Today’s article culminates a ten-part series of most dramatic/memorable games between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. The first five stories posted last week were taken from a Bears perspective and viewpoint, and the previous four were crafted with the Packer fans and their emotions in mind.
That leads us to the tenth and final installment depicting this real-life soap opera that has graced the NFL landscape for well over 100 years. As the two rivals meet on Sunday, November 17, for the 209th time, there is absolutely no argument to be made which of the previous 208 meetings was the most important and monumental, one that meant the absolute most for each team.
Without further ado, please enjoy the stroll down Memory Lane and reminisce about THE most dramatic battle ever between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears.
2010 NFC Championship: January 23, 2011
For only the second time in their histories, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears were set to meet in NFL playoffs. To ramp the stakes up even further, a trip to Super Bowl XLV was on the line as they played for the NFC Championship on January 23, 2011.
The only other time the two teams met in the postseason occurred in 1941 in a playoff game to determine who would take on the New York Giants for that year’s league title. In front of a home crowd of 43,425 at Wrigley Field, the Bears easily dispatched the Packers, 33-14. One week later, Chicago whipped the Giants, 37-9, for their championship.
The Packers hobbled into the 2010 playoffs by winning their final two regular season games, the last of which came just three weeks earlier at the expense of the Bears to clinch their postseason berth. The 2-seeded Bears defeated the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round, and, since the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons were eliminated, earned the right to host this monumental game.
69 seasons after they last met in the playoffs, and with the NFL growing into America’s most popular pastime, the center of the football universe zeroed in on Soldier Field along the shores of Lake Michigan to heed close attention to the league’s version of the “Final Four.”
Despite being at home, the Bears were deemed 3.5 underdogs in the game, but that did not deter the country’s most powerful man to predict otherwise.
President Barack Obama prognosticated that his hometown Chicago Bears would defeat their rivals 20-17 in the NFC Championship Game. At least he had the under 42.5 correct.
Obama went on to famously say that if the right team won, he would be in attendance in Arlington two weeks later. Obama said with a laugh: “Oh, if the Bears are in the Super Bowl, we’re going.”
The First Half Dominated By The Green Bay Packers
The Packers took the opening kickoff and immediately drove 70 yards in 4:56 of game time, culminated by a one-yard Aaron Rodgers touchdown run, to take an early 7-0 lead.
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) State Journal-Register
The teams traded two punts each as the first quarter came to a close. The Bears reached the Packers 34-yard line on their first possession, but chose to punt rather than attempt a 51-yard field goal in the frigid 7-degree wind chill temperatures along Lake Michigan.
Playing the field-possession game to perfection, the Green Bay Packers set up shop at the Bears’ 44 early in the second quarter, still leading 7-0. Two Rodgers passes, one to Brandon Jackson, the other to Jordy Nelson, netted the Packers 31 yards. From the four-yard line, running back James Starks finished off the drive as he bulled into the end zone, and just like that, Green Bay held a commanding 14-0 lead.
More Bears’ offensive woes ensued, thanks to a punishing and relentless defense that did not allow quarterback Jay Cutler and his mates to gain any momentum. Spirits were riding high in the Packers’ locker room at halftime, just 30 minutes away from an improbable trip two the Super Bowl.
However, the Bears were not going to go down without a fight.
Big Plays Punch Green Bay Packers’ Super Bowl Ticket
As the daylight faded under the horizon on this frigid January afternoon, the Packers were able to survive their nemesis thanks to two unbelievable dramatic plays.
With their first possession of the second half, the Green Bay Packers drove from their own 17 to the Bears’ 6. They faced a third-and-goal with the chance to make it a three-score game all but putting the game out of reach.
Rodgers dropped back to pass but did not see his “spy,” Chicago linebacker Brian Urlacher, who was patrolling the middle of the defense. Urlacher stepped in front of a pass intended for Donald Driver and raced down the right sideline with a chance to cut the Packers’ lead in half.
See Also: Aaron Rodgers’ Touchdown-Saving Tackle on Brian Urlacher
The only man for Urlacher to beat was Rodgers, but the crafty quarterback slightly tripped up one of the linebacker’s feet, causing him to tumble harmlessly to the turf at the Chicago 45. Had Rodgers not hustled to at least get in the way of Urlacher, this game could have turned very differently.
The Gainesville Sun
In the previous Bear offensive possession, Cutler was injured and did not return to action. Backup Todd Collins replaced him and found no better luck with the Green Bay defense. However, the Chicago defense stiffened, and with the ball early in the fourth quarter, the Bears made it a game again thanks to a Chester Taylor scoring plunge from one yard out. With 12:05 to go, the Packers’ lead was just 14-7, and the outcome was far from secured.
The next three Green Bay possessions following the Urlacher interception ended in punts by Tim Masthay, who pinned the Bears at their own 10 on the last of those three kicks.
Then, on 3rd-and-5 with 6:12 remaining to Arlington, third-string Chicago quarterback Caleb Hanie‘s fateful short pass across the middle was swiped in midair by Green Bay’s B.J. Raji and returned 18 yards for the dagger touchdown, making the score 21-7.
Journal Sentinel Files
The Bears returned the favor, covering 60 yards on four plays, to make the score 21-14 with 4:53 remaining. Following another Masthay punt, the Bears were in position to tie the score with their final drive.
Although Chicago drove 44 yards in 11 plays to reach the Green Bay 27 with 1:15 remaining, the Bears’ last gasp was picked off by cornerback Sam Shields with 44 seconds left on the clock, his second of the game, and the improbable championship run was secured.
In a sweet bit of irony, Green Bay claimed the Halas Trophy awarded to the NFC champions and named after Bears patriarch George “Papa Bear” Halas, and the presentation was made at the center of Halas’ beloved Soldier Field to his most bitter rival.
Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was not shocked at the outcome or how his team focused on the tasks at hand.
“We felt like we had them on the ropes there for a while,” said Packers coach Mike McCarthy. “We just couldn’t get the game to a three-score game. I think that says a lot about them as a football team. But it also says a lot about us as a team. Defense. Special teams. People making plays down the stretch. It was the typical Green Bay-Chicago game, with everything on the line.”
However, though not surprised, McCarthy was nonetheless thrilled. “I’m numb,” said McCarthy. “It’s a great feeling.”
Rob Grabowski/US Press Wire
Green Bay: “Titletown, USA” Once Again
Two weeks following their thrilling defeat of their arch rivals, the Green Bay Packers dispatched the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, in Super Bowl XLV–without President Obama in attendance.
Obviously, had the Packers not beaten the Bears in the NFC Championship Game, the Vince Lombardi Trophy would have been claimed by another team. The fact that they defeated their rivals on the biggest of stages in order to take the next playoff step will not be forgotten nor underestimated any time soon by members of Packer Nation.
Author’s Note
The author hopes you not only enjoyed the ten-part series chronicling the most dramatic installments of the league’s longest rivalry but are now fully prepared to enjoy the 209th edition set for Sunday, November 17. Also, let the discussions fly; are these not worthy enough games to belong in this countdown? Let your opinions be known via the comments.
Who knows? Maybe THIS upcoming game will crack the top ten and live on in posterity for fans of the Packers and the Bears.
