The Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers rivalry isn't the same anymore
At one point in NFL history, the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers rivalry was one of the best in the entire league. But now, things just aren't the same anymore.
This rivalry has produced classics like the 2010 NFC Championship Game and the Bears spoiling Packers legend Brett Favre's retirement ceremony on Thanksgiving by beating them. It has existed since the 1920s.
The only problem with the Bears-Packers rivalry is that it hasn't been as competitive as it used to be back in the day. The Bears have lost 10 in a row against the Packers, per StatMuse. If you go back further, the Bears are 2-16 versus the Packers over the last 10 years.
This lack of competitiveness has led to the rivalry losing popularity over the years. A Bears-Packers game used to be primetime football. This just isn't the case anymore. The Bears-Packers game this week will be at 1:00 p.m. while the Sunday Night Football game that day will be the Cincinnati Bengal against the Los Angeles Chargers.
What has made the rivlary so one-sided is quarterback play. The Packers have wielded the edge in this rivalry ever since the 1990s when Brett Favre took over as the team's signal caller. One of the luckiest teams in terms of quarterbacks, the Packers have watched Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers for decades and won two Super Bowls. Besides a few good seasons from Jay Cutler, the Bears don't have the same history at quarterback.
The Bears hit rock bottom in this rivalry in 2021 when Rodgers screamed "I Own you" to booing Bears fans after running into the endzone.
There is hope the Bears can beat the Packers in the near future. With rookie quarterback Caleb Williams at the helm, the Bears are ready for a revenge game. Williams, a Heisman winner and first overall pick, is one of the best quarterbacks the Bears have had since 2000.
In his first game versus the Packers, Williams will be a Chicago legend if he wins.