Before we get to the pomp and circumstance surrounding the Thanksgiving night game between the Bears and Packers, let’s have the Jay Cutler version of, “Slow your roll”. It was do or die for them. I’ve been around teams like that, too. In addition, 2015 is the 10th consecutive season featuring a Bears-Packers primetime matchup, tied with Giants-Cowboys for the league’s longest active and all-time streaks.
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Aaron Rodgers hasn’t talked much about Favre through the years, but number 12 opened up about number four today at his locker.
Then, on a Thursday night, the Vikings travel to the desert to take on the Cardinals.
The Packers are back in control of the division, holding the tiebreaker over the Vikings with the final game between the two teams at Lambeau Field in Week 17, a potential division-deciding game. Hopefully that’s a sign of things to come. “We’ve been taking it on the chin, rightfully so, the last three weeks after a couple real poor performances”, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers told reporters. He helped the Packers move the chains, and lead them to victory again, as he did a year ago at TCF Bank Stadium.
Sunday’s game was televised to most of the nation on Fox.
“Every time we seem like it’s a big-time game, excuse my language, but we (urinate) down our leg every single time”, Munnerlyn said. This improved stretch brought its season average to 21.4 PPG.
Little attention will be given to the Bears’ performance in this game as the focus turns to the Mannning vs. Osweiler debate, but this is a disappointing home loss in a game that looked like it could firmly put the Bears in the playoff conversation. This is what makes football fun.
“Big picture? We play here Thursday night”. The defense has been lackluster against the rush but stout against the pass, allowing just 217 yards per game. The Falcons are another team in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Lastly, Special teams ended up being a big factor. “And I think that they [the Packers] played well”. With the promising recovery of the Green Bay Packers, sports analysts believe that the host team will win this face off. Atlanta’s losing streak is against Tampa Bay, San Francisco and Indianapolis with Matt Hasselbeck. One of those is the No. 15 worn by Green Bay’s first legendary quarterback, Bart Starr, who is scheduled to be at the game as well after he had been in declining health at his home in Alabama.
The game will forever live in the deeply repressed memory of Vikings fans and in the cold hearts of their Wisconsin rivals.
Rodgers hopes to get a moment with Starr and Favre, possibly before the nationally televised game. A former Vikings quarterback and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is the founder and CEO of Tarkenton Companies and the author of the new book “The Power of Failure”.
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Fran Tarkenton is a Minnesota Vikings analyst for TwinCities.com and the Pioneer Press.
