Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant, who hasn't played since Week 1 because of an ankle injury, told Packers fans via Twitter that it may be time to start booking flights for the Feb. 6 Super Bowl.
Grant tweeted Saturday: "1st n last tweet.Pack Fans might want 2 start booking flights 4 feb. Not looking ahead but u c we just have better players than other teams."
The Packers beat the top-seeded Falcons in Atlanta 48-21 on Saturday, and will play the Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game.
Grant's tweet was before the Bears beat the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Bears linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa, appearing on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000 on Monday, did not take offense to Grant's tweet.
"You don't [respond to that]," Tinoisamoa said. "It's kind of tough, because Ryan hasn't played all year. So what are you going to say? It would be different if he was playing. You don't really respond to that kind of stuff.
"The game is played on Sunday. We're not going to buy into that hype. We know the importance of this game. We know how we feel about it."
Tinoisamoa said the Bears, who opened as three-point underdogs despite winning the NFC North and hosting the NFC title game, said the Bears' defense took some confidence from a 10-3 loss in Green Bay on Jan. 2. The Packers were held to just 60 yards rushing.
The Bears beat the Packers 20-17 on Sept. 27 at Soldier Field.
"We felt like we played good D against a great offense, and they were coming off their awesome performance against the Giants," Tinoisamoa said. "We knew what they had going for them.
"We feel we match up well against the Packers. I think that game was definitely something we can hold as confidence."
Tinoisamoa didn't disagree with Grant that the Packers' roster may have more marquee names.
"People can look at our roster and say they don't have this, they don't have that," Tinoisamoa said. "We're still winning, so we have something. We don't have these marquee players everyone thinks we should have, but we find ways to win.
"That belief in ourselves and belief in [our] team is what matters most. Not so much having these big, marquee names. It doesn't bother us."
ESPN.com wrote: