The Chicago Bears are facing off against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. This is the biggest matchup of the season for both teams, as the winner of the game is going to leave Lambeau Field in sole possession of first place in the NFC North.
For the Bears, this is their chance to establish a stranglehold on the division for the first time in a long time. They have what it takes on their roster to beat the Packers, but will the mind games creep in and take over? Since Brett Favre took over, and even more so during the Aaron Rodgers era, the Packers have owned this rivalry. Now, in the Jordan Love era, the Bears are trying to take over again. In order to do so, everyone needs to be on their A-game.
The Bears are 1-0 in the calendar year of 2025 against the Packers. They defeated them in Week 18 of last season, but it happened to come after the calendar flipped to January. It snapped a 10-game losing streak at the time.
Now, Chicago is 9-3, and this game is much more meaningful. It is fair to be both optimistic and pessimistic about their chances. This could go either way. This is why the Bears will or won’t win.
Why the Bears will win
The Bears will win because they are the better football team at the moment. Their win over the Eagles proved them to be one of the top teams in the NFC right now. Green Bay didn’t beat Philadelphia. Quarterback Caleb Williams knows what has to happen for him to go into Lambeau Field and win. With head coach Ben Johnson leading the way now, there is no reason to bet against the duo.
Chicago’s run game is the second best in the NFL, averaging 158 yards per game. If D’Andre Swift and Rookie Kyle Monangai can continue their dominance — starting up front with this revamped offensive line — the Bears offense will be able to sustain drives, score points and keep Green Bay’s offense off the field. On defense, Chicago has been at their best when it comes to forcing turnovers as they lead the league with 26. If the Bears can get an early takeaway, it will set the tone for a defense that has feasted. No matter who is on the other side, Chicago has found ways to win football games. We’ll see if that continues on Sunday.
Why the Bears won’t win
The Packers have owned the Bears. It’s been decades since Chicago has had sustained success over their arch-rival. There is no evidence that this will change. There is also the elephant in the room about how they’ve earned some of these wins, even against teams that are not as strong. It took a five-game winning streak to get back to a positive point differential. Despite being 9-4, it is just +6. Before their win over the Eagles, it was negative. For context, Green Bay’s is +68. It has been a nice run while it lasted, but the Packers are usually the team that ends these nice things for the Bears. Proving this theory wrong would be an organizational milestone.
If the Bears can’t do that, it’ll likely be because of the Packers’ pass rush, led by Micah Parsons, and the passing game’s continued struggles. Chicago will no doubt look to capitalize on their dominant rushing attack. But if the offensive line doesn’t have the same success against Green Bay’s defensive front, it could be a long day. For the defense, they need to find a way to rattle quarterback Jordan Love, who’s been at his best at the end of the season. As we’ve seen in the past, if they can’t force turnovers — and with their lack of a pass rush — things can get ugly.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Why the Bears will or won’t beat the Packers in Week 14
Reporting by Vincent Parise, Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
