Jan 5, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers fans during the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. The Packers won 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

They’ll put anything on TV these days.  As proof of that, TBS is getting ready to launch a new reality show called Cheeseheads, which will follow a group of Green Bay Packers fans.

TBS is also developing Cheeseheads (working title), which looks at the fans of Wisconsin’s Green Bay Packers. Billing promises that the show “will take viewers into the hilarious subculture through the eyes of a group of proud Wisconsinites as they navigate life in the only way they know how – loud, proud and with lots of beer.”

I’ve happened across a number of Bears fans who roll their eyes at this news.  I say they’re sorely mistaken.  I can’t wait for Cheeseheads! (more…)

Nov 25, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher (54) tackles Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) during the second half at Soldier Field. The Bears beat the Vikings 28-10. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Sun Times gossip columnist Michael Sneed reports that former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher is close to signing a 1-2 year contract with the Minnesota Vikings.  (more…)

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the NFL shield logo and main stage before the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Phil Emery was hired as Chicago Bears General Manager to close the talent gap in the NFC North a couple of seasons ago.  With the Packers and Vikings making the playoffs last season and the Bears on the sidelines during the post-season yet again, Emery had no choice but to fire Lovie Smith and set a new course for the Bears organization.  Has Emery closed the talent gap in the division?  The best place to look is in the draft. Let’s see how the Bears stacked up with their NFC North rivals:

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Sep 25, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings (85) runs with the ball in the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

According to several sources, Greg Jennings is likely going to remain in the NFC North. The question is, is he going to play for the Vikings or Packers? Either way, the Bears still have to face him. Bears fans should be “rooting” for the Vikings to get him, just because we don’t want to watch Aaron Rodgers carve up the Bears secondary with Jennings as a weapon. The Vikings just traded Percy Harvin, so Christian Ponder is in need of a receiving threat. Despite a 2012 season plagued with injuries, Jennings still caught 36 passes in 8 games, so when healthy, he’s valuable.  (more…)

Jan 1, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin (12) celebrates his touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the first quarter at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to trade wide receiver Percy Harvin to the Seattle Seahawks.  Terms of the deal are not out yet, but it’s believed to be a package of draft picks.  Last season the Bears opened the new league year when they traded a pair of third round draft picks for Brandon Marshall.  While Marshall had some baggage, I can’t imagine the Vikings getting that much out of the Seahawks in exchange for the oft-injured Harvin.  (more…)

OK Bears fans, you can resume hating the Green Bay Packers.  Those scumbags from north of the Cheddar Curtain failed to beat the Minnesota Vikings, leaving the Bears on the outside looking in of the NFC playoffs.

Dec 30, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh (3) kicks a field goal as time expires to defeat the Green Bay Packers at the Metrodome. The Vikings win 37-34. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Vikings jumped out to a 10-0 lead while on a mission to get comeback player of the year and MVP candidate Adrian Peterson the single season rushing record.  AD needed 208 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s longstanding record.  At the end of the day filled with back-and-forth scoring, Peterson fell 9 yards short, but his last run, a 26 yard run in the closing moments of the 4th quarter, set the Vikings up for the decisive score to pull off a 37-34 win. (more…)

An angry Lovie Smith leaves the field following the Bears’ 32-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. (Photo courtesy Chicago Tribune)

The Bears lost 32-7 to the San Francisco 49ers.  They were embarrassed, humiliated and downright bullied on a national stage.  It doesn’t matter if the score was 32-31 or 132-0, it only counts as one loss in the standings.  Or at least it should only count as one loss unless the Bears let the loss linger.  There is no time for letting their bruised egos heal, as the 6-4 Minnesota Vikings await in what has suddenly become a must-win game for the Beloved.  (more…)

Don’t look now, but the previously left by the side of the road Green Bay Packers have caught the Chicago Bears in the win column and if the Bears can’t take care of business at the Bay on Monday Night, by virtue of the tiebreaker from their Week 2 win over the Beloved, the Packers will take the lead in the NFC North.

With no thanks to the now 4-6 Lions, the Packers earned their seventh win of the season and fifth in a row following a 2-3 start.  The Bears were 4-1 after five games and all appeared to be a sprint to the finish line.  The Bears have only lost one game since, their Week 10 loss to the Texans where Jay Cutler was knocked out with a concussion that will keep him on the sidelines when the Bears take on the Niners on Monday night.

Meanwhile, the Packers have sustained their share of injuries, including defensive anchors like Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews and offensive lynch pin Greg Jennings, yet they’re on a 5-game winning streak.  It’s reminding me (painfully) of that Super Bowl season the Packers had a couple of years ago.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the NFC North could very well be decided on December 16th at Soldier Field.  Of course there’s a lot that can happen between now and then, especially as we’ve learned here in Chicago.  Let’s compare their upcoming schedules the rest of the way.

The Bears and Packers each have two games remaining with the Vikings and one with the Lions (Bears on the road, Packers get Lions at home) and obviously they play each other again.  That leaves two games vs unique opponents.  The Bears get the Seahawks at home and visit Arizona for a showdown with the Cardinals.

As for the Packers, they get to visit the Big Apple to take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Giants while hosting the Titans.  I’d say those opponents when compared with the Bears’ foes are about a wash.  One ultimately winnable game and one more difficult game.  For the Bears, the visiting Seahawks will pose a challenge, but they get them at home.  Meanwhile the Packers have to travel to New York to face a Giants team coming off a Bye next week.

Let’s not completely dismiss the Vikings in this race. They have four games with the Bears and Packers respectively, so they’ll definitely have a say in the outcome of the North.  They’ve come back down to Earth in recent weeks, but they’re only a game behind the Bears and Packers in the win column.

Again, there’s a lot that can happen along the way, but circle December 16th on your calendar for a  crucial Soldier Field Showdown for the division title.

What do you think?  How does this end up for the Bears?  Can they hold the Packers off a bring home the NFC North crown?

BEAR DOWN!!!