PACKERS

The Packers and Bears have been facing off for a century. Which team has had the upper hand?

JR Radcliffe

The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will meet Sunday in a rivalry that encompasses more than 100 years of history, and in this case, the Packers can secure a playoff berth with a victory.

The two teams will collide for the 207th time in a rivalry that dates to Nov. 27, 1921, when the Chicago Staleys beat the Packers in their first year as a member of the American Pro Football Association. The Staleys went on to win the league tile

The Staleys renamed themselves the Bears in 1922, and the APFA became the NFL that same season. The two squads met again in 1923.

The head-to-head battle has been fairly even over the course of history, though the Packers have had the upper hand in recent decades.

Here's the tale of the tape:

Green Bay Packers quarterback Don Majkowski (7) celebrates the instant-replay call confirming his game-winning touchdown pass to Sterling Sharpe against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field on Nov. 5, 1989. The Packers won 14-13.

Wins

  • Packers: 106
  • Bears: 95
  • Ties: 6

Take a look back at some of the best games in the rivalry

Championships

  • Packers: 13
  • Bears: 9

These are still the two franchises with the most championships in pro football history. The New York Giants and Cleveland Browns are next with eight. The Bears won their first championship in 1921 with the APFA as the Staleys (albeit controversially), and the Packers won their first title in 1929 — the first of three straight before the Bears interrupted that streak with back-to-back titles in 1932 and 1933.

Title-game appearances

  • Packers: 13
  • Bears: 12

The NFL Championship game began in 1933, meaning two Bears titles and three Packers crowns were awarded by virtue of regular-season finish. That means the Packers are 10-3 all-time in title games, and the Bears are 7-5.

This group includes five Super Bowl appearances for the Packers (four titles) and two trips for the Bears (one title). How do you feel about this, B.J. Raji?

Division titles

  • Packers: 28
  • Bears: 23

This might be a lot closer if the Packers hadn't won eight of the last 13.

Playoff appearances

  • Packers: 35
  • Bears: 28

For the Bears, this technically includes 1932, which featured a one-game playoff with two teams tied for the regular-season championship. The Packers, of course, can make it 36 with a win over the Bears in the regular-season finale.

Postseason record

  • Packers: 36-25, .590 winning percentage (last win: 2020)
  • Bears: 17-20, .460 winning percentage (last win: 2010)

Longest series winning streak

  • Packers: 10 (1994-98)
  • Bears: 8 (1985-88)

The Packers have currently won the past nine meetings (and 14 of the last 15. And 18 of 20. And 24 of 27).

Packers kicker Chester Marcol gathers in this blocked field goal in overtime and runs for the touchdown that enabled the Packers to beat the Bears in overtime in 1980.

Total points

  • Packers: 3,703
  • Bears: 3,558
Brett Favre and Reggie White leave the field after a game against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field during the 1994 season.

Hall of Famers

  • Bears: 30
  • Packers: 28

This refers to players who are predominantly associated with the Bears franchise, though they're likely to get at least one more with Steve McMichael among the finalists. The Bears have triumphed over the Packers in one category! Can you name them all for the Packers?

Never mind, we'll tell you.

  • Herb Adderley (1961-69) 
  • LeRoy Butler (1990-2001)
  • Tony Canadeo (1941-44, 1946-52) 
  • Willie Davis (1960-69) 
  • Bobby Dillon (1952-59)
  • Brett Favre (1992-2007) 
  • Forrest Gregg (1956, 1958-70) 
  • Arnie Herber (1930-40)
  • Clarke Hinkle (1932-41) 
  • Paul Hornung (1957-62, 1964-66) 
  • Robert "Cal" Hubbard (1929-33, 1935) 
  • Don Hutson (1935-45) 
  • Henry Jordan (1959-69) 
  • Jerry Kramer (1958-68) 
  • Earl "Curly" Lambeau (1919-49) 
  • James Lofton (1978-86) 
  • Vince Lombardi (1959-67) 
  • John "Blood" McNally (1929-33, 1935-36) 
  • Mike Michalske (1929-35, 1937) 
  • Ray Nitschke (1958-72) 
  • Jim Ringo (1953-63) 
  • Dave Robinson (1963-72) 
  • Bart Starr (1956-71) 
  • Jim Taylor (1958-66) 
  • Reggie White (1993-98) 
  • Ron Wolf (1991-2001) 
  • Willie Wood (1960-71)
  • Charles Woodson (2006-12)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre makes a pass against the Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007. P

Quarterbacks who have started since the dawn of the Brett Favre era

  • Bears: 36
  • Packers: 8

For Green Bay, it counts Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, Seneca Wallace, Matt Flynn, Scott Tolzien, Brett Hundley and Don Majkowski. Wallace and Tolzien combine for three starts. For Chicago ... it counts many people.

JR Radcliffe can be reached at 262-361-9141 or jradcliffe@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.