With how the regular season matchups ended between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, there is clearly some bad blood between the two NFC North teams as they prepare for the Wild Card at Soldier Field.
In the Bears’ 22-16 win over the Packers in Week 16, Austin Booker hit Packers quarterback Jordan Love midway through the second quarter, knocking him out for the rest of the game with a concussion. The Packers remembered that hit, and running back Josh Jacobs told The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman his thoughts on the play that knocked out Love.
"I know a lot of guys took that hit that he took a little personal,” Jacobs said. “So I'm not saying we gon' go out there and play dirty or nothing like that, but we definitely gonna defend our brother."
Bears defense claps back at Josh Jacobs for his comments
These two teams don’t like each other, and this third playoff matchup should only intensify the emotions and physicality on display throughout the game. When Booker was asked about Jacob’s comments, the second-year defensive end provided a short response.
“I mean, I don’t know, maybe they should have done something last game,” Booker said.
When Booker hit Love, the Packers’ offense didn’t retaliate. Instead, members of the offense circled Love while he was on the ground.
“Yeah, then they would have done something, so I mean, even if they tried to do something, obviously it didn’t work out, so we’ll see,” Booker said.
Safety Jaquan Brisker is one of the most vocal players on the Bears’ defense, and he had similar thoughts to Booker about Jacob’s comment.
“Yeah, um, obviously, they are going to take it to heart,” Brisker said. “You know, their quarterback got hurt. They probably thought we did it intentional or maybe their coaches, ‘Oh, they hit him on, they’re trying to take him out the game or whatever.’ Honestly, that’s bulletin material right there. I mean, obviously, if he was so mad, he would have did something during the game after he got hurt and then he got a chance to prove it on Saturday.”
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At this point, both teams have done their fair share of talking, which only increases the anticipation for what should be an electric atmosphere at Soldier Field on Saturday night.