As the NFL's oldest rivalry gears up for perhaps its biggest game of all, the football world is dissecting both the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers to every molecule possible.
Talk-show radio in the Chicago market has hosts who feel Chicago has a good shot if things go right, but the Bears fans that call in cannot seem to find a flaw. The same happens in Packers markets across the state.
Here's what we do know: Both teams have put themselves in a position to play for the Super Bowl. Before the season Green Bay was the sexy pick by many, myself included. Since training camp, 15 Packers have been sent to injured reserve, including four that no doubt would be playing and making an impact if they were healthy - TE Jermichael Finley, RB Ryan Grant, LB Nick Barnett and OT Mark Tauscher.
Instead all are unable to suit up and have watched rookies and journeymen take their place.
Chicago, meanwhile, has just two players on injured reserve - one, MLB Hunter Hillenmeyer, is an 8-year veteran and led the team in tackles last year. The other is some unknown rookie RB named Harvey Unga.
What this tells me is that Chicago has done what every team hopes to do - get through the regular season and playoffs unscathed. Green Bay has been a patchwork, and watching them play throughout the season, it took a while for it all to mesh. But when they finally started meshing, the last six weeks, they have looked awfully good. To the national pundits of the NFL, Green Bay is the sexy pick.
Me? I'm just waiting for the Black Eyes Peas to perform so I can view sexy Stacy Ferguson from a big-screen HD.
But if I had to make a selection, I would take Green Bay. Call it a gut feeling. To me, there is something about a team that has played through so much adversity yet has their original lofty goal sitting on the doorstep. That shows that everyone in the organization did their best work. Ted Thompson, who finally has that Favre-monkey off his back, made all the transactions and pickups of scrubs to fill holes. Mike McCarthy coached those scrubs. Aaron Rodgers threw the ball to a few of those scrubs (and handed off to some others). And lastly, those scrubs played good. Very good.
Take OLB Eric Walden, a third-year journeyman out of Middle Tennessee State and was cut midseason, only to be picked up by Green Bay and named defensive player of the week late in the regular season.
Also there is rookie RB James Starks, put on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) before the season started and was active in just a couple of games before his breakout performance at Philadelphia in the Wild Card Round.
Cult-hero John Kuhn (FB), TEs Tom Crabtree and Andrew Quarless, DE Howard Green and CB Tramon Williams all stepped up when their names were called.
And then there is everyone's offensive hero, Aaron Rodgers - the QB who made us forget about Brent Favor (Brett Favre for those that still can't take a joke).
Rodgers has had himself a major season this year, despite missing 1 1/2 games with concussions. In his third year at the helm he threw for 3,922 yards, 28 TDs, 11 INTs and had a QB rating of 101.2.
Rodgers never allowed Green Bay to trail by more than 7 at any point in the season. You read that right. Seven. The Packers (10-6) lost three games on a last-second field goal, and the other three by a grand total of 11 points. So in six losses, Green Bay lost by a total of 20 points.
It doesn't matter if Rodgers led his team on a drive to take the lead in the final two minutes and have the special teams/defense blow it four times. What matters is that despite all the injuries, Green Bay was never out of any game. They have had to show that fight every week of the season. Every game mattered. And for the last four weeks, every game has been a playoff game.
Because of that reason alone - not the No. 2 ranking in scoring defense, No. 5 in defensive yardage, No. 9 ranking in offensive yardage, or any other stat - just knowing that the Packers are always competitive and have a QB like Rodgers, they are my pick on Sunday.
Of course the special teams will have to contain Devin Hester, the defense will have to intercept Jay Cutler, and the offensive line has to keep Julius Peppers away from Rodgers. But in the end, just knowing that Green Bay has the (Hollywood don't sue me) True Grit, that is enough for me.
Oh, and for the record to anyone out there wondering, I am a Miami Dolphins fan that has never really had the Pack at my side - until No. 4 left.
Talk-show radio in the Chicago market has hosts who feel Chicago has a good shot if things go right, but the Bears fans that call in cannot seem to find a flaw. The same happens in Packers markets across the state.
Here's what we do know: Both teams have put themselves in a position to play for the Super Bowl. Before the season Green Bay was the sexy pick by many, myself included. Since training camp, 15 Packers have been sent to injured reserve, including four that no doubt would be playing and making an impact if they were healthy - TE Jermichael Finley, RB Ryan Grant, LB Nick Barnett and OT Mark Tauscher.
Instead all are unable to suit up and have watched rookies and journeymen take their place.
Chicago, meanwhile, has just two players on injured reserve - one, MLB Hunter Hillenmeyer, is an 8-year veteran and led the team in tackles last year. The other is some unknown rookie RB named Harvey Unga.
What this tells me is that Chicago has done what every team hopes to do - get through the regular season and playoffs unscathed. Green Bay has been a patchwork, and watching them play throughout the season, it took a while for it all to mesh. But when they finally started meshing, the last six weeks, they have looked awfully good. To the national pundits of the NFL, Green Bay is the sexy pick.
Me? I'm just waiting for the Black Eyes Peas to perform so I can view sexy Stacy Ferguson from a big-screen HD.
But if I had to make a selection, I would take Green Bay. Call it a gut feeling. To me, there is something about a team that has played through so much adversity yet has their original lofty goal sitting on the doorstep. That shows that everyone in the organization did their best work. Ted Thompson, who finally has that Favre-monkey off his back, made all the transactions and pickups of scrubs to fill holes. Mike McCarthy coached those scrubs. Aaron Rodgers threw the ball to a few of those scrubs (and handed off to some others). And lastly, those scrubs played good. Very good.
Take OLB Eric Walden, a third-year journeyman out of Middle Tennessee State and was cut midseason, only to be picked up by Green Bay and named defensive player of the week late in the regular season.
Also there is rookie RB James Starks, put on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) before the season started and was active in just a couple of games before his breakout performance at Philadelphia in the Wild Card Round.
Cult-hero John Kuhn (FB), TEs Tom Crabtree and Andrew Quarless, DE Howard Green and CB Tramon Williams all stepped up when their names were called.
And then there is everyone's offensive hero, Aaron Rodgers - the QB who made us forget about Brent Favor (Brett Favre for those that still can't take a joke).
Rodgers has had himself a major season this year, despite missing 1 1/2 games with concussions. In his third year at the helm he threw for 3,922 yards, 28 TDs, 11 INTs and had a QB rating of 101.2.
Rodgers never allowed Green Bay to trail by more than 7 at any point in the season. You read that right. Seven. The Packers (10-6) lost three games on a last-second field goal, and the other three by a grand total of 11 points. So in six losses, Green Bay lost by a total of 20 points.
It doesn't matter if Rodgers led his team on a drive to take the lead in the final two minutes and have the special teams/defense blow it four times. What matters is that despite all the injuries, Green Bay was never out of any game. They have had to show that fight every week of the season. Every game mattered. And for the last four weeks, every game has been a playoff game.
Because of that reason alone - not the No. 2 ranking in scoring defense, No. 5 in defensive yardage, No. 9 ranking in offensive yardage, or any other stat - just knowing that the Packers are always competitive and have a QB like Rodgers, they are my pick on Sunday.
Of course the special teams will have to contain Devin Hester, the defense will have to intercept Jay Cutler, and the offensive line has to keep Julius Peppers away from Rodgers. But in the end, just knowing that Green Bay has the (Hollywood don't sue me) True Grit, that is enough for me.
Oh, and for the record to anyone out there wondering, I am a Miami Dolphins fan that has never really had the Pack at my side - until No. 4 left.
