NFL preview: Bears vs. Packers

On Sunday, the Chicago Bears will travel to Lambeau Field for a high-stakes NFC North clash with the Green Bay Packers.

After splitting the series last season, this weekend’s contest will mark the first of two meetings between the teams this year. Unlike last season, however, the teams’ 2025 meetings will have serious playoff implications.

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been strong in his sophomore campaign, building on a solid rookie year that ultimately saw Chicago go 5-12. This year, he’s led the Bears to a 9-3 record and a prime opportunity to secure their first playoff berth since the 2020 season.

The Southern California product has passed for 2,722 yards and 17 touchdowns, while being intercepted five times. Williams has also rushed for 306 yards and an additional three scores.

Running back D’Andre Swift has been the main rushing threat for Chicago, recording 774 yards and five touchdowns. Breakout rookie Kyle Monangai has cut into Swift’s market share in recent weeks, however, rushing for 591 yards and five scores as the second option.

The Bears’ defense has been solid, but excellent in the turnover department. Chicago leads the league in the statistic with 26 on the season. Defensive back Kevin Byard leads all players with six interceptions, and his teammates, Nahshon Wright and Tremaine Edmunds, both rank top five with five and four, respectively.

That stout secondary could make it a challenging afternoon for Packers quarterback Jordan Love, though the Utah State alum has been able to avoid turning the ball over throughout the year. He’s thrown just three picks, despite coming off back-to-back 11-interception seasons in 2023 and 2024.

Love has thrown for 2,794 yards, the tenth-best total in the league, and 19 touchdowns. His favorite target in the early part of the season was tight end Tucker Kraft, but after the 6-foot-5 star went down with a knee injury in the team’s loss to the Carolina Panthers, most of the targets have shifted back to the receivers.

Romeo Doubs leads the Packers with 45 receptions for 542 yards, finding the end zone five times in the process. Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks trail behind Doubs, with 363 and 307 yards, respectively. The duo has also scored a combined five touchdowns.

Running back Josh Jacobs has followed last year’s strong debut season with the Packers with more solid stats in this campaign. He’s recorded 731 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, the latter mark being tied for second-most in the NFL.

Green Bay made the move of the offseason when they traded for Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons on August 28, and it’s clearly paid off. Parsons’ 12.5 sacks rank third in the league, trailing only Cleveland Browns superstar Myles Garrett and New York Giants veteran Brian Burns.

ESPN’s matchup predictor projects a big win for the Packers, giving them a 68.5% chance of securing the victory on Sunday evening. FanDuel agrees, having Green Bay as a -6.5 point favorite.

Ultimately, the experts will be proved wrong, as Caleb Williams will continue his strong sophomore season and lead the Bears to a stunning 18-16 victory.

Elliott Inscho is a first-year student majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact him, email eli5026@psu.edu