The Chicago Bears are gearing up for round two with their archrival, the Green Bay Packers. And while every game against a division opponent is significant, their Week 16 matchup holds much more weight than just another potential win or loss on the record. If the Bears truly want to prove that this team is different from years past, then they will have to take down the Packers.
This season has been a revelation for the Bears organization, as they appear to have completely turned around the franchise. The 2025 season isn’t finished yet, but their current 10 wins already mark their most successful since the Mitchell Trubisky and Matt Nagy-led Bears went 12-4 in 2018. But as many Bears fans know, following 2018, that team struggled to prove that their successful season wasn’t more than just a flash in the pan. The Trubisky-Nagy-led Bears would fail to establish a better than a .500 record in the three years following. This time around, Chicago is looking to solidify that this team, with their new top draft pick signal caller and offensive-minded head coach, is legitimate.
On Thursday, December 18th, Ben Johnson spoke to the media about Chicago’s success, stating, “When you have a good season, and you win some of these one-score games like we’ve been able to, and we put ourselves in a good spot. We want to make sure we capitalize on it as a team.”
The NFC Playoff Picture Is a Mess
Following the Seattle Seahawks’ victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, December 18th, the Bears now have a path to the number one seed again. Simply put, they would have to win out in hopes of potentially catching the Seahawks, who currently have a two-game lead on them at 12-4. But in this specific season, as the Bears have a chance to make it all the way to the top of the conference, they also have a chance to miss the postseason completely.
GettyThe Detroit Lions won the NFC North in 2024 with a 15-2 record.
Based on the NFC standings currently, if the Bears lose this week to the Packers, that would drop them from the number two seed, all the way down to the seventh seed. This would drop them into a chaotic race for an NFC Wild Card bid. Larry Mayer, a senior writer for the Chicago Bears, broke down the NFC playoff picture, stating, “all three NFC wild card teams likely will come from the NFC North and NFC West, meaning that six teams are competing for five spots.”
Essentially, a loss to the Packers this week would send the Bears into early playoff mode as their next two opponents are the 10-win 49ers and the reigning NFC North champion Lions. All that being said, this game against the Packers is massive.
The Bears Have to Face Their Demons to Be Able to Beat Them
GettyThe Chicago Bears lost to the Green Bay Packers in Week 14, 28-21.
So once again, the blockade that stands in the way of the Chicago Bears is the Green Bay Packers. The Bears have won only once against the Packers in their last 13 matchups, according to The Football Database. Beyond the stat lines and records, a win over the Packers would have a symbolic representation of what this season means for Chicago. To defeat the Packers would essentially represent the Bears overcoming their demons and proving to the organization, fans, and the league that they are a true Super Bowl competitor.
Despite what is at stake, Ben Johnson remains confident and keeps perspective at the forefront of his mind, stating, “I don’t think it is different than any other week. We go in, and we come up with a game plan, and we’re looking to execute that at a high level.”
Why Bears vs. Packers Is so Much Bigger Than You Realize