AllGreenBayPackers.Com

When I read that Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers was fined $10,000 by the NFL today for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Sunday’s NFC Championship, one thought and one thought only went through my head:

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

For a player who recently signed a huge free agent contract that could total $91.5 million, $10,000 is like pennies to you and me. During the regular season, the NFL apparently made it crystal clear to teams and players that hits that involve the leading of the helmet would not be tolerated and would be met with stiff fines and possible suspensions.

If $10,000 is a stiff fine to multi-millionaires, then I’m the King of England.

Look at Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison (who the Packers will face in Super Bowl XLV). He has been fined for times for illegal hits and the fines total $125,000 for an average of roughly $31,000 per offense. Again, pocket change to the millionaire players of the NFL.

But let’s get back to Peppers, and more importantly for Packer fans, Rodgers.

This is not the first time Peppers has rung Rodgers’ “bell.” In a regular season game at Lambeau Field in 2008, Peppers was flagged for a bruising hit on Rodgers out of bounds when he played for the Carolina Panthers. That hit can be seen here: Julius Peppers Nails Aaron Rodgers  Read more... (770 words + 1 image, estimated 3:05 mins reading time)

---- Get AddToAny

Just win baby. After losing to the Atlanta Falcons, the Green Bay Packers currently trail the Chicago Bears by one game in the NFC North standings. Even if things stay like that going into the final game match up vs. Chicago, a win by the Packers in that game would crown them NFC North Champs, by way of a series of tiebreakers.

This just made my day yesterday when it was reported by Bill Huber on PackerReport.com (subscription required). Here are the details.

If Green Bay beats Chicago in the season finale at Lambeau Field and if nothing else changes in the standings, the teams would end up tied. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head, which would be tied 1-1. The next tiebreaker is division record, which would be tied, as well. The next tiebreaker is common opponents: the six division games and four matchups apiece against the NFC East (Dallas, Giants, Washington and Philadelphia) and AFC East (Buffalo, Miami, New England and Jets). That tiebreaker would be tied, as well – the Packers are 7-3 (games remaining against Chicago, Detroit, Giants and New England) and the Bears are 7-2 (games remaining against all three North teams, New England and the Jets). That would leave it to conference record. Both teams have three losses in NFC games, so a Green Bay win in the finale would be the difference.  Read more... (334 words + 3 images, estimated 1:20 mins reading time)

---- Get AddToAny