MOST WINS IN NFL HISTORY: Packers beat Bears to take over all-time wins lead

A win over the Chicago Bears pushes the Green Bay Packers to the winningest franchise in NFL history.

The first matchup in this storied rivalry came in 1921, when the then-Chicago Staleys (a name that would change to the Bears a year later) shut out the Packers 20-0 on the back of a 45-yard touchdown run from Pete Stinchcomb.

Since that game, the rivalry has evolved to include such NFL Hall of Fame players as Walter Payton, Ray Nitschke, Gale Sayers and Brett Favre. While players and championships come and go, one thing has remained constant in the rivalry — Chicago holding the record for most all-time wins in NFL history.

In the offseason, many pointed at the week two matchup between the teams as the game where Green Bay could pass Chicago in all-time wins. Since Chicago won its week one matchup against San Francisco and the Packers lost their week one matchup to Minnesota, that anticipated matchup was delayed. In a divine circumstance, the teams came together in week 13, tied in the all-time NFL win column.

Winning this game puts the Packers at No. 1 all-time in wins, with 787. This is the first time since 1920 that the Bears have not held the record for the most wins — another NFL history-defining chapter in this storied rivalry.

“That’s a pretty cool deal for us to be the all-time winningest franchise,” said Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.

Since games continue to be played, this record is not set in stone for Green Bay, and Chicago has a chance to reclaim its spot atop the list in two weeks. Over the next two weeks, Green Bay is on bye and then hosts the Los Angeles Rams at home on Monday night.

The Bears, on the other hand, have a bit more difficult schedule as they match up with Philadelphia, followed by Buffalo. While this record may change a couple times over the course of the rest of the season, one thing hasn’t changed — Aaron Rodgers owning the Chicago Bears.

In what could be his last appearance at Soldier Field, Rodgers saluted the crowd as he walked off the field with his 24-5 career record against the Bears. In those 29 games, Rodgers has thrown for 6,695 yards (230.9 per game), 64 touchdowns (2.2 per game) and only 10 interceptions (0.3 per game).

“Right now, we’ve flipped the all-time series. We’ve flipped the all-time wins,” said Rodgers. “I’ve had a lot of success against them, so I think in a few years, you look back and you feel pretty good about your contributions to the rivalry.”

Rodgers’ contributions to rivalry have been more than plentiful, as he has hooked up with receivers Randall Cobb, Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson on numerous occasions. A newcomer seems to have emerged into that list in Christian Watson.

Now, it’s probably not likely that Rodgers is going to spend as much time with Watson against the Bears as the other four players, but in the two games that Watson has played against Chicago, he has recorded 57 receiving yards, 46 rushing yards and two combined touchdowns.

“I definitely had a feel for it — just the intensity of the game. I felt it from the first drive,” said Watson, on what it feels like to play in this rivalry. “Obviously, you feel the fight every single play, and I mean it’s exciting to get any win, but it’s definitely (exciting) to get a win against the Bears and a win against an NFC North opponent.”

In a disappointing season for Green Bay, Rodgers and the Packers proved that they still own the Bears, beating them twice. While Chicago was able to build such a strong lead in the win column through the 1940s, ’50s, ’70s and ’80s, Favre and Rodgers have done more than enough to swing the rivalry back in Green Bay’s favor.

Overall, the record between the two storied franchises is 105-95. With Chicago seemingly finding its next franchise quarterback in Justin Fields, the Packers may need to act quickly after Rodgers inevitably retires.

Does that include Jordan Love, or do the Packers go a different route? Nobody really knows the answer to that, and it may not be known for the next couple of years.

What is known, though, is that the Packers are 10 games ahead in the head-to-head record and at the top of the all-time wins list, something no team other than Chicago has accomplished since 1920.

lreimer@newmedia-wi.com