The Chicago Bears may not be in contention for the postseason any longer, but they can still have an impact on the playoff field in Week 18. The Bears will be heading on the road to face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, where they need a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Bears would love nothing more than to play spoiler, similar to the Detroit Lions at the end of the 2022 season. Green Bay was in an identical spot last season, needing a victory in Week 18 over their NFC North rivals to make the playoffs. But, they were eliminated by the Lions, who have rode that momentum into the 2023 season.
The quarterback during that disappointing loss was Aaron Rodgers, who is now on the New York Jets. While Rodgers doesn’t don the green and gold anymore, he still seems to bleed it, as he still refers to the organization as ‘we’ when talking about them.
NFL News & Rumors: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears Updates
During his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers spoke about the big matchup in Week 18 between the Packers and Bears. He managed to take a shot at his former rivals, as the disdain for the organization still seemingly runs deep.
“This is their Super Bowl. If they can’t beat us, is it a rivalry?” Rodgers said this week in reference to the Packers and Bears facing off.
Rodgers certainly makes a good point. For a rivalry to exist, usually, both teams jostle for victories whenever they meet up. During his tenure in Green Bay, Rodgers went 25-6 against the Bears, leading to his proclamation of owning the franchise when he scored a touchdown against them at Soldier Field.
That is what happens when one franchise goes from a Hall of Fame quarterback to another as the Packers have. Jordan Love has played at a high level in his first season as the starter, making it look like Green Bay has hit on three franchise quarterbacks in a row.
NFL News & Rumors: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears Updates
That kind of luck has eluded the Bears, who could be changing things at quarterback again this offseason. Justin Fields has played well of late, but with the No. 1 pick in hand, Chicago could look to reset the quarterback clock and pick one of the top prospects in this year’s draft class.
The Week 18 matchup will play a part in that evaluation process. Another good performance by Fields and the Bears to keep the Packers out of the postseason would go a long way to retaining the job long-term.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
