Green Bay can clinch No. 1 seed with win over Chicago

A month or so ago, the week 17 matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears didn’t appear to be one that would have a lot of eyeballs on it outside of Packers and Bears fans.

But because the Packers are trying to capture the top seed in the NFC and a rejuvenated Bears team also has a shot of reaching the postseason, the clash might be the most watched game of the final week of the regular season.

The Packers already know they will host a playoff game after winning the NFC North, but have the chance to stay within the confines of Lambeau Field until the Super Bowl depending on how things shake out.

The simplest path to the No. 1 seed for the Packers is to beat the Bears, which will be no easy task.

“We’ve got a great opponent coming up that’s really on a hot streak right now,” said Packers coach Matt LaFleur after the win against the Tennessee Titans.

“Nothing matters to this point other than going down to Chicago and battling against a team that’s really hot.”

Should the Packers lose, the team can still pick up the top seed if the Seattle Seahawks lose or tie against the San Francisco 49ers. Green Bay could also become the No. 1 seed if it ties Chicago.

The Bears looked like a certain playoff team after starting the season 5-1, but lost six straight games — at which point, people counted the team out of the playoffs. But Chicago has won its past three games, scoring over 30 points in each contest.

Chicago got some help this past week when the Arizona Cardinals lost to the 49ers. Now, all the Bears need to clinch a postseason spot is a win against the Packers.

Even if Chicago loses, the team can still sneak into the playoffs should the Cardinals lose to the Los Angeles Rams. Another way the Bears could reach the postseason is if they tie with the Packers and the Cardinals tie with the Rams.

All that adds up to a must-see matchup between the Packers and Bears. Its another game that the Packers will treat as a playoff matchup.

“It feels like the playoffs started really last week. But obviously, that wasn’t a great football team we played record-wise (Carolina Panthers),” said quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the win over the Titans. “This is a team that’s in the playoffs (Tennessee). Next week will be a team that’s got a chance to be in the playoffs (Chicago), so we know what kind of game it’s going to be down there in Chicago.”

Last time the Packers and Bears met, Green Bay built a 31-point cushion before coasting to a 41-25 win. Rodgers threw four touchdowns to four different receivers while running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams accounted for 90 and 73 rushing yards, respectively.

The Packers’ defense intercepted Mitchell Trubisky twice and sacked him three times. The unit surrendered just 10 points on Chicago’s first seven drives before two late Bears’ touchdown drives.

The Bears’ offense hit their stride the next week, scoring 30 points in a loss to the Detroit Lions. Their offense has been rolling since, so it will it be a good test for a Packers’ defense that appears to be hitting its stride.

“We’re getting closer as a group. We’re getting more and more confident,” said Packers linebacker Christian Kirksey of the defense. “Guys are understanding that there’s a target on our backs just as a team — we’re going to get everybody’s best.

“It’s time to get into the playoffs. We just know that December football is very meaningful and we just all have to turn it up a notch and I think that’s what the guys in the room (are) doing. We’re just making sure that everything we do, we’re doing it together and we’re doing it fast and we’re trying to play our best defense.”

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