Beat Green Bay? For a Bears team with Super Bowl hopes, that’s just a start.
“Beat the Packers” is an old-school Bears-fan cliché. Lovie Smith famously made it his No. 1 priority when he was introduced as Bears coach in 2004. But it’s not foolproof. The last time the Bears swept the Packers, in 2007, they finished 7-9 and didn’t make the playoffs — it’s hard to find somebody who considers that a successful season.
But as NFL mantras go, winning division games is as real as it gets. The Bears’ renaissance last season from also-rans to Super Bowl contenders was fueled by a turnaround in NFC North games.