The last time the Chicago Bears were favored in a game against their rival Packers? Week 16, 2008. Aaron Rodgers was in his first year as a starter and Green Bay was having a hard time adjusting to life without Brett Favre.
Fast forward nine long years and the Bears are once again favorites over the Packers, according to Vegas oddsmakers. That’s not all, folks. Heading into week 10, this will be the first game the Bears are not underdogs in. I’m not going to say the Bears would still be favored this week with Rodgers playing, but we’ll never know.
As a Bears fan, it’s bittersweet rooting against a Rodgers-less Packers squad. Bitter because it’s so much fun when the Bears beat Rodgers, sweet because it rarely happens. Rodgers is 16-4 against the Bears since taking over for Favre, counting a heartbreaking playoff win in 2010-11. So I’ll take my chances that winning against Brett Hundley will be just as much fun.
In all seriousness, Aaron Rodgers may already have the best case for the 2017 NFL MVP. Green Bay went from Super Bowl contender to middle of the pack in one play. As much as I love to see the Packers struggle, I hate that it stemmed from an injury. Watching Rodgers make something out of nothing is a lot of fun, as long as it’s not the Bears he’s playing.
Chicago comes into the game with some confidence after winning 2-of-3 and holding their own against the red-hot Saints. The Packers, on the other hand, are desperate for a win after dropping three straight. A 3-5 Bears team against a 4-4 Packers team may not draw too many casual fans, but NFC North faithful know this game rarely disappoints. Whether it’s Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rodgers or Mitch Trubisky vs. Brett Hundley, Packers and Bears fans know they’ll get a game worth watching.
Maybe that’s a bad example, considering the amount of times an Aaron Rodgers beatdown of Cutler forced me to stop watching before halftime. But hey, he’s the Dolphins problem now.
