Bears don't feel the hatred towards Green Bay their predecessors did

When it comes to the Bears-Packers rivalry, players insist it's more important to the fans and the media than to them.

"I've learned that we, as players, actually don't think it's as big a deal as it was back then like in the '80s, or maybe early '90s," cornerback Charles Tillman said. "I don't think it's that big of a rivalry with the players. I don't think the players are hating each other like the '80 Bears, the '70, '60 Bears. We go out there, we compete, we try to have a good game, give you guys some good entertainment and may the best team win. Afterwards, you shake hands."

The days of the Bears' Mike Ditka and the Packers' Forrest Gregg are distant memories. Ditka and Gregg hated each other from having played against each other in the Bears-Packers rivalry before they coached against each other. That animosity filtered down to the players and the dislike showed on the field.

Since Lovie Smith took over in 2004, the rivalry has been more competitive, with the Bears winning seven of 12 games, but the genuine hatred doesn't exist on the field.

Monday night's game has the added allure of prime time, and it's for the early lead in the NFC North with both teams at 2-0. It's a big game, but so was last week's victory on the road over the Dallas Cowboys.

"Every game is (big)," quarterback Jay Cutler said. "This game is getting a lot of hype because it's on Monday night and it's Green Bay, as it should, but there are going to be 13 other games after that that are going to be just as big."

It has been 48 years since the Bears played the Packers this late in a season with both teams undefeated, but whatever the outcome, more than three months remain in the season. If the same scenario exists when the teams meet again on Jan. 2 at Lambeau Field, the added hype will be justified.

"It's Week 3," tight end Greg Olsen pointed out. "If this was Week 16, for sure (it would be huge). We want to beat Green Bay regardless of the circumstances. Green Bay is going to be huge regardless of the time of year or records or anything. All those other things definitely increase (interest) a little bit. We're both undefeated and it's Monday Night Football but, for the most part, this is a normal game."

Many observers believe the rivalry has been tarnished by its one-sidedness for almost two decades. From the Bears' Super Bowl season of 1985 through 1991, they won 12 of 14 against Green Bay. Nine of the Bears' 12 victories were by 10 points or more. Then it was the Packers' turn to dominate, as they won 18 of 20 with Brett Favre leading the way from 1994-2003, and 12 of the Packers' 18 victories were by 10 points or more.

Bears fans hated Favre with a passion, but it wasn't the same for the players. And anyway, he's in Minnesota now.

"I don't really know if it's about Favre," Tillman said. "Because (even) when Favre was there, I don't think it was like, 'We hate the Green Bay Packers.' It was just (that it was) the longest rivalry in sports. I don't think it's the hate like it used to be.

"Do we want to win? Yes, most definitely. We're not out there brother-in-lawing or things like that. It's still some good competition, (but) afterward you're like, 'Hey good game Aaron (Rodgers) or (Donald) Driver' or whoever it is that you know. You wish them luck and go on to the next game."

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