Aaron Rodgers didn't have his best game against the Bears, but he was able to lead Green Bay back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1998.
Three years after making the controversial decision to cut ties with future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre and put the future of the Green Bay Packers in the hands of unproven quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the choice has been justified. After defeating the Chicago Bears 21-14 in the NFC Championship Game, Green Bay will be making the fifth Super Bowl appearance in team history and first in 13 years.
Though their performance against the Bears wasn’t as dominating as a week ago against the Atlanta Falcons, Rodgers and the Packers did what they needed to do to overcome a pesky, but overmatched opponent.
Rodgers started out hot as he drove the Packers down the field on their first possession and capped the drive with a touchdown run.
However, for the remainder of the day Rodgers and the Packers kept tentative control of the game, but were never able to completely put the Bears away.
The Packers scored early in the second quarter to take a 14-0 lead that stood at halftime.
Early in the second half, Rodgers drove the Packers methodically down the field looking to put the game away, but an uncharacteristic interception kept the Bears in the game.
Things looked good for the Packers when starting Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler injured a knee and backup Todd Collins was ineffective during the third quarter. Read the rest of this entry →
From 1986 until 1991, the National Football League used an instant replay system in which an official in the booth would buzz the referees on the field, indicating that they were reviewing the previous play and then the replay official would determine whether or not the play needed to be reversed.
The most memorable moment under this replay system came in 1989 during a week nine matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers, in which the replay official determined if the potential game-winning touchdown was legal.
The Bears entered the game with a 5-3 record after starting the season with a 4-0 start.
The Bears were led by head coach Mike Ditka, who had taken control of the NFC Central Division as they won the division each year since 1984, including a Super Bowl title in 1985.
But the 1989 season was a year of transition as the team traded quarterback Jim McMahon during training camp and replaced him with quarterback Mike Tomczak, until he was replaced by third-year quarterback Jim Harbaugh.
The Packers entered the game with a 4-4 record under second-year head coach Lindy Infante.
The Packers had been stuck in mediocrity for the past two decades as the team made only two playoff appearances ever since head coach Vince Lombardi retired back in 1967.
The Packers’ starting quarterback was Don Majkowski, a 10th round selection out of the University of Virginia in 1987. Read the rest of this entry →
George Blanda had a lot of late game magic left when he joined the Oakland Raiders in 1967 at the age of 40.
The sports world lost one of its legendary stars on Monday with the passing of Hall of Fame quarterback and kicker George Blanda at the age of 83. Unlike no other player before him or since, Blanda truly had two separate careers in pro football that combined to make him one of the legendary players of his era (or eras).
Blanda, who played a record 26 years in professional football and didn’t retire from the NFL until the age of 48, is best remembered for his nine-year stint as the crusty old kicker and miracle maker for the Oakland Raiders of the late 1960s and early 1970s. However, his career transcended generations and connected legends.
Originally from western Pennsylvania, Blanda traveled to the University of Kentucky to play college football. It was there that he had his first encounter with a sports legend as Paul “Bear” Bryant became head coach of the Wildcats prior to Blanda’s sophomore season.
Bryant wasn’t yet the dominant figure in college coaching when he took over a Kentucky team that had won only one game the previous season and willed them to seven victories in 1946 and then eight wins and their first-ever bowl appearance the following season. During Blanda’s senior season, in which he played quarterback and kicker, the Wildcats went 5-3-2.
Drafted in the 12th round of the 1949 NFL draft by George Halas and the Chicago Bears, Blanda joined a team in Chicago that was already crowded at quarterback with the presence of Sid Luckman, who was completing a Hall of Fame career, and former Notre Dame star Johnny Lujack.
Blanda’s ability to kick and punt helped him earn a roster spot in 1949 and he converted seven of 15 field goals while also punting 19 times for an average of 39.3 yards per kick. He struggled during his few chances at quarterback as he threw five interceptions in 21 pass attempts. Read the rest of this entry →
Reports say that the Bears have landed the first big free agent of 2010 in Julius Peppers.
According to a number of reports, the Chicago Bears have landed the first huge fish of the NFL free agent period with the signing of former Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers to a six year contract.
Considered by many to be the brightest star in a less than stellar free agent year, Peppers should provide an immediate boost to a Bears defense that has been in decline in recent years.
The second overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, Peppers is a five-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time first team All-Pro.
In 2009 he registered 10.5 sacks and two interceptions for the Panthers. He has reached double figures in sacks in six of his eight seasons in the NFL and has 81 for his career.
A year ago the Bears lost their leading defensive player, linebacker Brian Urlacher, to injury in the opening game of the season and never fully recovered. Read the rest of this entry →
The NFL network began their fourth season broadcasting games on November 12th.
Like the proverbial question about the sound of a tree in the forest, I have a similar question about the NFL.
If they play an NFL game in prime time and half the people in the country can’t watch is it still considered an NFL game?
That is my question following the game Thursday night between the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers, which was broadcast on the NFL Network.
Like many others across the country, my cable company, Bright House Network, is embroiled in a long-running disagreement with NFL Network over channel placement, pricing and other such things that seem trivial to me, but important to television executives.
Overall, seven of the top 10 cable providers in the country do not offer NFL Network.
Considering that the NFL Network started broadcasting just over six years ago on November 4, 2003, you would think these companies would have settled the disagreement by now, but unfortunately, it looks like many of us will be enduring another year of missing out on some exciting NFL matchups. Read the rest of this entry →
The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is one of the most underappreciated wide receivers in NFL history, despite boasting a career that spanned 16 seasons and saw him excel as one of the league’s premier deep threats. Known for his speed, route-running, and ability to make plays downfield, Harold Jackson left an indelible mark on the game during an era that was not yet pass-heavy. Standing at 5’10” and weighing 175 pounds, he defied expectations of size to become a dominant force on the field. Over the course of his illustrious career (1968–1983), Jackson totaled 10,372 receiving yards and 76 touchdowns, placing him among the top receivers of his time.
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