The Packers can clinch the NFC North

PACKERS (9-4) AT BEARS (8-5)

By Football Night in America’s Eliott Kalb

• This week marks the first time all season that the Bears have not had at least a share of the NFC North lead.  The Packers can clinch the NFC North title this week with a win.
• The Packers have won each of the last five meetings (including playoffs) between these teams, closing the gap in the league’s oldest rivalry to 92-87-6 in favor of the Bears.  In a Week 2, the Packers won 23-10 as Jay Cutler threw four interceptions.
• Green Bay has won seven of their last eight games, with the only loss coming to the Giants in New York in Week 12.
• The Packers have won a franchise-record 11 straight games against NFC North opponents.  A win on Sunday would tie them for the league’s longest divisional winning streak since realignment in 2002 (12 wins by Indianapolis, 2004-06; Baltimore, 2010-12).
• The Bears have lost two straight and four of their last five games.  After scoring 51 points in a Week 9 win over Tennessee, they have totaled just 72 points in their subsequent five games.  28 of those 72 points came in the lone win during the stretch (MIN, Week 12).
• Jay Cutler was knocked out of last week’s game in the fourth quarter with a neck injury.  He’s been receiving treatment this week and does not expect to be limited this Sunday.
• Brandon Marshall has 32 catches in his last three games and ranks second in the league with 1,342 receiving yards, trailing only Calvin Johnson (1,546).  But he was held to just 24 yards on two catches in the Week 2 matchup against the Packers.
• Marshall says that the game this week is “personal.”  “For their players to be over there talking about how awesome of a job they (do) shutting down certain players, I don’t respect that…Coach Capers did an amazing job of game-planning us [in Week 2]…I didn’t beat double and triple coverage or whatever they were throwing at us.  I take it as a slap in my face when guys talk about my lack of ability to do something against them when they have help all over the place, so I’m looking forward to one-on-one coverage.”
• Clay Matthews (hamstring) returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since his injury on Nov. 4 vs. Arizona.  He has missed the last four games, but should play Sunday.
• Jordy Nelson will likely miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury.
• The Bears’ injuries continue to mount.  This week they placed key special teams contributors CB Sherrick McManis (knee) and S Craig Steltz (chest) on injured reserve.
• Chicago also placed kicker Robbie Gould on IR because of a calf injury suffered last Sunday.  To replace him, they signed Olindo Mare, who kicked for the Panthers last season.
• The Bears re-signed defensive tackle Amobi Okoye on Wednesday.  He appeared in six games for them this season before being waived on November 27^th.
• Chicago has allowed at least 100 yards rushing to each of their last seven opponents.  In the first six games, they were allowing 71 rushing yards per game.
• Packers RT T.J. Lang (ankle) will return after missing two games.  But the team might leave rookie Don Barclay at his spot, as they’ve been impressed with his run blocking.
  • After topping the 100-yard rushing mark as a team three times in the first eight games, the Packers have eclipsed the 100-yard mark in four of their last five contests.
  • With James Starks (knee) out, Alex Green and former practice squad member DuJuan Harris combined for 100 yards on 20 carries in the win vs. Detroit.
  • Matt Forte had 85 yards rushing vs. the Vikings, his most in a game since November 4.
    • Tim Jennings (shoulder) missed last week’s game but could be back in time for Sunday.