Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears: History of a Black and Blue Rivalry

Probably no two cities could be more different than Green Bay, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois.

Green Bay, a quiet, peaceful community, set in the beautiful Wisconsin woods, with a population of 150,000.

Chicago, a booming metropolis with a population of almost three million, hustling and bustling, filled with activity.

Yet these two communities boast the longest, most storied rivalry in the National Football League and the two most successful franchises in the history of professional football.

Bitter barely begins to describe this rivalry.

In the first meeting between these two teams, Chicago coach John (Tarzan) Taylor punched Packers tackle Howard Buck, breaking his nose and providing the opening barrage of animosity in this long and tenacious rivalry.

As these two prepare to meet next week for the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl, let's take a minute and break down the rivalry that is almost 100 years old...

5. The Legends

George "Papa Bear" Halas, Vince Lombardi, Brett Favre, Dick Butkus, Walter Payton, Bart Starr—the list could go on for pages.

These teams have produced some phenomenal matchups between amazing talent.

Today's current rosters are loaded with stars...

Charles Woodson, Brian Urlacher, Devin Hester, Aaron Rodgers, Julius Peppers, Clay Matthews and Lance Briggs are just a few of the amazing football players that will take the field this Sunday and continue the long and rich tradition that is the Green Bay-Chicago rivalry.

Which one of these stars will step up and etch his name in the annals of a rivalry never to be forgotten?

4. The Credentials

The Bears enter this game as the No. 2 seed in the NFC, having a record of 11-5 in the regular season and winning their first game in the playoffs against Seattle in dominating fashion 35-24.

The ability of Bears quarterback Jay Cutler to realize he is not Brett Favre and cannot throw the ball into any space he wishes has led to wins for the Bears this season.

That being said, the Bears are definitely all about the defense. They have allowed only 90.2 rushing yards per game, good enough for third in the NFL...

The Packers come off an old-fashioned caning of the No. 1 seed Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

That win has now given the No. 6 seed Packers two road victories in a row heading into their title bout with the Bears in Chi-Town.

Aaron Rodgers has been "stupid" good, raising the level of his game in the playoffs.

Time after time against the Falcons, Rodgers escaped the sure clutches of an Atlanta defender, only to scamper outside the pocket and make pinpoint-accurate passes to receivers all over the field.

But Green Bay's scariest aspect is the defense.

Tramon Williams has emerged as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, cementing a defense that is star-studded and knows how to bring the wood...

3. The Championships

These teams are no strangers to the big game.

Combined, these NFC North foes have a combined 21 NFL titles: 12 for Green Bay and nine for the Bears.

That being said, neither of these teams has won the title in more than 10 years, and the Bears have not won a Super Bowl since the 1985 season...

2. The History

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 16: Quarterback Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears celebrates with teammate Greg Olsen #82 after Cutler scores on a nine-yard touchdown run in the third quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2011 NFC divisional playoff game at

This matchup has been fairly close, standing at 92-83-6 in favor of the Bears.

There have been some interesting moments in the series, including the infamous "replay game" in 1989 and the first meeting of these two teams in the playoffs in 1941.

The Bears have won eight of the last 14 games between these two, while the Packers won seven in a row before that span.

This season, the Bears won the first matchup on Monday Night Football in September, 20-17.

The Packers returned the favor in the last week of the regular season, defeating the Bears 10-3 at Lambeau Field, ensuring a trip to the playoffs.

1. The Showdown

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

CHICAGO - SEPTEMBER 27: Charles Tillman #33 of the Chicago Bears talks with Donald Driver #80 of the Green Bay Packers after the Bears won 20-17 at Soldier Field on September 27, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Now, to the business at hand.

The Bears opened as the underdog at home, mostly due to the fact that they defeated the 8-9 Seahawks to get to where they are, while the Packers had a much more difficult road, pounding the aforementioned Falcons 48-21 in Atlanta and taking out the Eagles in the Wild Card Round, also on the road.

The story of this game will be the ability of the Bears defense to slow down the torrid hot Aaron Rodgers, who has been channeling his inner Brett Favre and flinging the ball to receivers all over the field with reckless abandon and accuracy.

On the flip side, the Packers have to continue to get pressure on Jay Cutler and force him into some of his patented horrible decision-making.

While fans of each team are projecting blowouts, this game will be anything but.

Will Green Bay defensive coordinator Dom Capers have the schemes to slow down the Bears and offensive coordinator Mike Martz?

Can the Bears keep Clay Matthews off Cutler and keep him on his feet?

Prediction: Bears 24, Packers 23