Packers Beat Bears 21-14 to Win NFC Title

Packers Beat Bears 21-14 to Win NFC Title, Advance to Super Bowl 45

CHICAGO -- Aaron Rodgers ran for a touchdown and made a saving tackle, B.J. Raji returned an interception for a score and Sam Shields had two interceptions to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 21-14 win over the Chicago Bears in the NFC championship game Sunday.

The victory sends the Packers (13-6) to the Super Bowl in Dallas on Feb. 6 to meet the winner of the New York Jets-Pittsburgh Steelers AFC title game later Sunday.

Raji's TD return in the final quarter put the Packers up 21-7. Green Bay then withstood a rally led by Chicago third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie. He led two fourth-quarter TD drives, but Chicago's last chance to tie the game ended in the final minute when Shields came up with his second interception in Packers' territory.

Bears starter Jay Cutler hurt his knee and played only one series in the third quarter. Todd Collins replaced him but was ineffective. Chicago ends the season at 12-6.

The sixth-seeded Packers have now won road games in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago.

The Packers won this 182nd meeting of the NFL's most played rivalry and will be playing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy -- named for their former coach -- in their in fifth Super Bowl.

Rodgers and James Starks had short scoring runs in the opening half as the Packers built a 14-0 lead.

In the third quarter, Rodgers went back to work, connecting with Jordy Nelson for 21 yards and Greg Jennings for 20. After a pass interference call on Chicago's Tim Jennings, the Packers had a first down at the 8.

But on third-and-6, Bears star linebacker Brian Urlacher intercepted a pass by Rodgers and had just the QB to beat for a long TD return. But Rodgers got in Urlacher's way and grabbed just enough of his legs to pull him down at the Bears 45.

The Bears couldn't muster much of anything offensively.

Cutler was having a rough afternoon, going 6 for 14 with 80 yards and an interception before Chicago turned the offense to the little-used Collins. It wasn't immediately apparent when or how Cutler got hurt. Collins lasted two series before he was replaced by third-stringer Hanie.

Rodgers started where he left off last week against Atlanta, throwing passes of 22 and 26 yards to Jennings to open an 84-yard drive on the opening series of the game. He later hit Nelson with a 22-yarder to the Bears 2, then ran in from the 1 on a bootleg after withstanding a hard hit from safety Danieal Manning.

And just like that, the Packers were ahead in the first four minutes.

Taking the ball at the Bears 44 after forcing Brad Maynard to put out of his end zone, the Packers moved in again early in the second.

Rodgers got off a nice dump pass under pressure to Brandon Jackson and the running back made a beauty of a fake to go right past Urlacher and gain 16 yards. Starks then broke off a 12-yard run before Rodgers found Nelson for a 15-yard gain to the 4.

The rookie Starks carried right and weaved his way over the goal line, putting the Packers ahead 14-0 with 11:13 left in the half.

Rodgers was 10 of 15 for 156 yards and an interception in the first half.

The Bears got their offense moving midway through the second quarter but still couldn't score. Cutler had a 24-yard pass to Johnny Knox and then found Chester Taylor for 12 more, carrying to the Packers 30, their deepest penetration of the game.

But the drive stalled after a completion was wiped out by a holding penalty and two carries by Cutler. Instead of trying a long field goal, the Bears punted again and Maynard's kick went over the goal line into the end zone.

Rodgers couldn't find an open receiver on second down and took off for a 25-yard gain to the Bears 45. Chicago's defense dug in and stopped Starks on a third-and-1, forcing a Packers punt.

Shields forced a Cutler fumble with just under two minutes to go -- the Bears' Matt Forte recovered -- but once again Chicago had to punt.

Finally, the bundled up predominantly Bears crowd had something to cheer when Lance Briggs intercepted a pass from Rodgers intended for Donald Driver with 48 seconds to go.

But after a pass to Forte gained 17 yards, Cutler's long heave for Knox down the sideline was picked off by Shields near the goal line with 32 seconds left.

The Packers and Bears met only one other time in the postseason, a 33-14 win by Chicago in 1941, shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

After splitting two regular-season games -- the Packers beat the Bears 10-3 in the finale just to get in -- the hype for this matchup overflowed all week.

Green Bay got in as the sixth seed and behind the play of Rodgers, went into Philadelphia and Atlanta for impressive victories. Rodgers had 366 yards passing and threw for three TDs in Green Bay's surprisingly lopsided 48-21 win against the Falcons.

News From: www.foxnews.com

Packers Vs. Bears NFC Championship Game

NFC Championship Game, Packers Vs. Bears: Weather And Soldier Field Condition Could Play A Role

We all remember last week at Soldier Field. The turf itself was in poor condition, the sidelines were rock hard and the weather was frigid. Ahead of today’s NFC Championship between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, temperatures are again expected to be frigid, but the field looks to be in better shape, depending on who you believe. Will the conditions in Chicago play a role in today’s game, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line?

The weather is bone-chillingly cold, but no snow is expected this time around. Unlike last week, Soldier Field looks inviting, basking in the glow of sunlight this morning. When the Seattle Seahawks took the field, they were greeting by a steady snowfall and temperatures dipping into the teens. This time around, the high is expected to be in the teens, with lows perhaps dipping below 10 degrees. There is a chance of snow, but all looks clear for now.

As for the field, the condition is up for debate. If you believe CBS Sports’ Mike Freeman, Soldier Field is in poor condition again, with chunks of sod coming up as players run through warmups. Freeman said the grounds crew was spray painting the sod, comparing it to putting “”http://twitter.com/realfreemancbs/status/29219694518996992" target="new">lipstick on a pig" while noticing what looked like tire tracks on the playing surface.

On the other hand, check out some of the pictures from this morning. The turf had a tarp placed over it, protecting it from the harsh elements. The photos are zoomed out, but it doesn’t look too frightening, though we won’t know how it will hold up until the players actually get on the field.

Keep an eye on Soldier Field and the weather today as the Packers and Bears hit the field in the NFC Championship at noon on Fox.

News From: seattle.sbnation.com

Bears Seahawks NFC Championship Game

Bears Top Seahawks 35-24: Chicago Reaches NFC Championship Game

CHICAGO — Football's oldest rivalry has a grand new prize: a spot in the Super Bowl.

Maybe even with an anniversary reprise of the "Super Bowl Shuffle" if the Chicago Bears can get past the Green Bay Packers.

"It's a big deal. We have a lot of history with them," Bears star linebacker Brian Urlacher said after a 35-24 victory over Seattle set up an NFC championship game matchup with Green Bay. "We don't like them, they don't like us."

Jay Cutler ran for two touchdowns and threw for two as Chicago (12-5) pounded the Seahawks from the outset. The Bears' built a 28-0 lead, but it was against the first division winner with a losing record, making it difficult to measure how good they are. The NFL will find out next week against the Packers (12-6), who have beaten third-seeded Philadelphia and top-seeded Atlanta on the road this month.

The last time Chicago won the NFL title, Walter Payton, Jim McMahon and Mike Singletary did the "Super Bowl Shuffle" all over their opponents. That was 25 years ago, and to compare these Bears with the wild bunch that won Chicago's only Super Bowl 25 years ago is a stretch.

But next Sunday's matchup is fitting if only for the history: It will be the biggest game in Chicago's 90-year series with the Packers. They will play for the 182nd time next Sunday, but it's their first meeting for the NFC title.

"Now that we have beaten the Seahawks, it just doesn't get any better, as I see it, than for the NFC championship coming down to the Packers coming down on our turf this time," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "The Packers and Bears to finish it up."

Cutler made it possible as much as anybody. And he did it with nimble feet as well as precise throws, running for 6- and 9-yard TDs.

"It was fun," he said with a smile. "That first one was called. Second one was kind of improv."

There was nothing improvisational about the way the Bears' defense shut down an offense that scored 41 points against New Orleans last week, but that gained only 111 through three periods at Soldier Field, where Seattle managed a 23-20 victory in October. The Seahawks' points all came with the outcome decided.

"Now we're back, playing together, hopefully peaking at the right time," Urlacher said.

Cutler, in his first postseason game, showed none of the wild swings that often have marked his five-year career. His shifty moves on a 6-yard run made it 21-0, essentially turning everyone's attention to next weekend.

"We're both familiar with each other, so nothing's going to be new," Cutler said. "We have our hands full."

Not much was expected of the Bears when the season began, but they've improved mightily since falling to 4-3 heading into their bye week. They clinched a playoff berth with two games remaining, grabbing their first NFC North championship since 2006 – when they lost to Indianapolis in the Super Bowl.

Unlike Atlanta and Pittsburgh on Saturday, they showed no rust from having a bye in dominating Seattle. Then again, the Seahawks showed none of the surging emotions or big-play abilities they sprung on the Saints at home. It was merely a one-week reprieve, and they went even flatter after tight end John Carlson was carted off with a head injury in the first quarter following a nasty spill; Carlson landed on the side of his helmet and his shoulder, but had movement in his extremities.

Seattle lost cornerback Marcus Trufant to a head injury in the third quarter when he collided with Kellen Davis' knee while trying to make a tackle. Trufant also was carted off, but he also had feeling in his extremities.

Coach Pete Carroll said both players were hospitalized and were expected to stay overnight for observation. He said "all indications are that they are OK."

Chicago put away the game with touchdowns on three of its first four possessions, by which time Urlacher, Julius Peppers and the rest of the defense had taken charge.

Greg Olsen, showing impressive speed for a tight end, streaked past safety Lawyer Milloy for a 58-yard TD reception on Chicago's third offensive play. Chester Taylor added a 1-yard TD run and Cutler's 6-yarder built an insurmountable lead.

Cutler liked using his feet so much he added a 9-yard sprint in the third quarter to make it 28-0. He even threw in a 21-yard scramble in the fourth quarter and finished with a career-best 43 yards rushing, 9 more than the Seahawks.

"Jay's a very athletic quarterback," Seahawks linebacker Will Herring said. "So we have to account for that. He really hurt us with his feet."

Olindo Mare's 30-yard field goal got the first points for Seattle, which will get mixed reviews in Carroll's first season as coach. The Seahawks went 7-9, hardly what they had in mind when they hired Carroll away from Southern Cal. Still, they won the weak NFC West, and they eliminated the defending Super Bowl champions in the wild-card round.

"It took a long time for them to ... fight and compete and do the things we want them to do," Carroll said. "I would have loved to have got this game today that so many people didn't think we could. I see where we're going and I'm proud of that."

But the prospect of a .500 team playing for a berth in the Super Bowl is gone, even though Matt Hasselbeck threw for three fourth-quarter touchdowns.

So bring on the Packers, who lost to the Bears 33-14 at Wrigley Field on Dec. 14, 1941 in their only previous playoff meeting.

Green Bay beat Chicago 10-3 in the season finale to clinch a playoff spot earlier this month. The Packers haven't been to the Super Bowl since the 1997 season, when they lost to Denver.

Notes: Cutler is the second QB in league history to have two TDs rushing and two passing in a postseason game. Otto Graham did it for Cleveland in 1954 and '55. ... Cutler was 15 for 28 for 274 yards and was sacked three times. Hasselbeck finished 26 for 46 for 258 and was sacked twice. ... Record-setting punt returner Devin Hester had one 26-yard runback, but otherwise had little impact for Chicago.