NFL analyst proposes nixing Bears-Packers prime-time games
At one time, the longstanding series between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers was considered one of the top rivalries in the NFL.
But given the recent lopsided results in favor of the Packers — they’ve won 47 of the last 66 meetings dating to 1990 — one NFL analyst is calling for the NFL to stop airing the game in prime time, at least until the Bears start stringing together a few more wins.
“No more Bears-Packers in prime time,” NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt said Monday on Good Morning Football. “I understand that they have to play twice a year; we don’t need to see them…let’s put them in the 1 p.m. window and just let it roll. How many times do we have to see a nationally televised a—whooping of the Packers over the Bears?
“…It’s the same game every time. You think it’s this Yankees-Red Sox thing — the Yankees don’t beat the Red Sox by 12 runs every single time they play. There’s a lot of great history between the Bears and the Packers, none of it is recent.”
Brandt may have a point.
The Bears haven’t beaten the Packers at Lambeau Field since 2015. Aaron Rodgers, who is 23-5 against the Bears in his career, has thrown 18 touchdowns and zero interceptions in his last seven games against the Bears — all wins — and he became the first QB in NFL history with five consecutive games of two or more touchdown passes and a passer rating over 125 against a single opponent.
In the Rodgers era (since 2008), the Packers’ average margin of victory over the Bears is more than 15 points per game in prime time and more than 13 points per game in non-prime time games.
His predecessor, Brett Favre, had an average margin of victory of more than 16 points per game against the Bears in prime time.
Rodgers, who famously yelled “I own you” at Bears fans in October of last season, has thrown for 6,783 yards, 63 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with a completion percentage of 67.6 and a passer rating of 109.9 in 28 career games vs. Chicago.
More must-reads: