This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by **clicking here**.
GREEN BAY (7-7-1) AT CHICAGO (8-7)
Sunday, Dec. 29 - Soldier Field - 3:25 p.m. CST
packers and bears to square off for nfc north title
- Green Bay will take on the Chicago Bears this Sunday at Soldier Field in the regular-season finale, 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). It is the first time Green Bay has gone on the road for its season finale in back-to-back years since 2001-02 (at N.Y. Giants, at N.Y. Jets).
- 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 last played in Week 17 at Soldier Field in 2006, Head Coach Mike McCarthy's first season at the helm.
- 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's game will mark the sixth time in eight seasons under McCarthy that the Packers have played at Soldier Field in December (2006-09, 12).
- Including playoffs, the Packers have won three straight games at Soldier Field and four of the last five at the stadium. Green Bay has held Chicago to 20 points or less in six consecutive games at Soldier Field.
- 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.
- Green Bay enters Sunday's game with a 2-2-1 record in NFC North contests this season. The Packers have finished with a winning record in the division in every season under McCarthy (2006-12), one of two teams in the league (New England) to accomplish that feat over that span.
- Since 2009, the Packers have a 17-6 (.739) overall regular-season record in December/January, which ranks No. 3 in the NFL behind only New England (20-4, .833) and San Diego (18-6, .750).
WITH THE CALL
- FOX Sports, now in its 20th season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast Sunday's game from Soldier Field.
- Play-by-play man Joe Buckand color analyst Troy Aikman will have the call from the broadcast booth with Pam Oliver reporting from the sidelines.
- Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 50-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee(play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro BowlerLarry McCarren (color) calling the action. The duo is in its 15th season of broadcasts together across the Packers Radio Network, which covers 42 markets in six states.
- WestwoodOne Sports will air the game across the country. Dave Sims(play-by-play) and Mark Malone (analyst) will call the action and Scott Grahamhosts pregame and halftime shows.
- The broadcast is also available on SiriusXM Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed) as part of the network's NFL Sunday Drive.
- DIRECTV subscribers can watch the game in HD on Channel 715.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
- Packers vs. Bears:
- All-time, regular season:87-92-6
- All-time, postseason:1-1
- All-time, at Soldier Field: 22-19-0
- Streaks:The Packers have won eight of the last 10 meetings (including playoffs).
- Last meeting, regular season, in Chicago:Dec. 16, 2012, at Soldier Field, Packers won, 21-13.
- Last meeting, regular season:Nov. 4, 2013, at Lambeau Field, Bears won, 27-20.
COACHES CAPSULES
- Mike McCarthy: 87-49-1, .639, (incl. 6-4 postseason); 8th NFL season
- Marc Trestman:8-7, .533; 1st NFL season
- Head to Head:Trestman 1-0
- vs. Opponent:McCarthy 10-6 vs. Bears; Trestman 1-0 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY…Is in his eighth year as the Packers' 14th head coach.
- Joined Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren as the only coaches to guide the Packers to a Super Bowl title with a win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.
- Has led the Packers to playoff appearances in five of his seven seasons at the helm, and the team's five postseason berths over the past six seasons are the most by an NFC team.
- Led Green Bay to 47 regular-season victories from 2009-12, the second most in the NFL over that span and the second most in franchise history over a four-year period.
- His .639 winning percentage (including playoffs) ranks No. 4 among active NFL coaches (min. 50 games).
- Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head-coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.
- Became the first Packers coach since Lombardi to lead the team to a championship game in his second season (2007).
MARC TRESTMAN…Is in his first year as the Bears' 14th head coach.
- Was the head coach of the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes for five seasons (2008-12) and led the club to back-to-back Grey Cup championships in 2009-10. Was named the CFL's Coach of the Year in 2009.
- During his time in Montreal, compiled a 59-31 (.656) regular-season record, which included four East Division titles, and a 5-3 record (.625) in the playoffs.
- Has 17 years of NFL coaching experience, including eight as an offensive coordinator and 13 working with quarterbacks. Coached for the Vikings, Browns, Lions, Cardinals, Dolphins, 49ers and Raiders.
- During his time in the NFL, he helped his teams to eight playoff appearances, two conference championship games and a Super Bowl appearance (XXXVII as offensive coordinator of the Raiders).
THE PACKERS-BEARS SERIES
- No two teams have met on the gridiron more than the Packers and Bears. Sunday they face off for the 188th time.
- Starting in 1923, the clubs met for 59 straight years until both games in 1982 were canceled as part of a strike-shortened season.
- During the 2010 season, the teams squared off in the playoffs for just the second time in the history of the series. With a berth in Super Bowl XLV on the line, the Packers emerged victorious, 21-14, in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field.
- The last time Green Bay led the overall series? On the heels of its three straight NFL championships, 1932, when the Packers led 11-10-5.
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Packers RB Kahlil Bell appeared in 24 games for the Bears from 2009-12...LB Nate Palmer is a Chicago native and attended Simeon High School...Packers QB Scott Tolzien attended Fremd High School in Palatine, Ill. ...Packers tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot was a third-round draft choice of the Bears in 1989 and was a mainstay at center in his eight seasons (1989-96) in Chicago...Green Bay wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett finished his playing career in Chicago (1998-99)...Packers director of player development Rob Davis served as Chicago's long snapper for all 16 games in 1996...Packers assistant offensive line coach Joel Hilgenberg's older brother, Jay, was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection (1985-91) at center for the Bears...Packers CB Tramon Williams and Bears T Jordan Mills are cousins; both attended Louisiana Tech and Assumption High School in Napoleonville, La. ...Packers assistant head coach/inside linebackers coach Winston Moss and senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith played at the University of Miami when Bears head coach Marc Trestman was on the coaching staff there...Packers director of research and development Mike Eayrs held the same position in Minnesota when Trestman was on the Vikings' coaching staff...Bears CB Derrick Martin played in 19 games for the Packers from 2009-10...Packers head coach Mike McCarthy coached on the staff at the University of Pittsburgh with Bears quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh and running backs coach Skip Peete...Bears assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Mel Tucker played defensive back at the University of Wisconsin from 1992-95 and was on the Ohio State staff when Packers LB A.J. Hawk played for the Buckeyes...Bears offensive quality control coach Carson Walch is from Milwaukee...Bears defensive backs coach Jon Hoke worked on Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers' staff in Houston...Hoke was also Packers CB Tramon Wiliams' position coach when Williams was with the Texans during the 2006 preseason...Bears DE Julius Peppers was a key member of the Carolina defenses that Packers defensive line coach Mike Trgovac coordinated from 2003-08...Bears defensive quality control coach Chris Harris also played in Carolina when Trgovac ran the Panthers' defense...Packers WR Jordy Nelson played at Kansas State when Bears linebackers coach Tim Tibesar was on the staff there...Packers RB Eddie Lacy played at Alabama when Bears wide receivers coach Mike Groh was on the staff there..Bears RB Michael Bush played at Louisville when Packers secondary-cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt Jr. was on the staff there...Bush and Bears QB Josh McCown played for the Raiders when Packers secondary-safeties coach Darren Perry was on Oakland's staff...Former college teammates include Packers G Josh Sitton and Bears WR Brandon Marshall (Central Florida), and Packers LB Nick Perry and Bears DT Christian Tupou (Southern California).
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON, CHICAGO
- Dec. 16, 2012, at Soldier Field; Packers won, 21-13.
- Green Bay clinched its second straight NFC North title with the win at Soldier Field, the Packers' sixth straight victory over the Bears.
- 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 CB Casey 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.* *
stat of the week
- In Sunday's loss to the Steelers on Sunday at Lambeau Field, rookie CB Micah Hydeposted 167 yards on five kickoff returns (33.4 avg.), highlighted by a 70-yard return late in the fourth quarter.
- According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Hyde's 167 kickoff return yards were the most by a Green Bay rookie since Travis Williams posted 172 yards on two returns vs. Cleveland on Nov. 12, 1967.
- Hyde's total on Sunday ranks No. 3 in franchise single-game history among rookies behind only Williams' outing and Herb Adderley's 180-yard effort on six returns at Baltimore on Nov. 5, 1961.
- Hyde's 167-yard output was the most by any Green Bay player since CB Tramon Williams registered 173 yards on six returns vs. Chicago on Oct. 7, 2007.
- Hyde ranks No. 14 in the NFL this season with a 24.4-yard kickoff return average and No. 4 in the league with a 12.9-yard average on punt returns.
- Hyde enters the finale at Chicago with 296 yards on punt returns this season, which is just 11 yards shy of setting the franchise single-season record for the most punt return yards by a rookie (Veryl Switzer, 306 yards in 1954).
- This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by **clicking here**.*
