BEARS COME TO LAMBEAU FOR ANNUAL RIVALRY
-Packers -- Bears. No truer rivalry exists in the National Football League, and no two teams have met on the gridiron more than Green Bay and Chicago. Today marks the 176th installment in the venerable series.
-The game takes on an added importance as the Packers and Bears find themselves once again in a fight for supremacy in the NFC North Division. Green Bay stands a game behind Chicago and Minnesota.
-The Packers lost a hard-fought game last weekend to the Vikings, 28-27, when a field goal attempt in the closing seconds sailed wide right.
-After losing the first two games of the month on the road, the Packers look to get back on track at Lambeau Field, where they have won 11 of their last 14 regular-season games.
-Standing in the way is their oldest rival, the Chicago Bears. The clubs first met in 1921, when the Chicago Staleys beat the Packers 20-0.
-Names like Halas, Lombardi, Nitschke and Butkus only begin to define the history of the all-time series. The Bears own a 89-79-6 advantage.
-From 1994-2003, Green Bay won 18 of 20 games against Chicago. Since Lovie Smith's arrival to Chicago in 2004, the Bears have won six of eight including the last four contests at Lambeau Field.
-Head Coach Mike McCarthy is 1-3 against the Bears and is still searching for his first home win over the Bears.
-Chicago lost at home to the undefeated Tennessee Titans, 21-14, last weekend. Despite surrendering just 20 rushing yards to one of the league's most potent running games, the Bears could not overcome a 21-7 fourth-quarter deficit behind backup QB Rex Grossman.
GOT TICKETS?
-The Packers' Gold Package ticket holders (Milwaukee package) will see what has traditionally been the toughest ticket to get on the home slate.
-Today marks the 274th consecutive sellout (258 regular season, 16 playoffs) at Lambeau Field, the league's longest-tenured stadium.
ORTON OR GROSSMAN?
-The inevitable storyline all week has been the question of just who will start under center for Chicago. Backup QB Rex Grossman started last Sunday against the Titans after starter Kyle Orton was injured against Detroit.
-The Packers defense is plenty familiar with each quarterback. Orton started against the Packers last December, a 35-7 Bears win in arctic-like conditions. Orton also started against the Packers in 2005, a 19-7 Bears win. Both wins came in Chicago.
-Grossman is 3-1 in four career starts against the Packers, his last coming in the 2006 regular-season finale at Chicago. He only played the first half in that contest, completing 2-of-12 passes while turning the ball over four times - three interceptions and a fumbled snap. Two of the interceptions were returned for scores in a 26-7 Packers victory.
-Grossman's three wins against Green Bay came in consecutive seasons at Lambeau Field (2004-06).
-Opposing signal callers have a 58.8 passer rating against Green Bay this season, the lowest rating in the NFL. It ranks just ahead of Tennessee's defense, which ranks No. 2 with an opposing QB rating of 62.5.
-Green Bay's defense has been able to smother potential receivers, allowing opposing signal callers to complete just 51.5% of their passes. That is the lowest opponent completion percentage in the league, slightly ahead of the Baltimore defense (53.5%) ranked No. 2.
-In addition to holding opposing passers to the lowest quarterback rating and completion percentage, it has also surrendered the fewest gross passing yards at 1,706. Carolina ranks No. 2 with 1,793 passing yards.
{sportsad300}TURNOVERS ARE KEY FOR PACKERS, BEARS
-Green Bay (first) and Chicago (tied for second) are atop the NFC in turnover ratio, one of football's most important statistics.
-Green Bay has 17 takeaways (NFL-best 16 interceptions, one fumble recovery) on the season against just 10 turnovers.
-Chicago's 20 takeaways (12 interceptions, eight fumbles) are tied for the NFL lead with Kansas City, but the Bears do have 14 turnovers on offense.
-The Packers have been able to turn takeaways into points better than any other team, scoring 86 points off turnovers thus far. Chicago ranks No. 5 with 63 points off turnovers.
-On the other side of the ball, the Packers have surrendered 47 points off the 10 turnovers this year - 24 of which came at Tampa in Week 4. That point total off turnovers is the 13th highest in the NFL.
-A rarity occurred for the Packers Sunday in Minneapolis: they lost a game in which they did not commit a turnover. They have now won 32 of 34 games playing turnover-free football, since a loss at Dallas, Nov. 18, 1996. Green Bay's only losses in such games during that stretch both came at Minnesota, first in 2005 and then last Sunday.
-Including playoffs, the Packers have won 35 of their last 37 games without a giveaway.
WEARING THE STRIPES
Today's officiating crew includes referee Walt Anderson (66), umpire Butch Hannah (40), head linesman Phil McKinnely (110), line judge Byron Boston (18), field judge Gary Cavaletto (60), side judge Laird Hayes (125) and back judge Terrence Miles (111).
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WHAT TO WATCH FOR
20 ATARI BIGBY
-Has five interceptions in his last eight regular-season games played.
36 NICK COLLINS
-Needs one interception return TD to tie the NFL single-season record of four.
-Tied with Herb Adderley (1965) for team single-season record with three interception return TDs.
-Third in team history with 230 interception return yards, trailing only Darren Sharper (233 in 2002) and Bobby Dillion (244 in 1956).
2 MASON CROSBY
-For his career, has hit 30-of-33 field goals from 39 yards and closer.
-Has hit 12-of-17 field goals from 40-49 yards.
-Has hit 5-of-9 field goals from 50-plus yards.
80 DONALD DRIVER
-Has a reception in 104 consecutive games, besting the franchise's previous long streak of Sterling Sharpe's 103 (1988-94).
25 RYAN GRANT
-When he carries the ball 19-or-more times, the Packers are 8-1.
85 GREG JENNINGS
-Has caught a pass in 36 consecutive games.
-Ranks tied for second in the NFL in receiving yards (801), first in 20-plus yard catches (14) and first in 40-plus yard catches (six).
74 AARON KAMPMAN
-His 35 sacks since 2006 ranks second among all NFL players.
