I think this was the hardest game for me to sit around and wait for to start, it was like the week was just dragging on. The game was filled with a full week of hype and discussion and I am sure I will have another two weeks to hear the same thing about the Steelers, but I am excited about these next weeks ahead. Breaking some of my own superstitions, had me worried a little more than the outcome of the game, but in the end, it all played out the way I knew it would, with a Packers NFC CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY and a SUPER BOWL XLV BID! With that being said......The Packers are going to the Super Bowl! The Packers are going to the Super Bowl! The Packers are going to the Super Bowl! I don't think saying that over and over will get old for another week or so. So I am going to see if anyone of my friends starts to hate on me first! Yes, it is true we are NFC Champions, but we still have four more quarters of football work to put in. The Packers will be in Dallas and playing the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, February 6th for the right to hoist the Lombardi Trophy and to bring it back home to Lambeau Field were it truly belongs! Cowboys Stadium should have no problem filling the 100,000 seats with fans from both cities, but I have a feeling Packer Nation will be larger and have a stronger G-Force presence! Beside who really wants to see the Steelers win an 8th Super Bowl......it sure is NOT ME!
The Packers became the first No. 6 seed in the NFC to reach the Super Bowl, and the second NFC team to win three road games to get there. The Packers completed perhaps their most impressive playoff run in their illustrious history with a 21-14 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field to capture the NFC Championship. The No. 6-seeded Packers knocked off No. 3 Philadelphia, No. 1 Atlanta and then No. 2 Chicago, all on the road, to earn the franchise’s fifth Super Bowl berth and a shot at the organization’s 13th world championship.. The Packers won nine world titles prior to the Super Bowl era, and have gone 3-1 in Super Bowls thus far, winning Super Bowls I, II and XXXI, but losing in Super Bowl XXXII. The Packers are heading back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 13 years. This was their second NFC Championship appearance in the last four years, but Green Bay lost in overtime to the Giants following the 2007 season, and now that memory can be erased from Packer Fans minds. We something better to cheer about from here on.
During the game there was only one Monster of the Midway in the NFC championship game and his name was Aaron Rodgers. He ran for a touchdown, made a touchdown-saving tackle and was better than three Bears quarterbacks combined in leading the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl with an ugly-but-beautiful 21-14 victory Sunday over Chicago. "It's a dream come true," Rodgers said. "It's an incredible feeling. I'm at a loss for words." Rodgers kept the Bears' defense off balance all afternoon, Green Bay punter Tim Masthay kept Devin Hester under wraps and the Packers' superb defense took care of the rest in knocking the rival Bears out of the playoffs.
It was the 182nd meeting in the league's most historic rivalry, and the stakes had never been bigger. Now the Packers (13-6) are headed to Dallas. And no matter what happens in the Super Bowl, the Packers and their fans hold ultimate bragging rights over their rivals to the South.
All Jay Cutler could do was watch, having left the game with a knee injury early in the third quarter. And with Cutler sitting, little-known backup Caleb Hanie actually made it a game. Chicago's third-string quarterback rallied the Bears for a touchdown drive to cut the lead to 14-7 after Chester Taylor's 1-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Hanie and the Bears had a chance to tie the game after the Bears' defense finally got a few stops, but Hanie threw a ball straight to Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji, who lumbered 18 yards into the end zone for a touchdown to give the Packers a 21-7 lead. But Hanie wasn't finished, throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass to Earl Bennett to again cut the lead to seven points with 4:43 left.
The Bears (12-6) forced a punt and got the ball back with under 3 minutes left. Hanie drove the Bears to the Green Bay 29-yard line, then threw a fourth-down interception to Sam Shields, it was the rookie's second interception of the game. The game was over at that point and the defense actually sealed this game again with a great interception in the final minute.
Now all those Pro Bowl voters who didn't think Rodgers was worthy can relax. They're off the hook. Rodgers will be busy getting ready for the Super Bowl instead of playing at the Pro Bowl next weekend. No Packer players will be suiting up for a meaningless match-up between the AFC-NFC stars, they all have bigger plans!
Aaron was 17-of-30 for 244 yards while adding 39 yards rushing, he also had those two interceptions, but his play in the first half put the Bears in a hole as their defense that seemed to fall for every play-action fake. Rodgers was stellar on the Packers' first possession of the game, hitting Greg Jennings for long gains and later findingJordy Nelson wide open after a play fake for a long completion to set up first-and-goal. Rodgers kept the ball on a bootleg two plays later, stretching the ball over the goal line to put the Packers on the scoreboard first. But the Packers lost veteran left tackle Chad Clifton to a neck stinger when he collided with a teammate on the touchdown play. Clifton would return midway through the second quarter. Green Bay's defense forced the Bears to punt out of their own end zone late in the first quarter and returner Tramon Williams bobbled the ball, then got it back to give the Packers' offense good field position. Brandon Jackson faked Urlacher out for a long gain on a screen pass, and Rodgers' pass to Nelson set up James Starks 4-yard touchdown run to give Green Bay a 14-0 lead. It was Starks first NFL TD run who had 22 carries for 74 yards.
“Guys believed then, guys believe now,” Driver said. “We just have to win it all.” “Now we have the opportunity to achieve greatness, and that is winning the Super Bowl down in Dallas,” Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. “Bring the Lombardi trophy back home. We never doubted that throughout the season. “This was the path that was chosen for us, and I think it’s really shaped a hell of a football team.”
Heros: Sam Shields had a sack, a forced fumble and two interceptions, including the game-clinching pick at the Green Bay 12-yard line with 37 seconds left to seal the Packers’ 21-14 win and a trip to Super Bowl XLV. B.J. Raji for his first INT for a TD. Aaron for keeping his composure and following his INT with a nice TD saving tackle on Urlacher. And probably the most important was that of P Tim Masthay for keeping Hester in check! AWESOME JOB TIM!
Boos: This week.......only one Nick Collins missed tackle on the Bears TD...Come On MAN!! Oh....maybe that I can't wear one of those awesome Packers NFC Championship shirts to work tomorrow.
Let's GO! PACK GO! See you in Dallas for a Super Bowl Victory!