The Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears on Sunday, 28-21, snatching first place in the NFC North. With four weeks, and another meeting, left in the season, the race is far from over. For now, though, the Packers have bragging rights, and that still matters in the NFL's oldest rivalry.
The Bears certainly didn't take losing to their rivals well, and that was evident in a postgame comment from Chicago safety Jaquan Brisker. The veteran defender was asked about the atmosphere at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
"I feel like the fans were a lot more quiet than usual…players a lot more quiet," Brisker said.
Jaquan Brisker says Packers fans and players were quieter than usual
If that was the case, it wasn't because the Bears silenced them.
Brisker could have been expressing his honest opinion, but it's a bad look since the Bears lost. If Packers fans weren't actually as loud as they usually are, and the players on the field did do less chirping, where did that get Chicago? A loss and second place in the division. One thing's for sure, though, Packers fans will remember this the next time the Bears come into Lambeau.
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While Brisker set himself up to be trolled, his claim is great for the rivalry. From Ben Johnson's offseason comments about Matt LaFleur to the two head coaches' icy postgame handshake, all of the extracurricular activity is pumping juice into the league's oldest rivalry, and that's always fun.
The thing that's helping the rivalry the most is the Bears actually being a competent team. While it's fun for Packers fans to laugh at Chicago's misery, it's more fun beating a quality opponent and pouring water on their flames of hope.
For years, the rivalry had been one-sided, and Green Bay was the only good team between the two. Chicago is now a winning team, for the time being, but the Packers showed on Sunday that still doesn't matter.
Green Bay will have the opportunity in Week 16 to send that message again, and the stakes will be even higher the second time around. With four weeks left in the regular season, the Packers and Bears, along with the Detroit Lions, are fighting for the NFC North crown. The winner has a chance to be the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and the teams that fall short will be trying to secure a wild-card spot.