Clinch the NFC North championship and beat a heated rival to do it?

LAKE FOREST Renell Wren Jersey , Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears couldn’t have asked for a sweeter scenario.That’s exactly the opportunity they’re staring at when they host Aaron Rodgers and the fading Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon.“It would be very exciting,” quarterback Mitchell Trubisky said. “We know this is a big week for us, and a lot comes with it.”Article continues below ...With six wins in the past seven games, the division championship and a playoff spot are just about in hand.A win over the Packers (5-7-1) would clinch the North for the Bears (9-4). So would a loss by Minnesota to Miami. And ties by both the Bears and the Vikings would do the trick, too.Even if they don’t clinch the division, they could still secure a playoff spot on Sunday. In that case, a tie against Green Bay — or a tie or loss by Washington against Jacksonville — would send Chicago to the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 team won the NFC North.Of course, with a victory comes this added bonus: beating Green Bay. It would also give the Bears a measure of revenge for that season-opening gut punch at Lambeau Field, when Rodgers got carted off the field with a left knee injury and came back to lead the Packers from 20 down to a 24-23 victory.“It’s a special moment in my career,” Rodgers said. “It is the Bears http://www.bengalscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-michael-jordan-jersey , and the injury I was dealing with and the pain and 20-0 and coming back and winning that game. It seems a long time ago, standing here in Week 15, but that was a good moment for us. It’s a better moment when you parlay those into big-time winning seasons and championship runs, but it was a special moment for sure.”The teams’ fortunes sure have changed since.The Bears have emerged as a force in the NFC in their first season under coach Matt Nagy after four straight last-place finishes. The Packers fired Mike McCarthy in his 13th season two weeks ago and made offensive coordinator Joe Philbin the interim head coach, hoping to jolt a team in danger of missing the playoffs for the second straight year.The Packers won his debut , beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-20. The Bears beat the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams 15-6 last week, with their defense squashing one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses.Here are some things to know with Chicago on the verge of securing a playoff spot and Green Bay’s hopes fading:STREAK VS. STRENGTHIt’s a case of a streak vs. strength when Rodgers faces Chicago’s turnover-happy defense. The Bears are first in the NFL in turnover margin at plus-13. Rodgers hasn’t thrown a pick since Week 4, when his pass over the middle for Jimmy Graham was deflected twice before being intercepted by Bills safety Jordan Poyer on second-and-4 from the Packers 49. It’s the only interception this season for Rodgers. Since then he’s had 368 straight attempts without an interception to set an NFL record.“Yeah, you know hopefully it stays that way,” Philbin said as he knocked on a wooden podium for good luck. The Packers are plus-2 in turnover margin T.J. Hockenson Jersey , tied for 14th in the league.ROAD WOESWith an 0-6 road record and eight straight losses dating to last season, the Packers sure have experienced difficulties away from Lambeau Field. That’s something they hope to change against Chicago.The Packers have won nine of the past 10 meetings overall. They also have an eight-game winning streak at Soldier Field, counting the postseason.COMFORT AT HOMEWhile the Packers have struggled on the road, the Bears are 6-1 at Soldier Field.That gives them their highest win total at home since going 6-2 in 2008. And if they beat Green Bay, the Bears would finish 7-1 at home for the first time since 2005.Also, Nagy’s nine victories are the most by a coach in his first season with the Bears since Paddy Driscoll led the 1956 team to a 9-2-1 mark.TURNOVER TIMESpeaking of turnovers, the Packers’ defense has been hit or miss when it comes to takeaways. Cornerback Bashaud Breeland accounted for both of Green Bay’s takeaways last week with an interception return for a touchdown and fumble recovery, though the latter came on a botched shotgun snap. Still, the win over the Falcons ended a two-week stretch without a takeaway.OFFENSIVE OUTPUTThe Bears would certainly welcome a better showing from Trubisky. He struggled against Los Angeles after missing back-to-back games because of a right shoulder injury, with a season-high three interceptions and a 33.3 rating that was his lowest of the year.One positive for the Bears’ offense: Jordan Howard running for a season-high 101 yards. ATLANTA (AP) — Tom Brady quickly made it clear that winning a record sixth Super Bowl title won’t change his mind about playing at least another year.As long as No. 12 is still going http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-jahlani-tavai-jersey , New England’s dynasty won’t crumble.“Doesn’t change anything,” Brady said moments after the Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 on Sunday . “I can’t wait to spend some time with my family, my kids and my wife. Couldn’t do it without their support. It’s been a great year.”The Patriots have long defied odds and continue rewriting history by sustaining their success for two decades. Brady and coach Bill Belichick are 6-3 in Super Bowls since 2001. They have won 10 straight AFC East titles and reached eight conference titles games in a row. They’ve posted a winning record in 18 consecutive seasons, reaching the playoffs 16 times, winning 16 division titles and nine AFC championships.It’s an unprecedented run, and they’re not done yet.The Patriots were counted out in 2014 after a 41-14 loss to Kansas City on Monday Night Football dropped their record to 2-2. All they’ve done since is win three of the last five Super Bowls. Each time it appears they may be slipping, the Patriots come back strong and find a way to overcome any turmoil.Belichick and Brady were supposedly at odds last year and their relationship was reportedly nearing a breaking point.One of the first people to embrace Brady after the game was Belichick, wrapping his arms around his quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman amid a sea of confetti and a swarm of cameras.“Coach makes it a challenging football environment, the pressure is always on, and for moments like this Will Harris Jersey , you have to rise to the occasion,” Brady said.Brady hasn’t wavered from his stated desire to play until he’s 45. He was ordinary much of the game against the Rams but delivered in the clutch in the fourth quarter . Overall, he had an excellent season at age 41 and was spectacular in the conference title win at Kansas City.Brady shows little sign of slowing down thanks to his rigorous training schedule and nutrition program. And thanks to a great team Belichick re-assembles around him each season, Brady doesn’t have to win every game with his arm.The Patriots reinvented themselves this season, adding a downhill running game that gave the offense more balance. Rookie Sony Michel ran for 931 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season, and 336 yards and six more TDs in the playoffs. He can be even better next season.“I’m so proud of him,” Patriots center David Andrews said of his fellow Georgia Bulldog Michel. “He faced a lot of adversity at the beginning with an injury, and he battled through people calling him a bust. And I knew when he got a shot, he’d cut it loose. We started finding our identity throughout the year.”Then the defense dominated in the biggest game, holding the league’s second-highest scoring offense to only a field goal.“I don’t think we care about what people had to say http://www.lionscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-austin-bryant-jersey ,” cornerback Jason McCourty said. “We just knew what we were capable of, and we still had a chance to win the Super Bowl. It doesn’t matter how many people doubted us.”It’s possible the Patriots may lose one of their key players if four-time All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski decides to retire. Gronkowski, who had a 29-yard catch to set up Michel’s TD run, isn’t certain of his future.“I haven’t thought about that,” he said. “That’ll be decided in a few weeks or so.”The Patriots can stock up on talent in the upcoming draft. They have 12 picks, including six in the first three rounds. And they have a history of making key free agent signings and trading for veterans who play key roles.“We have a lot of great people in the organization,” Belichick said. “It starts at the top with (owner) Robert (Kraft) and his family. He’s given us great support in all the things we need to do to be competitive.”