Cheese Curds, 12/10: Packers must take care of business against Bears

The 204th all-time meeting between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears might not be viewed as a big game nationally — Chicago’s 4-8 record has seen to that — but it’s very much a big game for the Packers and their fans. Of course, the rivalry is always an exciting one for Packers and Bears fans, with Chicagoans hoping that their team can play spoiler in the franchise’s second and final meeting of the season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers couldn’t quite pull off a comeback in Minnesota, however, as the Vikings won 36-28. That means that a win on Sunday night will not clinch the NFC North division, but it would put Green Bay one win away from doing so. It would also keep the Packers squarely in the hunt for the top seed in the NFC, maintaining their position as no worse than second place in the conference.

The Bears may be getting some injured players back, but there is no question about which team is better on paper. As a result, Green Bay needs to take control of this game early and leave no doubt about their superiority. Maintaining their playoff positioning is critical coming into the season’s home stretch.

To get ready for Sunday’s game, keep it here at APC and look for this week’s Intercepted podcast in our pod feed. Also, be sure to check out APC’s Tex Western’s appearance on the Bears Talk Underground podcast as he and Larry Dyer break down the upcoming matchup.

But first, we take a look at a sad day in the NFL, as a young former star has passed away.

Former Denver Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas, 33, found dead in his home | ESPN
Thomas’ cousin, who was very close to the former NFL receiver, said that he has been having issues with seizures over the last year, and his death has been described as a medical issue. APC sends our best wishes to Thomas’ family.

Lambeau Field ready for Packers-Bears game Sunday | Packers.com
Green Bay gets three home games in the final five weeks of the regular season, starting on Sunday night. If you're going to the game, here's a good reminder about the policies and procedures in place at Lambeau.

Packers’ 10 best players at Pro Football Focus after 12 games | Packers Wire
Davante Adams as number one? No surprise there. But although De'Vondre Campbell ranks sixth on the team, he's still the top-graded off-ball linebacker in the NFL so far.

Whenever Za’Darius Smith Returns, ‘It’ll Take Time’ to Play - Sports Illustrated
That's the quote from OLBs coach Mike Smith, who said that he will ensure that he puts Z "in a spot where I won't let him fail" when he does come back.

EdjSports NFL Coach Rankings Through Week 13
Matt LaFleur ranks second in this ranking of coaches, which is based on both decision-making and a team's overall performance.

Friendly, foul-mouthed crow befriends entire Oregon elementary school before state police are called in - oregonlive.com
Crows are very intelligent birds, but are they intelligent enough to know the meaning of the words that they repeat? Also, imagine being a parent and having your kid's first exposure to a handful of swear words coming from a crow.