FavreAndAwayAnIdiot
Footballguy
A lot has to go right this weekend for both the Bears and Packers in order to meet next weekend, but in 80 some years of professional football history, it's never been closer to becoming a very real matchup. And I believe it would become the 2nd-biggest game the Packers franchise has ever been a part of, behind only Superbowl 31. There's quite a bit of opinion in this thread, I realize, and I don't mean to discount the Falcons and Seahawks, but it's hard not to look ahead at how big a Packer-Bear NFC Championship game would be-- at least from the perspective of a Packers fan.
If you ask any Packer fan what their most memorable games have been you get several answers, but most will include some smattering of superbowls, the legendary Ice Bowl, Favre's first game, or the miracle Freeman catch, 4th & 26, the Pack/Lions wildcard game of '94, the Bears game in which McMahon was body-slammed, etc. Games become 'big' for different reasons. Some are forced into being big simply because they happen to fall during the playoffs, where you go home if you lose or you win a trophy in victory. Some become big because of rivalries. And some are big because there are intangibles at play that inspire the imagination.
A Green Bay- Chicago NFC Championship game oozes with all of the above.
In my opinion, it would rank #2 as far as franchise-impacting games go. Here are my top-3:
#1) Superbowl 31: Green Bay vs New England
The Pack's victory in Superbowl 31 was the climax of one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history. Even though they lost 3 games that season, the '96 Packers were a steamroller, scoring the most and allowing the fewest points in the NFL. But this game is the biggest because it really proved to the world that a franchise without a megagazillionaire at the helm and in the smallest market can compete, be a great place for players and signaled an end to the craptasticness of nearly everything following the 1960's. 30 years of suxism erased with one game. That's big. Since this game, Green Bay has only had a couple losing seasons. Granted, a lot of that has had to do with the players, but it also set the tone and standard for success in the front office that continues today.
#2) (POSSIBLE) 2010 NFC Championship game: Green Bay vs Chicago
You're going to hear a lot of the 'oldest rivalry in the NFL' talk this weekend regarding the Packers and Bears, even during their current matchups, because everyone else not from Atlanta or Seattle is thinking it too. These two teams are 186 miles from each other. Wisconsin and Illinois hate each other. Seriously, maybe only New York/New Jersey hate each other more, but until there's a New Jersey Blowfish NFL franchise, you're stuck with the hate of Wisconsin/Illinois. The Packers and Bears are our (legal) means to take out our angst on each other, twice a year. Usually it's just for a "W" in the stat column but it's never really meant much else officially.
Now the winner is proven the best in the NFC and goes to the Superbowll. The series stands in favor of Chicago, 91-87-6, but that's statistically insignificant-- a near tie. These teams fought each other to approximate stalemate during the regular season, both squeeking away a victory.
Simply put: If Green Bay goes to Chicago next week, the series rivalry comes to a head, settling the previous 80-years of history.
To quote Kurt Russell in the movie Tombstone: "You tell them I'm coming. And hell's coming with me!"
#3) Superbowl 1: Green Bay vs Kansas City
It was the first, yes, but I don't think anyone realized at the time how big "The Superbowl" was to become. Back then it was a game. Now it's a week-long event. That is why I have it at #3, even though I'm sure to draw the ire of football purists.
Runners up (in no particular order)...
Superbowl 32: Green Bay vs Denver. Yeah, they lost, but we all knew Green Bay couldn't stop the run going in vs T. Davis despite being heavily-favored.
Superbowl 2: Another "prove it" bowl, but they did.
Any game involving Dallas in the mid-to-late 90's. We hated them temporarily more than the Bears, because we always had to play those ####ers at their house in the postseason, and they always won.
1995 Divisional Playoffs: Green Bay vs San Francisco. My favorite GB game ever. Watching Jurkovic dropping back into coverage as we pummelled the ridiculously-favored defending champs at their house is must-see TV. But more importantly, it was sort of the launching point to greater things to come. First division title in many years, Favre won MVP #1, superbowl next year, etc. The team finally believed they could do it and it told the world they were now a team to be reckoned with.
If you ask any Packer fan what their most memorable games have been you get several answers, but most will include some smattering of superbowls, the legendary Ice Bowl, Favre's first game, or the miracle Freeman catch, 4th & 26, the Pack/Lions wildcard game of '94, the Bears game in which McMahon was body-slammed, etc. Games become 'big' for different reasons. Some are forced into being big simply because they happen to fall during the playoffs, where you go home if you lose or you win a trophy in victory. Some become big because of rivalries. And some are big because there are intangibles at play that inspire the imagination.
A Green Bay- Chicago NFC Championship game oozes with all of the above.
In my opinion, it would rank #2 as far as franchise-impacting games go. Here are my top-3:
#1) Superbowl 31: Green Bay vs New England
The Pack's victory in Superbowl 31 was the climax of one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history. Even though they lost 3 games that season, the '96 Packers were a steamroller, scoring the most and allowing the fewest points in the NFL. But this game is the biggest because it really proved to the world that a franchise without a megagazillionaire at the helm and in the smallest market can compete, be a great place for players and signaled an end to the craptasticness of nearly everything following the 1960's. 30 years of suxism erased with one game. That's big. Since this game, Green Bay has only had a couple losing seasons. Granted, a lot of that has had to do with the players, but it also set the tone and standard for success in the front office that continues today.
#2) (POSSIBLE) 2010 NFC Championship game: Green Bay vs Chicago
You're going to hear a lot of the 'oldest rivalry in the NFL' talk this weekend regarding the Packers and Bears, even during their current matchups, because everyone else not from Atlanta or Seattle is thinking it too. These two teams are 186 miles from each other. Wisconsin and Illinois hate each other. Seriously, maybe only New York/New Jersey hate each other more, but until there's a New Jersey Blowfish NFL franchise, you're stuck with the hate of Wisconsin/Illinois. The Packers and Bears are our (legal) means to take out our angst on each other, twice a year. Usually it's just for a "W" in the stat column but it's never really meant much else officially.
Now the winner is proven the best in the NFC and goes to the Superbowll. The series stands in favor of Chicago, 91-87-6, but that's statistically insignificant-- a near tie. These teams fought each other to approximate stalemate during the regular season, both squeeking away a victory.
Simply put: If Green Bay goes to Chicago next week, the series rivalry comes to a head, settling the previous 80-years of history.
To quote Kurt Russell in the movie Tombstone: "You tell them I'm coming. And hell's coming with me!"
#3) Superbowl 1: Green Bay vs Kansas City
It was the first, yes, but I don't think anyone realized at the time how big "The Superbowl" was to become. Back then it was a game. Now it's a week-long event. That is why I have it at #3, even though I'm sure to draw the ire of football purists.
Runners up (in no particular order)...
Superbowl 32: Green Bay vs Denver. Yeah, they lost, but we all knew Green Bay couldn't stop the run going in vs T. Davis despite being heavily-favored.
Superbowl 2: Another "prove it" bowl, but they did.
Any game involving Dallas in the mid-to-late 90's. We hated them temporarily more than the Bears, because we always had to play those ####ers at their house in the postseason, and they always won.
1995 Divisional Playoffs: Green Bay vs San Francisco. My favorite GB game ever. Watching Jurkovic dropping back into coverage as we pummelled the ridiculously-favored defending champs at their house is must-see TV. But more importantly, it was sort of the launching point to greater things to come. First division title in many years, Favre won MVP #1, superbowl next year, etc. The team finally believed they could do it and it told the world they were now a team to be reckoned with.
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My favorite city in the world is NYC. I think it's more that NJ and New Yorkers team up to mutually hate Boston.
ready and fire up the DVR.
. Pretty sure Collins threw a handful of picks against one of the worst teams in the league (Panthers I believe) in his start this year.Edit: Hanie in at QB. Can't hurt. Collins should be out of the league.
I think the Pack are the team to beat in the NFC (maybe league) with how they're playing. MVP of playoffs right now lies in the Packet defensive backfield. Matthews is unstoppable. Reminds me of Kevin Greene during his heyday. And yeah, that offense is pretty damn good too. They handled the whole Starks situation great too. They have their most talented RB fresh as a daisy heading down the most important stretch of the season. And have held down two explosive offenses on the road for 2 playoff games. If I were putting $$ on who will win the Super Bowl right now, it'd be them.
