LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Referee Terry McAulay's crew flagged the Green Bay Packers 18 times for 152 yards in Week 3 as the Chicago Bears pulled out a 20-17 win at Soldier Field.

Coincidentally, McAulay has been assigned to work the NFC Championship Game between the Bears and Packers on Sunday at Soldier Field.

"Perfect," Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said with a smirk on Thursday.

Even though the Packers outgained the Bears 379 -276, had more first downs -- 21-18 -- and won the time of possession battle -- 35:49 to 24:11, Green Bay lost the early season Monday night matchup.

"I don't think you can really look at the first Bear game," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "I understand we had 18 penalties, they had five penalties, but we finished the regular season ranked No. 3 in penalties. I think 4.9 or 5.0 penalties per game. The 18 penalties in one game, we look at that as more of an anomaly.

"I know it is more of an All-Star crew. Terry is the referee. He has obviously been selected for this game for good reason. We look at that game as an anomaly. I don't think this game is going to be about anomaly officiating. These are two very good teams that earned the right to be in this game, and this game will be about the football teams."

The Packers got called several times for holding Bears defensive end Julius Peppers, but to hear Urlacher tell it, Green Bay got away with a few more.

"If they see holding they'll call it, if they don't they won't," Urlacher said. "Or if they see it and don't want to call it, they won't.

"I don't know how that works. I don't even know who that guy [McAulay] is to tell you the truth. The guy with the stripes on? Hopefully, if he [Peppers] gets held, they'll call it. All that stuff is ticky tacky, I hope they let us play and let Pep do what he does."

Jeff Dickerson covers the Bears for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.