Packers vs. Bears: 5 Keys to Christmas Night's Rivalry Game

What better than an NFC North classic for NFL fans to enjoy on Christmas Day?

Will it be Rodgers making several Lambeau-leaps or Lance Briggs and the Bears edging out the Packers when it's all said and done?

Aaron Rodgers against Briggs and the physical, wear-and-tear defense of the Bears battling out on the playing field will make for a special one.

The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers face off in what is arguably the biggest rivalry in football, as this game has much at stake for both teams in this one.

A Packers loss gives the New Orleans Saints (11-3) and the San Francisco 49ers (12-3)  a chance at the No. 1 seed in Week 17, while a Bears win simply keeps the team's playoff hopes alive again.

These are the five keys to tonight's NFC North showdown at Lambeau Field.

Aaron Rodgers Must Simply Be Aaron Rodgers

Easily the best quarterback in the NFL this season, Rodgers has made a mockery of opposing defenses when he takes the field.

This season Rodgers has thrown for 4,360 yards and a league-best 40 touchdowns.

Talk about some numbers.

Rodgers' performance will be key to a Green Bay Packers victory, as his superior play has led this team to a 13-1, near-perfect season.

In the last meeting between the two teams, the play of Rodgers was arguably the biggest difference-maker. In the 27-17 victory, Rodgers threw for 297 yards and three touchdown passes.

Chicago Bears Must Convert on Third-Down Siutations

ESPN Chicago pointed out a mind-boggling statistic: the Chicago Bears have ranked in the bottom-two in points per game and first downs since Jay Cutler was lost for the season.

These two statistics come with a failure to move the ball, due to a lack of third-down conversions.

The Bears have converted just 11 of their 50 third-down conversions since Jay Cutler fell to injury (ESPN Chicago).

It will be crucial for the Bears to move the chains against the Packers, as an effective run game and an advantage in time of possession will be crucial to the team's success on Sunday night.

A Bears Continued Defensive Effort

Despite the four-game losing streak these Bears have suffered, the defense has continued to do its part and perform at a high level.

Of the four losses, two of them featured games in which this defense was able to hold teams to just 10 and 13 points.

The 13 points was given up to the Denver Broncos, after the defense had held them scoreless through more than three-and-a-half quarters.

Expect this Bears defense to rise to the occasion, as Rodgers will try to scorch Chicago again in a must-win game for both teams.

Kahlil Bell Must Get It Going on the Ground

Chicago Bears backup running back Kahlil Bell will be the X-factor for his football team on this Christmas Day showdown, as a team without the services of backs Matt Forte and Marion Barber will look to Bell in this one.

The Bears are a defensive-minded team that leans on running the football offensively, more so than ever with QB Jay Cutler now out for the year.

The eye-popping statistic here is that in the last meeting between the Bears and Packers, the Bears ran the ball just 12 times for 13 yards. Eleven of those 13 yards were gained by Cutler, leaving just two yards for running back Matt Forte on nine carries.

Talk about an awful establishment of the run game.

Expect these Bears to put up an improved effort in this regard, with Bell leading the way. Last game, Bell recorded more than 60 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries.

Packers Must Play Defense

The Green Bay Packers may well be the best team in football when it comes to creating turnovers and game-changing plays on defense, yet allowing more than 20 points in seven of their 14 games this season is not good enough.

The Packers offense will face the challenge of going up against one of the tougher defenses they have faced all season, so all eyes will be on this Packers defense.

Against a crippled offense in Chicago, one would only expect the Packers to put together a solid defensive effort. Yet all season long these Packers have displayed a plethora of inconsistencies on this side of the football.

Follow Luis Batlle on Twitter @lbatll1