hasn’t been very kind to the home team in each of the past two home games, the listless 28-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and the much harder than it should have been victory over the 1 win Jacksonville Jaguars. Head Coach Matt LaFleur has said for some reason, there just hasn’t been as much self-produced “juice” at home versus when they’ve been on the road, but that shouldn’t be an issue this week.
As the late, former Packers Public Relations Director Lee Remmel often wrote, the Bears were and are Green Bay’s “primordial enemies”. It’s the Black and Blue Division, under the prime time lights. Should be enough said LaFleur today.
The practice week opened on a gray, damp day but the team still worked outside on Clarke Hinkle Field. Tyler Ervin, who has missed a couple of weeks with wrist and rib injuries was back on the field. Center Corey Linsley who had to leave the Indianapolis game with a back injury also worked on a limited basis.
The Packers still had 21 names on the initial injury report but only three did not participate, Josh Jackson with a concussion, Montravius Adams with a toe injury and linebacker James Burgess with a hamstring injury.
Not long after practice was over, both Adams and Burgess landed on the injured reserve list. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the moves meaning both players will be out at least three games. It also leaves the active roster at 50 players heading into the weekend. Look for practice squad call ups coming.
Running back A.J. Dillon has been on the Reserve/Covid list since right after the San Francisco game and while LaFleur said he’s been in the building recently, Dillon still hasn’t cleared all of the protocols to get re-activated. LaFleur is still counting on Dillon to give the run game a needed boost. Coming off their two rushing performances as a team the last two weeks (80 yards vs Jacksonville, 66 vs Indianapolis), the offense has dropped to a season low ranking of 14th in rushing yards per game.
Meanwhile down at Halas Hall, the Bears might be turning back to Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback. Benched in favor of Nick Foles after the first month because of play and as it turned out later, a shoulder injury, it was Trubisky who was a full participant at practice while Foles did not after suffering a hip injury against the Vikings two weeks ago and it hasn’t progressed much even through Chicago’s bye week. Akiem Hicks also sat out with a hamstring injury but kickoff is still more than four days off.
Odds and ends.
For the first time, there will be fans at Lambeau Field Sunday night. The Packers announced on Monday that as many as 500 employees and their family members will be allowed in the stands. It will give the team a chance to put game day protocols into action, everything from entering and leaving the stadium, socially distanced “pod” seating, to using concession stands and restrooms. No ticketed fans will be allowed for the Chicago game or Philadelphia game on December 6 but this could lay the groundwork for fans returning for the final two home games and possible playoff game at Lambeau Field if and only if the recent surge in coronavirus cases subsides.
Speaking of the remaining home games, the Carolina Panthers contest in particular. When the schedule game out, it was one of several games without a firm date, either Saturday, December 19 or Sunday the 20th. The NFL announced the Packers will host the Panthers on Saturday night, the 19th with a 7:15 PM kickoff. That will make three out of the last five home games will be prime time affairs.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced it’s list of 25 semifinalists for the class of 2021 on Tuesday. A pair of former Packers made the cut. LeRoy Butler is a semifinalist for the 4th time and Charles Woodson is among first year eligible players to make the grade (along with Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson and Jared Allen). Woodson played 7 of his NFL seasons in Green Bay, helping the Pack to the Super Bowl XLV title while Butler was a part of the Super Bowl XXXI champs and was a member of the 1990’s All-Decade team.
A current Packer destined for Canton was asked about the pair today. Aaron Rodgers with his thoughts on the semifinalists.
With Bobby Dillon’s induction in the class of 2020, even though the enshrinement ceremony was postponed because of the pandemic, the Packers now have 26 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, second only to the Chicago Bears with 30.
Just another stat to remind us all why the Packers-Bears game is the most historically significant every year. Time to write another chapter.
