The Packers and Bears have only met two times in the Playoffs.
The Bears won the first match up in 1941 to win the Western Conference Championship.
The Packers won the second match up in 2011 to advance to Super Bowl 45.
Now the Packers and Bears will meet up for the third time in the Wild Card round of the Playoffs.
It is just another chapter to this storied rivalry that has existed since 1921.
What is at Stake?
So much is at stake for both teams as the playoffs start.
For the Packers, they are looking to prove that they are not just another 7 seed that snuck into the Playoffs.
For the Bears, they are looking to advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
Furthermore they are looking to un-write a couple years of losing seasons.
With new head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears have flourished going from last in the NFC North to division champions in one year.
Meanwhile, the Packers once again are the 7 seed for the third straight year.
They are looking for their first playoff win in two years.
Overall though a trip to advance to the Divisional Round is at stake for the Packers and Bears.
Losing Streaks
Both teams are on losing streaks right now.
The Packer haven’t won a game since beating the Bears at the begging of December.
They are currently on a 4 game losing streak.
The Bears on the other hand are on a 2 game losing streak.
They haven’t won since beating the Packers in the middle of December.
You can say that both teams are hungry to win a game and it couldn’t come at a better time.
What the Packers need to do to Win
During the 4-game losing streak the defense hasn’t been the same.
Granted the Packers defense was able to hold Minnesota to 16 points, but that was against their back-ups.
Green Bay’s pass rush hasn’t been there and no one has stepped up since Micah Parsons season ending injury.
Furthermore the run defense has been horrendous at best the past month.
If the Packers want to make a run in the Playoffs, they need to stop the run.
That will be a tough task against a Bears team that is 3rd in the league in rushing.
The Bears also have a 1,000 yard rusher in D’Andre Swift.
The Packers defense must also create turnovers.
The best way to shift momentum is creating turnovers, something the Packers haven’t done much this season.
With the addition of Trevon Diggs, the Packers could possibly have help in the cornerback room.
Win the battle on Offense
Offensively, the Packers need to protect the ball.
While Jordan Love has done a fantastic job of doing that in the regular season, the playoffs are a different story.
Love has throw 5 interceptions in his career in the playoffs and those have been costly for the Packers.
The Packers also need to get the running game going with Josh Jacobs.
After a 1000-yard rushing season last year Jacobs number came down this year.
Granted Jacobs has been dealing with injuries this year, but the star running back only rushed for 929 yards.
Besides, Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs is the next best weapon for the Packers Offense.
Find a way to get Jacobs going and the offense will flourish, opening up the passing game.
Get off to a fast start
Most importantly for the Packers as a team, they need to get off to a fast start.
This should be a lesson learned from last year.
A horrible start doomed the Packers last year against the Eagles.
Whether it is on offense or on defense, the tone needs to be set.
If you fall behind early, things will get ugly, especially against the Bears.
Conclusion
The playoffs are a different type of vibe.
The Packers and Bears have met so many times but there is a lot at stake in this Wild Card match-up.
Simply put, you win, you move on to play another week.
You lose, you go home and have a loss on you mind for months.
It playoff football time.
Buckle up!
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Hau Khuong has been a Packers fan since 1996. He currently works as a video editor in Green Bay and writes for PackersTalk.com and you can follow him on twitter at @HauKhuongSports.
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