Bears Week. They Moved Us to 7. Perfect!

It’s Bears Week.

Not just another Sunday. Not just another NFC North game. This is Packers–Bears, the oldest rivalry in the NFL, and 4,000 miles away from Lambeau, the Packers fans of Paris are getting ready for it the only way we know how: together, probably too loud, definitely wearing green and gold, and absolutely not interested in hearing how wonderful everything suddenly is in Chicago.

Because apparently everything is wonderful in Chicago.

The Bears are 3–1. They’re favored at Lambeau for the first time in 20 years. They’ve beaten us twice in a row. Their side is talking about a new page in the rivalry and suggesting that maybe, just maybe, the balance of power is shifting.

Guys.

It’s been four games.

WINNING.

Okay, maybe we’re 2–2. Maybe things have gotten weird. Maybe beating an 0–4 Tampa Bay team 17–14 isn’t exactly the kind of performance you put on a VHS called Return to Glory. But it was a win. We needed one. We got one.

And now the Bears are coming to Lambeau.

The NFL even moved the game. Originally, we were looking at a 22:25 kickoff here in Paris. Now it’s 19:00.

Maybe it’s because of baseball. Maybe it’s because of injuries. Maybe somebody looked at the Packers and Bears and decided we weren’t quite ready for the later American TV window.

Fine.

Their loss. Our gain.

Because 19:00 in Paris is beautiful.

No midnight finish. No Monday morning regret. No trying to explain to your coworkers why you look like you spent Sunday night fighting a raccoon.

This is civilized football.

Walk into O’Neil while Paris is still awake, order a beer, find the other psychopaths wearing green and gold, and watch the oldest rivalry in football do what it has been doing for more than a century.

And before Chicago gets too comfortable with this whole we run the rivalry now thing, let’s establish something.

You don’t erase decades in two games. You don’t become the Packers’ big brother because you’ve had a good month. And you definitely don’t walk into Lambeau Field as the favorite for the first time in 20 years without Packers fans noticing.

So yes, Chicago.

We noticed.

Paris noticed too.

Packers. Bears. Lambeau.

Sunday, October 11. 19:00 Paris.

We’ll be at O’Neil.

BEARS WEEK.

WINNING.