When the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers take the field Saturday night at Soldier Field, it will mark the 213th meeting in the NFL's oldest rivalry. But this one carries weight unlike almost any before it — it's just the third playoff matchup between these storied franchises, and both teams' seasons hang in the balance.
The NFC's second-seeded Bears (11-6) host the No. 7 Packers (9-7-1) in a Wild Card Round clash that represents the rubber match of their 2025-26 season series. Green Bay won 28-21 in Week 14 at Lambeau Field, then the Bears rallied for a stunning 22-16 overtime victory two weeks later at Soldier Field on Caleb Williams' 46-yard touchdown strike to DJ Moore.
Now, with a trip to the divisional round on the line, these bitter rivals meet for a third time — and the stakes have never been higher.
Caleb Williams: "I Am Built for These Moments"
The second-year quarterback has been the catalyst for Chicago's remarkable turnaround, leading the Bears from a last-place finish to their first NFC North title since 2018. And he's not backing down from the pressure of his first playoff game.
"I think I am built for these moments mentality-wise, how I've worked," Williams said this week. "I've been in a bunch of big games before and a bunch of big rival games. In those moments and in these moments, I think I can provide a spark for the team. I think I can do whatever my team needs me to do. Whether that's stay in the pocket, whether that's run, whether that's scramble, whether that's hand the ball off 30 times and be energetic about it. Whatever it takes is where I'm at and where I'm going to be at for these next couple weeks hopefully."
Williams has been particularly effective against the Packers, completing 63.6% of his passes for 815 yards with 5 touchdowns and 1 interception across their four meetings dating back to 2024.
However, the Bears have struggled with slow starts — a trend that continued in their Week 18 loss to Detroit, when they didn't score until the fourth quarter. In Week 16 against Green Bay, Williams was just 5-of-9 for 65 yards in the first half before exploding for 143 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime.
"We came out a little flat, energy-wise, and I think we've got to do a better job of having urgency from the jump and getting it going," Williams acknowledged after the Lions loss.
The Packers will have their franchise quarterback back after Jordan Love missed the final two regular-season games. Love sat out Week 17 with a concussion suffered in the Week 16 loss at Chicago, then was rested in the Week 18 finale.
When healthy, Love has been excellent this season. In the Week 14 win over Chicago, Love was 17-of-25 for 234 yards with three touchdowns, one interception, and a 120.7 passer rating. Wide receiver Christian Watson caught four passes for 89 yards and two scores in that game.
But Green Bay is limping into the playoffs, losers of four straight games. The defense has struggled mightily since losing star pass rusher Micah Parsons to a season-ending knee injury in Week 15. The Packers have allowed 170.8 rushing yards per game since Parsons' departure and recorded just three sacks — both worst in the NFL over that span.
Rashan Gary, who had 7.5 sacks in the first seven games, hasn't recorded a sack since Week 8. The defensive line's struggles have been compounded by the absence of Parsons, who was drawing double teams and making life easier for everyone else.
Jordan Love just got killed, I hope he isn't injured but this is an awful call.
— FirstDownMedia (@FirstDownMediaa) December 21, 2025
Love lowers his head and then gets hit how is this roughing??
NFL gone soft. Prayers up!!#Bears #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/0vrSC1Vtb2
Both teams enter Saturday's matchup with significant injury concerns, particularly in the secondary.
Bears Injury Report
- OUT: S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (concussion), LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (concussion), DL Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (concussion)
- QUESTIONABLE: CB Kyler Gordon (groin), OL Braxton Jones (knee)
- Full participants Thursday: DL Grady Jarrett, CB Jaylon Jones, DB Nick McCloud, WR DJ Moore, WR Rome Odunze, OL Ozzy Trapilo, WR Jahdae Walker
The loss of Gardner-Johnson is massive. The veteran safety has been a leader in the secondary and his absence leaves a significant hole. The potential return of Kyler Gordon from a five-week absence would be huge — he was a full participant in Thursday's practice after being limited earlier in the week.
Packers Injury Report
- QUESTIONABLE: DT Warren Brinson (foot), S Javon Bullard (knee), LB Nick Niemann (pectoral), OL Zach Tom (back/knee), WR Dontayvion Wicks (concussion), QB Malik Willis (right shoulder/hamstring)
- Full participants Thursday: LB Edgerrin Cooper, WR Matthew Golden, DL Lukas Van Ness
The Packers are dealing with several key injuries, particularly along the offensive line. Zach Tom was added to the injury report Thursday and did not practice — a concerning development for a line that needs to protect Love against Chicago's pass rush.
The Tale of Two Meetings
The regular-season matchups tell the story of how close these teams are — and how much can change in just two weeks.
Week 14 at Lambeau Field: Packers 28, Bears 21
Chicago trailed 14-3 at halftime and 21-11 in the second half, but the Bears' running game — led by D'Andre Swift (63 yards on 13 carries) and Kyle Monangai (57 yards on 14 carries) — kept them in the fight. The Bears tied it at 21 midway through the fourth quarter before Josh Jacobs' 2-yard touchdown run gave Green Bay the lead for good with 3:32 remaining.
On fourth-and-1 from the Packers 14 with 22 seconds left, Williams badly underthrew Cole Kmet in the end zone, and Keisean Nixon intercepted to seal it.
Week 16 at Soldier Field: Bears 22, Packers 16 (OT)
The rematch was an instant classic. Down 16-6 with less than two minutes remaining, the Bears staged one of the most improbable comebacks of the season. They recovered an onside kick, drove for a touchdown to tie it, and then won it in overtime on Williams' 46-yard dart to Moore.
The game was played in frigid conditions with strong winds, and offense was at a premium. Nahshon Wright forced a crucial fumble by Josh Jacobs inside the Bears' 5-yard line in the third quarter — one of several red-zone failures for Green Bay, which managed just two field goals on four trips inside the 20.
Key Matchups to Watch
Bears' Secondary vs. Packers' Receivers
This is where the game could be won or lost for Chicago. The Bears' secondary has been vulnerable in recent weeks, ranking 28th in the NFL in yards allowed per pass attempt (7.1) and 30th in adjusted yards per target allowed. In their final two regular-season games, they gave up 303 yards to San Francisco's Brock Purdy and then were torched again by Detroit.
Without Gardner-Johnson, the Bears will rely heavily on Jaylon Johnson — who had offseason groin surgery and has admitted he's "not at full self" yet — and the potential return of Gordon. The emergence of Tyrique Stevenson as a more consistent presence in the secondary will also be crucial. If Gordon can't go or isn't effective after five weeks off, the Bears will be even more vulnerable.
Christian Watson's speed against a compromised secondary could be a nightmare matchup. In Week 14, Watson caught four passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns, including a 41-yard score where he outran Gardner-Johnson to the end zone.
Bears' Running Game vs. Packers' Run Defense
The flip side is that Green Bay's defense has been gashed on the ground since losing Parsons. The Packers allowed 307 rushing yards to Baltimore in Week 17 — their worst performance of the season.
Swift and Monangai have been one of the league's best running back tandems, combining for 1,816 yards and 14 touchdowns. If the Bears can establish the run early and keep Love on the sideline, it takes pressure off Williams and puts the struggling Packers defense in long-down situations.
Josh Jacobs' Health vs. Bears' Front Seven
Jacobs is finally healthy after battling a knee contusion since Week 11. "My body coming into this game is the best I've felt probably in the last six weeks," Jacobs said Wednesday. He's off the injury report for the first time since Week 11.
But Montez Sweat (8.5 sacks) and the Bears' front four need to make Jacobs uncomfortable. In Week 16, Nahshon Wright punched the ball out from Jacobs inside the 5-yard line — the kind of game-changing play the Bears will need to replicate.
The Takeaway Machine
Chicago's defense has been opportunistic all season, leading the league with 23 forced turnovers. Safety Kevin Byard leads the NFL with seven interceptions, and cornerback Nahshon Wright has added five picks and two forced fumbles.
The Bears are 9-0 when forcing multiple turnovers this season. They've generated at least one takeaway in 14 of their first 16 games — the only exceptions being Week 2 against Detroit (a 52-21 loss) and Week 8 against Baltimore. Can the takeaway machine come through when it matters most?
Can they get to Love? The Packers quarterback threw three interceptions in last year's wild-card loss to Philadelphia, posting a 41.5 passer rating. If the Bears can rattle him early, this game could turn quickly.
Ben Johnson's First Playoff Test
This is Ben Johnson's first playoff game as a head coach, but he's no stranger to big moments against Green Bay. As Detroit's offensive coordinator from 2022-24, Johnson went 4-2 against the Packers, including wins in both matchups in 2025.
"It's a crazy rivalry, like, and the fact that we're playing them in the playoffs too, it just magnifies it another notch, almost," Packers safety Xavier McKinney said. "And it makes it that much more important."
Johnson has transformed the Bears' culture in his first season, leading them to 11 wins after three straight losing seasons. But he knows playoff football is different.
History and Stakes
This is just the third playoff meeting between these franchises. The Packers won the 2010 NFC Championship Game 21-14 at Soldier Field en route to winning Super Bowl XLV. That loss remains a painful memory for Bears fans who watched Aaron Rodgers celebrate on their home field.
The Bears are looking for their first playoff win since January 16, 2011, when they beat the Seattle Seahawks 35-24 in the divisional round — one week before that crushing loss to the Packers. Among current playoff teams, Chicago has the longest drought without a postseason victory at 14 years.
Bears tight end Cole Kmet, who grew up in the Chicago area rooting against Green Bay, summed it up: "To be able to be at home against Green Bay, it's going to be a special atmosphere, and it almost feels like we've played these guys like five or six times here in the past month. But I think that'll just make the atmosphere in the battle that much more epic."
The Bottom Line
This game comes down to a few critical questions:
- Can the Bears start fast and avoid digging themselves an early hole?
- Will Kyler Gordon's and Tyrique Stevenson's play make a difference in a vulnerable secondary?
- Can Chicago force the multiple turnovers they need to win?
- Is Jordan Love rusty after two weeks off, or rested and ready?
- Can the Packers stop the run without Parsons anchoring the defense?
The Bears have home-field advantage, a quarterback playing with supreme confidence, and a defense that creates chaos. The Packers have experience, a proven quarterback, and nothing to lose as a No. 7 seed.
In a rivalry this bitter and with stakes this high, anything can happen.
Game Details
- Kickoff: Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 7:00 PM CT
- Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
- TV: Prime Video, FOX-32
- Radio: ESPN 1000 AM (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Jason McKie)
- Weather: Clear, 30°F at kickoff with winds 5-10 mph
- Spread: Bears -3.5
- Over/Under: 45.5