Sport Preview: Packers vs. Bears | 2025 Wild Card Spherical – Chicago Bears Official Web site

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First place within the NFC North was on the road each instances the Bears confronted the Packers in December. However much more will likely be at stake when the longtime rivals collide once more Saturday evening in a wild card showdown at Soldier Area.
The winner of the extremely anticipated third matchup in six weeks will advance to the NFC Divisional Spherical, whereas the loser will go house. The Bears (11-6) are the No. 2 seed within the playoffs after capturing the NFC North title, whereas the Packers (9-7-1) are the No. 7 seed because the third and closing wild card.
The rivalry between the 2 groups seemingly is as evenly matched as ever. The Bears and Packers have break up their season sequence in back-to-back years for the primary time since 1999-2000, with every membership totaling 86 factors within the 4 video games. Three of these contests had been selected the ultimate play, with the result of the fourth decided with simply :22 left within the fourth quarter.
Saturday evening’s sport would be the 213rd all-time assembly between the Bears and Packers, probably the most involving two groups in NFL historical past. And though the sequence started in 1921, this will likely be solely the third postseason matchup. In 1941, the Bears received 33-14 in a sport at Wrigley Area that determined the NFL Western Division championship after each golf equipment had completed the season with 10-1 data. The Packers then recorded a 21-14 victory within the 2010 NFC Championship Sport at Soldier Area.
Neither crew completed the common season in addition to it could have favored. The Bears dropped their closing two contests to the 49ers and Lions, whereas the Packers closed with 4 straight losses to the Broncos, Bears, Ravens and Vikings.
Caleb Williams quarterbacks a Bears offense that concluded the common season ranked within the prime 10 within the NFL in factors (ninth at 25.9) and complete yards (sixth at 369.2) per sport after ending within the backside 5 in each classes final 12 months.
Williams threw for a Bears’ single-season-record 3,942 yards with 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 90.1 passer score. He additionally rushed for 388 yards and three TDs and decreased the variety of sacks he has taken from 68 final 12 months to 24 this season.
The previous USC standout threw two landing passes in every of the Bears’ closing 5 video games, totaling 10 TDs and two interceptions. His 1.2 profession interception proportion is the bottom in NFL historical past amongst passers with at the very least 1,000 makes an attempt.
Williams has been at his finest late in video games, rallying the Bears to 6 wins this season after they trailed within the closing 2:00, probably the most by an NFL crew since at the very least 1970.
The Bears’ floor sport is powered by working backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, the one NFL teammates that each rushed for at the very least 750 yards this season. Swift set profession highs with 1,087 speeding yards and 1,386 yards from scrimmage.
In response to offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, the important thing to working the ball successfully towards the Packers Saturday evening will likely be to “return to the basics that we have been preaching since we received right here.”
“That is not an attractive reply and but that actually is what it’s,” Doyle stated. “It is our means to return off the ball, all in unison, be speaking, our backs on their tracks, our perimeter gamers being keen to strike. It offers you confidence going right into a sport like this, particularly taking part in a protection for the third time in six weeks. However we actually really feel snug with our run sport and wish to have the ability to make the most of that as a energy.”
The anticipated return of receiver Rome Odunze after lacking 5 video games with a foot damage ought to present a lift for the offense. Within the first 12 video games this season, he had 44 receptions for 661 yards and 6 touchdowns. The ninth total choose within the 2024 draft from Washington can be an adept downfield blocker.
Different key weapons within the go sport embrace receivers DJ Moore (50 receptions for 682 yards and 6 TDs) and Luther Burden III (47-652-2) and tight ends Colston Loveland (58-713-6) Cole Kmet (30-347-2).
One of many Bears’ main goals Saturday evening will likely be to get off to a quick begin. They had been held scoreless within the first half in every of their final two house video games versus the Packers and Lions and scored solely three factors within the first half of their first assembly with Inexperienced Bay Dec. 7 at Lambeau Area.
“We undoubtedly want to begin quick, and that is been the message for the final couple weeks now,” Swift stated. “I do not really feel like we have finished that in any respect, however we all know we will not waste any alternatives Saturday.”
Inexperienced Bay counters with a protection that ranks eleventh within the NFL in factors allowed (21.2) and twelfth in complete yards (311.8), 18th towards the run (117.7) and eleventh versus the go (194.1).
After star defensive finish Micah Parsons tore his ACL in Week 15, nevertheless, the Packers went 0-4 and their protection allowed probably the most speeding yards (170.8 per sport) and recorded the fewest sacks (3) within the league. Parsons led Inexperienced Bay with 12.5 sacks and 26 quarterback hits and had eight pressures Dec. 7 versus the Bears.
“Shedding a participant of that caliber, issues have to alter just a bit bit,” Doyle stated. “You’ve got seen some tweaks schematically. Early on they had been actually attempting to place you in these one-on-one conditions the place they may get Micah remoted. They’ve shifted barely, and but the remainder of the unit is a extremely good unit.
“They’re good on the again finish. The entrance could be very proficient, actually, and the ‘backers fly round. We actually really feel like they seem to be a worthy adversary. Our arms are full, and but we really feel like we will exit and assault this protection.”
Key matchup: Bears receiver DJ Moore vs. Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon
After Nixon sealed Inexperienced Bay’s 28-21 win over the Bears with a late interception Dec. 7 at Lambeau Area, Moore beat Nixon on a 46-yard walk-off TD in additional time 13 days later at Soldier Area.
Quarterback Jordan Love returns to motion for the primary time since exiting the Dec. 20 sport towards the Bears at Soldier Area with a concussion. This season, he established profession highs in completion proportion (66.3), touchdown-to-interception ratio (23-6) and passer score (101.2), which ranked fifth within the NFL.
Love has received 4 of six profession begins towards the Bears, finishing 69.0 % of his passes with 9 TDs, two interceptions and a 116.6 passer score.
“We all know Jordan Love can prolong performs,” stated cornerback Jaylon Johnson. “They’ve a number of explosives when Jordan Love extends performs and throws the soccer down the sector, so actually rush and canopy has received to play collectively the entire sport.”
Within the first Bears-Packers sport this 12 months, Love threw TD passes of 45, 41 and 23 yards. Within the second assembly, the Bears took away the deep ball, forcing Inexperienced Bay to march down the sector extra methodically. The Packers did that however had been held out of the tip zone on all 5 of their red-zone possessions.
Inexperienced Bay’s offense ranked second within the NFL this 12 months behind the 49ers in each third-down conversions (100) and third-down dialog fee (48.8%). Of their two video games versus the Bears, the Packers transformed 8-of-12 (66.7%) and 6-of-12 (50.0%) third-down alternatives.
“They have good talent gamers which might be robust matchups,” stated defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. “And the quarterback does a extremely good job getting the ball out and getting it to the proper individuals. He sees the sector very well and understands the protection and is aware of the place to go along with the ball, and he throws the ball with timing and accuracy. I feel that is why they seem to be a good third-down crew.”
The Bears protection led the NFL with 33 takeaways and 23 interceptions this season however ranked twenty third in factors allowed per sport (24.4) and twenty ninth in complete yards (361.8). The unit produced at the very least one takeaway in its closing 10 contests, the longest streak by any NFL crew to shut the 2025 marketing campaign.
For each groups, turnovers performed a big position in figuring out the result of video games. The Bears went 9-0 when producing a number of takeaways and 2-6 with one or none, whereas the Packers had been 0-4 when committing a number of turnovers, 2-2-1 with one and 7-1 with none.
Security Kevin Byard III led the NFL with seven interceptions and cornerback Nahshon Wright topped the league with eight takeaways, tying for first with three fumble recoveries and tying for second with 5 interceptions.
The Bears will face a Packers offense that options working again Josh Jacobs, who rushed for 929 yards and 13 TDs; and a trio of proficient receivers: Romeo Doubs led Inexperienced Bay with a career-high 724 yards; Christian Watson topped the Packers with 35 receptions for 611 yards and 6 TDs after making his season debut in Week 8; and Jayden Reed, who returned to motion Dec. 7 towards the Bears for the primary time since breaking his collarbone in Week 2.
Key matchup: Bears defensive finish Montez Sweat vs. Packers proper deal with Zach Tom
Sweat led the Bears in sacks with 10.0, reaching double digits for the second time in his profession. He spearheads a go rush that will likely be seeking to have an effect on Love greater than it did within the first assembly between the groups when Sweat’s sack was the Bears’ solely quarterback hit. Tom hasn’t performed since injuring his knee Dec. 14 in Denver, however Inexperienced Bay is hopeful that he’ll be capable to begin. He was restricted in follow this week and is listed as questionable on the damage report.
Gamers & coaches aren’t the one ones making ready for the Bears’ wild card matchup with the Packers. Get a behind-the-scenes take a look at the Soldier Area grounds crew portray the sector forward of Saturday evening’s sport.
The NFC North champion Bears (11-5) will look to clinch the No. 2 seed within the NFC playoffs and create momentum heading into the postseason Sunday after they shut the common season by internet hosting the Lions (8-8) at Soldier Area.
Having clinched the NFC North title Saturday evening with the Packers’ loss to the Ravens, the Bears will battle for playoff place Sunday evening after they go to the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.
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