The Bears have built a commanding 26-3 lead on the Packers since 1992, but it isn’t in a competition worth bragging about.
That total is the number of starting quarterbacks each team has used since Brett Favre began his storied run in Green Bay. The gulf also vividly illustrates why Chicago has spent most of two-plus decades ever since staring up at its bitter, ancient rival.
Not only is that storyline of QB stability vs. QB instability still relevant this year, but it promises to be the biggest of them all Monday night when the 4-3 Bears travel to Lambeau Field in the familiar position of trying to catch the 5-2 Packers in the NFC North.
With starter Jay Cutler sidelined for at least the next two weeks by a torn groin muscle, journeyman Josh McCown has the unenviable task of trying to do what no passer does very often — upstage the unshakeable Aaron Rodgers at home.
To say the odds are long would be an understatement. The Packers have owned the Bears since Rodgers took over for Favre in 2008, winning each of the past five regular-season meetings and eight of the previous 10.
Throw in Green Bay’s win at Soldier Field in the NFC Championship game nearly three years ago, and the Packers’ recent domination of their hated foe becomes almost comical.
Blame it on the quarterbacks.
While Green Bay rode the seamless transition from iron-man Favre to iron-man Rodgers (with a one-off start by Matt Flynn thrown in) to regular NFL success, the Bears have ridden a roller-coaster in that time with a rotating cast of mostly nondescript passers until Cutler arrived in 2009.
Although Cutler has been the most prolific of the bunch, he never has been in the same class as Rodgers. And the Packers star is making the comparison even more laughable this year with one of the best performances of his already sparkling career.
Rodgers’ numbers through seven games aren’t mind-blowing — he’s completing 67 percent of his passes for 2,191 yards and 15 touchdowns, with four interceptions. But considering the circumstances, they might be more impressive than the ones he posted en route to winning the 2011 NFL MVP award.
That’s because the Packers continue to endure an epic blizzard of injuries that began with left tackle Bryan Bulaga in the preseason and has cost Rodgers the services of top receiving targets Randall Cobb, James Jones and Jermichael Finley along the way.
And that’s just on offense.
Yet Rodgers and Green Bay keep rolling. They enter Monday’s game riding a four-game winning streak after last week’s 44-31 rout of the Vikings, and the Packers’ two losses — both on the road, and to good teams in the 49ers and Bengals — were by a combined 10 points.
Rodgers probably can’t wait to get his hands on the Bears, either, especially at home. He is a career 5-0 against Chicago at Lambeau, posting a 106.4 passer rating along the way.
All of that has to be incredibly daunting for new Bears coach Marc Trestman, who will be trying to win in the most hostile spot possible for Chicago with a journeyman quarterback making just his third NFL start since 2007.
McCown actually played well in relief for the injured Cutler two weeks ago against the Redskins, throwing for 204 yards and a score (without an interception) in a half of work. But the result that day was a loss — the same thing that’s going to happen to Trestman’s club Monday night.
It’s in Green Bay, though, so at least the Bears will be used to the feeling.
PICK: Packers, 30-10.