The Rivalry now has a BIG Prize!

The oldest rivalry in the NFL is going to get a little bit more history added to it, this time the winner gets the NFC  Championship and ticket to Dallas and Super Bowl 45.

This feels a lot to me like 2006 when the Bears played host to the New Orleans Saints.  Brees and the Saints were the hot team in the NFC, then beating the Eagles down before coming to Chicago.  Everyone in the media picked the Saints to win and go on to then Miami and Super Bowl 41.  The game still had to be played though, and the Bears won and hoisted their 2nd George S. Halas trophy.         Now the Packers and the Saints are 2 different teams.  The Packers to win will have to go on the road for a 3rd time.  Aaron Rodgers is playing like a QB possesed and with a chip on his shoulder, maybe the comments by ESPN's Colin Cowherd helped.  I see now why Lovie played all his starters in week 17, to get the Packers out of the tournament.  Anyway it should be a hell of a game.  Like the other 2 have been so far this season.

Before the year started I picked the Packers to the Super Bowl, when the playoffs started I rebooted and picked the Bears, so either way I'm sitting pretty good.  But Go Bears!

Some fun stat tid bits.

• This is the 182 meeting between the 2 rivals, 2nd only in the playoffs.  (Bears won the 1st playoff meeting on Dec 14, 1941.  )
• Bears lead the series 92-83-6
• This is Lovie's 2nd NFC Championship Game.  Ditka coached the Bears to 3, winning 1 and losing 2.
• The Bears have won 3 straight home playoff games. (06-Seattle, 06-New Orleans, 10-Seattle)

For more here's 5 early questions from former Hawkeye Matt Bowen at National Football Post.com.