Surging Bears get Week 16 showdown vs. Packers moved to primetime

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With big success comes ... bigger exposure.
A Chicago Bears' season that began with general intrigue is now blossoming into a full obsession as NFL fans flock to see the twist and turns of one of the most surprising teams of the season. The latest craning of the neck belongs to FOX, which nudged the NFL to be able to show one of their upcoming marquee games in primetime.
Originally scheduled for a Noon kickoff on Saturday, Dec. 20th, the Bears' Week 16 showdown against the NFC North rival Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field has been flexed and upgraded to a 7:20 p.m.
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The Chicago Bears don’t get too many chances to host the Green Bay Packers under the bright lights of Soldier Field.
With the Bears' 9-3 record and No. 1 seeding in the NFC, there is even more pressure on them down the stretch. Now, there will also be more eyeballs on them as well.
The night game at Soldier Field will be the first between the Bears and Packers since Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season when the two teams went head-to-head in the Thursday night opener.
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Before that showdown, however, the Bears must travel to Lambeau Field this Sunday and then host the Cleveland Browns in Week 15. Depending on the standings, the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions - currently scheduled for Noon at Soldier Field - could also be flexed into a primetime kickoff.

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Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.
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