Throwback Game of the Week - Chicago at Green Bay

No rivalry in National Football League history is deeper than the Bears and Packers who meet to kickoff the 2009 season in Lambeau Field on Sunday night. The game marks the 177th regular season meeting between the two storied franchises. Chicago holds a 90-80-6 edge in the series. The Bears also won the lone playoff matchup between the teams, a 33-14 win in 1941.

First Time:
Nov. 27, 1921 – The fans interest in his geographic rivalry was apparent from the start. More than 300 Packers fans made the trip to Cub Park in Chicago for the game. They went home disappointed as Chicago, then nicknamed the Staleys, shut out Green Bay 20-0. George “Papa Bear” Halas scored the game’s final TD on a 10-yard pass reception in the final quarter.

Last Time:
Dec. 22, 2008 – The Bears won in overtime, 20-17, in frigid conditions at Soldier Field on Monday Night Football. Chicago’s Robbie Gould nailed a 38-yard field goal at 4:42 of the sudden death period to give Chicago a split in the season series and also kept the Bears playoff hopes alive. Gould’s winner became possible when teammate Alex Brown blocked a 38-yard field goal try by the Packers with 18 seconds remaining in regulation.

Hall of Fame Members
The Bears and Packers rank first and second in numbers of alum enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Chicago is represented by 26 long-time members of the franchise to be elected to the Hall of Fame while the Packers have 21 former players or coaches with a bust in Canton. Both teams have five other members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played briefly with them.

Records found in the NFL Record Book
 The Bears’ 72 rushing attempts in a game against the Brooklyn Dodgers on Oct. 20, 1935 still stands as an NFL record today.

 Packers hold the mark of leading the NFL in field goals the most times (11). Green Bay topped that category in 1935-36, 1940-43, 1946-47, 1955, 1972, and 1974.
 

Throwback Game
November 7, 1999

The Bears-Packers fierce rivalry was born in 1921 when Green Bay joined the NFL. Over the years the games have been heated and filled with great emotion. However, one particular game 10 years ago had a special feel to it. The Packers and Bears met at Lambeau Field in Week 9 of the 1999 season. The game was played just days after the legendary Bears running back Walter Payton passed away at age 45.

The Packers entered the game at 4-3 one game back of the division leading Detroit Lions. Meanwhile the Bears, although in the basement of the NFC Central Division, were very much in the thick of things at 3-5. Chicago was looking to turn around a three-game losing streak punctuated by a 48-22 trouncing at the hands of the Washington Redskins one week earlier. Green Bay was coming off a 27-7 loss at home to the Seattle Seahawks.

In a fitting tribute to “Sweetness” the Bears left Green Bay with a thrilling 14-13 victory to snap a 10-game losing streak to the Packers. The win was secured only when Bryan Robinson blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt by kicker Ryan Longwell as time expired.

The game’s first touchdown came on a 49-yard run by Glyn Milburn late in the first quarter that put the Bears ahead, 7-3. Green Bay countered with a 7-yard TD strike by Brett Favre to Tyrone Davis with less than one minute to play in the first half. Green Bay’s defense, which had three key interceptions on the day, held the Bears offense in check for much of the second half. But, Chicago found the end zone and took the lead on a 6-yard TD pass play in the third quarter.

A low snap on the on Longwell’s attempted game-winner contributed to the blocked kick.

Photo (right): Milburn's 49-yard TD against the Packers was the longest run of his 9-year NFL career. (© Associated Press)

Game Program Cover | Official Gamebook (PDF)

More Bears & Packers on Profootballhof.com
Team histories
Chicago | Green Bay

Photos
Vince Lombardi
Forrest Gregg
“Papa Bear” Halas
Bears from the 1920s

Artifacts
Football from Bears-Packers 100th meeting
Packers’ first 1,000-yard rusher Tony Canadeo
Hester’s jersey from record return

Some other stories on Bears and Packers
Packers 9 interceptions in one game
Red Grange’s pro debut
Bears win NFL’s first playoff game
Paul Hornung’s record-setting 1960 season