NFC North Update

By foxsports
Published

Posted: December 14, 2010, 1:35 p.m. CT

MARK CONCANNON


FOXSportsWisconsin.com 

The Packers have lost five games this season by a total of 19 points.  Their injury list reads longer than War and Peace, yet they have played heroically and stayed competitive. This is a team that's due for a lucky break and they'll need one or two to have any shot at the playoffs. 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and sadly for Packer fans, the much-anticipated battle for the ages featuring Green Bay and Chicago on Jan. 2 will be for all intents and purposes, meaningless. 

The Bears have a one-game lead in the NFC North, but since they've already played the increasingly invincible Patriots, whom the Packers must visit Sunday, Chicago in effect, has a game at hand. If the Bears can pick up another game on Green Bay in the next two weeks, they'll come to Lambeau with a two-game lead. The Packers will be out of the division race, and if they have six losses, on the outside looking in at a wild card spot as well. 

Yes, Chicago was outclassed by the Patriots last weekend but the Packers' loss in Detroit made that New England drubbing much easier to take for the Bears. 

"The team goals we've set for the season are still there,