Monday Night Matchup

The Green Bay Packers head to Soldier Field tonight looking to gain sole possession NFC North lead. The 180th matchup (the league's oldest rivalry) between these two teams marks the first time since 1962 when both teams had a record of 2-0 or better.

The Bears are coming off a big win in Dallas in which quarterback Jay Cutler was able to throw for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Cutler connected on passes to six different players, with running backs playing a key role in the passing game. The running game, however, was only able to amass 32 yards.

The Packers travel to Chicago after blowing out the Buffalo Bills 34-7 at Lambeau Field, a game I was lucky enough to attend. After struggling in the red zone in the first half, Aaron Rodgers had a stellar second half, throwing for two touchdowns and running another in. He finished the day with 255 passing yards.

The Pack saw a significant decrease in run production (not that it mattered against the Bills) after the loss of running back Ryan Grant to a season-ending ankle injury. Brandon Jackson and fullback John Kuhn saw split time as the featured back, and with the aid of Rodgers and newly acquired running back Dimitri Nance, the Packer ground game was able to combine for 91 yards, with both Rodgers and Jackson rushing for touchdowns.

Despite the offensive firepower in the second half, the real excitement from the Buffalo game came from the defense, and more specifically, Clay Matthews. For the second straight week the Claymaker collected three sacks, bringing his season total to a league-leading six. He is the first player in franchise history to have back-to-back games with three sacks, and was named last week's NFC Defensive Player of the Week. He was unstoppable off the edge, and caused Trent Edwards to consistently hurry his throws.

Things to watch for tonight:

Julius Peppers: With Packer's left tackle Chad Clifton showing signs of injury and age, rookie Bryan Bulaga may see playing time in tonight's game. He played the majority of the game last week against the Bills, but Julius Peppers is a different breed of beast. Look for Chicago to line Peppers up against Bulaga to gain a mismatch.

Clay Matthews: Kevin Kolb. Trent Edwards. Neither quarterback has played a snap since playing the Packers, largely thanks to Matthews. The Packers will use him in many different ways tonight.

Jermichael Finley: Tony Romo was able to find his tight end, Jason Witten, five times last Sunday against the Bears. Finley is a more athletic tight end than Witten, and poses huge problems for linebackers and defensive backs. Finley had his first 100 yard game last weekend, I expect to see his first (and second) touchdowns of the season tonight.

Matt Forte: Despite a poor performance last week, Forte is a premier back in the NFL. Last weekend the Bills were able to find successes against the Packers on the ground, expect the Bears to attempt the same. 

Jay Cutler/Aaron Rodgers matchup: Cutler and Rodgers are both having good seasons so far this year. While Cutler may have one more touchdown pass and one less interception than Rodgers, the Packers were able to intercept Cutler five times last season. Both quarterbacks hold mutual respect for each other, as stated in an interview with ESPN:

"It is nice to watch him have the success he has had the first two games, I think. You have got to point to, definitely, some growth in him and understanding that system coach [Mike] Martz is trying to run. It's obviously working very well for him in the first couple weeks. I'm happy for him." — Packers QB Aaron Rodgers on Cutler

"Good player, really good player. Playing at a high calibre. Did it last year. Looks like he's back on track this year. A lot of weapons over there. Tight ends, receivers, running backs. They spread it out a lot. They do some similar stuff we do — create matchups [and] he's able to find them. He moves around well. He's definitely one of the top quarterbacks in the league." —Bears QB Jay Cutler on Rodgers

NFL Eve: On the Brink of the 2010 Season

It's that time again...when web gems and bicycle kicks are replaced with one-handed catches and punt-return touchdowns. "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" turns into "Bang the Drum All Day" and foam fingers are switched out for cheese heads. Yes it's football season, the best four and a half months of the year.

The 2010 NFL season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory. Off-season trades, high-profile benchings, quarterback suspensions, aged veterans returning (again), new stadiums, new coaches, new throwback uniforms, rule changes, international stages, and the potential for a 2011 lockout all combine to make this season one for the ages.

The 2010 season kicks off tomorrow night when the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints take on the Minnesota Vikings, a rematch of the 2009 NFC Championship Game. Brett Favre returns to the Vikings for what is likely to be his last opening day start to take on Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees and the high powered Saints offense.

The Green Bay Packers open their 2010 campaign in Philly on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers and the explosive Packer offense will look to outscore the Kevin Kolb quarterbacked Eagles. The Dom Capers-coached defense has a full year of the 3-4 scheme under their belts and looks to improve upon the disappointing performance in last season's playoff loss. They will have to contain the likes of DeSean Jackson and Brent Celek in order to pull out a win.

ESPN and Sports Illustrated recently released week 1 power rankings, here is the top ten:

Several rule changes are in affect this season. A new overtime system is in place. The "Hines Ward Rule" has been altered to protect all defenseless players. The umpire will now line up in the offensive backfield opposite the quarterback's throwing arm (except in the final two minutes of each half) in order to reduce the number of times that the official has been run over in the past. Replay can now be used to determine if a ball was interfered with. Plays will also be whistled dead when the ball-carrier's helmet comes off during the play.

The 2010 season is uncapped, as NFL owners voted to opt out of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in 2008. If no new CBA is arranged, a work stoppage will exist for the 2011 season. The threat of a lockout makes this season one to watch even more closely; it may be the last pro football we watch until 2012. 

Big Ten Alignment Announced

The Big 10 Conference has announced the conference alignment that will be in affect starting next season. The 2 divisions have not yet been named.

• Division 1: 
• Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin
• Division 2:
• Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota

Each school will play the other five schools in their division, as well as three teams from the other division, with one cross-division match up guaranteed annually. These are the guaranteed cross-division matchups:

• Wisconsin - Minnesota
• Ohio State - Michigan
• Penn State - Nebraska
• Purdue - Iowa
• Illinois - Northwestern
• Indiana - Michigan State

The Badgers open the 2010 season this weekend at UNLV.