January 2, 2011: The Packers were in need of a win over the Chicago Bears in the regular season finale in order to secure the final seed in the NFC playoffs. Aaron Rodgers‘ 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Donald Lee gave the Packers a 10-3 lead in the fourth quarter. Later in the fourth, Nick Collins‘ intercepted Jay Cutler on the 14th play of a drive to preserve the win and a wild card berth.
Five weeks later, the Packers were crowned Super Bowl champions.
December 30, 2013: Back after missing seven games with a broken collarbone, Rodgers fired a 48-yard touchdown to Randall Cobb in the final minute, and the Packers beat the Bears 33-28 to capture the NFC North title.
January 3, 2021: The Packers and Bears meet once again in a season-finale with playoff implications. It will be game 202 of the NFL’s most storied rivalry. The Packers will clinch the NFC’s top seed and first round playoff bye with a win. A Bears victory clinches a playoff berth for Chicago.
The Packers enter the game having won five in a row.
The Bears are riding a three game winning streak.
Kudos to the NFL for, in 2006, implementing a scheduling system pitting teams from the same division against one another in season’s final week. It has lead to elevated drama and a playoff-feel for prior to the actual start of the post-season.
Quite simply, it’s the way it should be.