CHICAGO (WITI) -- The Green Bay Packers are set to square off against the rival Chicago Bears for the NFC North title on Sunday, December 29th.
Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. at Soldier Field -- and you can catch the game RIGHT HERE on FOX6!
The Packers and Bears will face off in the regular season finale after the Chicago Bears were pummeled 54-11 during a matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, December 22nd. Sunday's loss meant the Bears lost out on an opportunity to clinch the NFC North Division Championship.
The game vs. the Bears and Eagles was the setup for this HUGE divisional rivalry game with the Packers facing the Bears this week. Whoever wins this week, clinches the NFC North Division Championship and is in the playoffs.
The game on Sunday, December 29th marks the second time in the last four seasons (2010) that the divisional rivals have squared off in the final game of the season.
The Packers are currently second in the NFC North behind Chicago but can clinch their third straight division title and their fifth straight playoff berth with a win over the Bears.
Green Bay will be looking to win three consecutive division championships for the first time since 2002-04.
In the 11 seasons of the NFC North (2002-12), the Packers (six) and Bears (three) have accounted for nine division titles.
This marks the second straight year that the Packers have closed out their season away from Lambeau Field (at Minnesota in 2012).
This will be just the eighth time in the last 80 seasons that Green Bay and Chicago have met in the regular-season finale.
The 2010 meeting was the first time that the teams played at Lambeau Field in a season finale.
The Packers have won nine of their last 10 season finales and 17 of their last 19 dating back to 1994. Green Bay’s loss at Minnesota last season in Week 17 snapped a nine-game winning streak in season finales.
Green Bay has won six of its last seven season finales against NFC North foes. The Packers have won four straight season finales vs. Chicago.
Sunday will mark game No. 188 in the NFL’s oldest rivalry. The Bears hold a 93-88-6 edge in the series, which includes two playoff games (1-1).
The Packers have won eight of the last 10 meetings against the Bears (including playoffs).
Chicago’s 27-20 win over the Packers earlier this season at Lambeau Field in Week 9 snapped Green Bay’s six-game winning streak against the Bears, the Packers’ longest since a seven-game streak vs. Chicago from 2000-03.
Eight of the last 11 contests between the Packers and Bears (including postseason) have been decided by eight points or less.
The Bears have a new head coach at the helm this season. Marc Trestman leads the Bears after serving as the head coach of the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes for five seasons (2008-12). Trestman led the club to back-to-back Grey Cup championships in 2009-10. He was named the CFL’s Coach of the Year in 2009.
On Sunday, December 29th, the Packers and Bears will meet for the 188th time.
When the teams last met at Soldier Field in the regular season, the Packers won 21-13. This was back on December 16th of 2012, when the Packers clinched their second straight NFC North title.
QB Aaron Rodgers connected on 23 of 36 passes for 291 yards and three TDs with no INTs for a 116.8 passer rating.
All three of Rodgers’ TD passes were to WR James Jones, a career high for him and the fourth multi-TD game of his career.
WR Randall Cobb led the offense with 115 receiving yards on six receptions (19.2 avg.).
Green Bay’s defense limited QB Jay Cutler to just 135 yards on 12-of-21 passing, with CBCasey Hayward posting an interception.
The Bears had just three players and only one wide receiver (Brandon Marshall, 6-56) catch a pass.
The Packers held the Bears to just 190 yards of total offense on the afternoon.