Bears-Packers rivalry gets juiced

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ return to Green Bay’s lineup means the Packers will have their most important piece when they try for their third consecutive NFC North title and fi fth consecutive playoff berth.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ return to Green Bay’s lineup means the Packers will have their most important piece when they try for their third consecutive NFC North title and fi fth consecutive playoff berth.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - Aaron Rodgers is coming back, a huge boost for the Green Bay Packers.

The question is: Is it enough to lift them into the playoffs?

The Chicago Bears hope not.

The NFL’s oldest rivalry gets a little extra kick today at Soldier Field with a playoffs or-bust season finale and the return of the Packers’ superstar quarterback from a left collarbone injury.

The winner captures the NFC North and goes to the postseason, with a tie also doing the trick for Chicago (8-7). The loser can make vacation plans.

“Wouldn’t want it any other way,” Green Bay Coach Mike McCarthy said. “This is what you fight for, an opportunity to be in the playoffs. That’s what’s in front of us. Everybody’s well aware of the great history between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears.”

Everyone also knows that the Packers (7-7-1) will have their most important piece when they try for their third consecutive division title and fifth consecutive playoff berth.

Rodgers has missed seven consecutive games and hasn’t played since Green Bay’s loss to Chicago on Nov. 4. He was injured on an early sack by Shea McClellin, and the Packers are 2-5-1 since hewent down.

Rodgers might have to shake off some rust in the early going, given his layoff.

“Obviously he’s missed a few weeks, but I think he’ll be fine. He’s been able to practice the last couple,” Packers receiver Jordy Nelson said. “I think he’ll give us a big boost and we’ll still have to go out and play good football.”

That’s something the Packers haven’t done since he went down. They used three starters at quarterback and endured a five-game winless stretch that included a tie with Minnesota.

It hasn’t helped that the rest of the roster has been riddled with injuries, too. Linebacker Clay Matthews is out again because of a right thumb injury, and running back Eddie Lacy has been hobbled after reinjuring his angle against the Steelers but is expected to play.

Receiver Randall Cobb was activated Saturday but was listed as questionable for today’s game.

“He looks good,” McCarthy said of Cobb. “He has fresh legs. He’s doing all the little things, the fine motor skills things he was able to stay on top of. We just have to make sure he’s ready to go.”

The Bears could have wrapped up the race and clinched their first playoff appearance since the 2010 team won the division had they not been shredded at Philadelphia last Sunday night. With the Packers losing to Pittsburgh and Detroit falling to the New York Giants, a victory would have sealed it for Chicago. Instead, the Bears were blown out 54-11.

The 54 points were one shy of the record for a Bears opponent, and that wasn’t the only jaw-dropping number. They also gave up 514 yards overall and 289 on the ground - both season highs - even though star linebacker Lance Briggs returned from a shoulder injury.

“Sometimes we’re in the right place, but we’re just not winning the one-on-ones or you missed a tackle,” defensive coordinator Mel Tucker said. “That’s a big part of it. Like I said the past couple weeks, it’s not so much now knowing where to fit, it’s when you get there and are you able to shed the block.Are you able to finish on the ball, are you able to make the tackle, are you able to get there quickly enough?”

A victory today would be a nice little ribbon on Marc Trestman’s first season as coach. The Bears hired Trestman to replace Lovie Smith, hoping he would revitalize the offense and lead them to the postseason after they missed out for the fifth time in six years.

Still, Trestman isn’t interested in assessing his first season just yet.

“I wouldn’t even begin to think about that right now,” he said. “To me, success is what you do on that day and the work you put into it on a day-by-day basis. That’s how I evaluate it.

“When we get done with the season, we’ll look back and we’ll assess it.”

Sports, Pages 25 on 12/29/2013

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