PACKERVILLE, U.S.A.: January 2025

Packers look to finish regular season by beating the Bears for 12th straight time

The Associated Press

Chicago (4-12) at Green Bay (11-5)

Day/Time/TV: Sunday, 12:00 p.m. CST, Fox

Series record: Packers lead 108-95-6

Last meeting: Packers won 20-19 in Chicago on Nov. 17, 2024

Last week: Bears lost 6-3 at home to Seattle Seahawks on Dec. 26. Packers lost 27-25 at Minnesota on Sunday.

Bears offense: overall (32), rush (25), pass (29), scoring (29)

Packers offense: overall (7), rush (5), pass (12), scoring (8)

Bears defense: overall (25), rush (27), pass (18), scoring (12)

Packers defense: overall (8), rush (6), pass (17), scoring (6)

Turnover differential: Bears plus-8, Packers plus-12

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Gaining momentum matters more to the Green Bay Packers than improving their playoff seeding as they gear up for the postseason against their longtime punching bag, the slumping Chicago Bears.

Green Bay (11-5) is currently positioned as the No. 7 seed in the NFC, which would result in a trip to Philadelphia for the wild-card round. The Packers could earn the sixth seed if they beat the Bears (4-12) on Sunday and the Washington Commanders lose at Dallas. “I think for us the mindset really is it doesn’t matter,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “I think we’re going into this knowing that we’re obviously going to be on the road and go play some teams we’ve already played before. We’re excited obviously for the playoffs to start.”

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he intends to treat this game like any other and will play his starters. Tight end Tucker Kraft believes an impressive outing on Sunday could serve as a “springboard” into the playoffs. The Packers are trying to bounce back from a sloppy 27-25 loss at Minnesota last weekend. “I want to see juice,” Kraft said. “I want to see us out there right away getting the ball to our back (Josh Jacobs), letting him just be him. And then getting some flavor going in the next couple of drives and just execute.”

The Packers are 1-5 against NFC teams that have clinched playoff berths, but they’re 10-0 against everyone else. That includes a 20-19 victory at Chicago on Nov. 17 that gave the Packers 11 straight wins over the Bears, the longest active winning streak by an NFL team over an opponent. Chicago began the season 4-2 but has lost 10 straight since. Quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, says he has taken notes throughout his rookie season on areas where he must improve. “Things are going to take time,” Williams said. “I’m well aware of that and OK with that. But I am definitely going to try to push myself to exhaustion mentally and physically this offseason to be able to withstand the long season.”

Jacobs’ touchdown streak

Jacobs has run for a touchdown in seven straight games to match Paul Hornung in 1960 for the longest such streak in Packers history. Jacobs enters the weekend ranked fifth in the NFL with 1,285 yards rushing. He earned his third Pro Bowl selection this week.

Lopsided rivalry

Green Bay’s 11 straight victories over Chicago represent the longest winning streak by either team in the history of this rivalry, which has been played more than any other NFL matchup. The Packers’ only longer winning streak over an opponent was 15 straight over the Chicago Cardinals from 1937-46. Green Bay kept the streak alive back in November when Karl Brooks blocked Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

Bears’ collapse

The Bears had big hopes coming into the season. Instead, it fell apart. They fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron after nine games and let a head coach go during a season for the first time in franchise history when they gave Matt Eberflus the boot after a Thanksgiving Day loss at Detroit. But the losses continue to pile up. They’re 0-4 under interim coach Thomas Brown. They’ve never lost more than 10 straight in one season. “I think just overall there has to be more accountability, I think, up close and personal and more so just talking to guys and pulling them aside,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “I think it’s one thing to say something when everyone is saying something. But I think if you can pull a guy to the side, maybe, and have a personal conversation and try to really get them to understand the magnitude of what’s going on and how much we need him, I think that can do something better.”

Love avoiding interceptions

Love threw his 11th interception of the season when Chicago’s Terell Smith picked off a pass at the goal line in that Nov. 17 game. He hasn’t thrown a pick since. After getting picked off 11 times in his first eight starts this season, Love has thrown nine touchdown passes without an interception over his last six games.

On the line

Williams defended Chicago’s offensive line, calling it a “stupid idea” that his soaring sack total is all on his blockers. “The connotation behind my offensive line has been annoying and frustrating because they work their tail off to be able to go out there,” he said. has been sacked 67 times, the fourth-highest single-season total in league history. David Carr has the record with 76 as a rookie with Houston in 2002. Philadelphia’s Randall Cunningham took 72 sacks in 1986, and Carr was sacked 68 times in 2005.

Bears player to watch

QB Caleb Williams. The Bears are opting to give the No. 1 overall draft pick one more start, believing the benefits outweigh the injury risks. Williams’ franchise-record 67 sacks lead the NFL and is the fourth-highest total in league history. David Carr has the highest single-season total with 76 as a rookie with Houston in 2002. Williams has started every game and thrown for 3,393 yards — fifth on Chicago’s single-season list — with 19 touchdowns and six interceptions. His league rookie-record streak of passes without an INT ended at 353 when he got picked off by Riq Woolen near the end of last week’s game.

Packers player to watch

LB Edgerrin Cooper, a second-round pick from Texas A&M, continued his rookie season by getting his heaviest workload yet and responding with four tackles for loss against the Vikings. This regular-season finale gives Cooper a chance to build on his momentum as he tunes up for his first playoff game.

Key matchup

Bears running game vs. Packers run defense. The Packers allowed a season-high 179 yards rushing in their victory over the Bears at Soldier Field. D’Andre Swift rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries and Williams ran for 70 yards on nine attempts that day. The Bears have struggled ever since and now have a banged-up offensive line, but Chicago’s rushing success in that previous matchup gives the Packers reason for concern.

Key injuries

Bears LG Teven Jenkins (calf), who missed last week’s game, would not have participated Wednesday had the team practiced rather than held a walkthrough. The same goes for LT Larry Borom and WR Rome Odunze, who were ill… Packers CB Jaire Alexander (knee) has missed six straight games… Packers LB Quay Walker (ankle) has missed two straight games… Packers WR Christian Watson (knee) didn’t play at Minnesota… Packers DL Devonte Wyatt and S Zayne Anderson left the Vikings game with concussions.

Series notes

Green Bay has won its past 11 matchups with the Bears, which represents the longest winning streak by either team in the history of the NFL’s most-played rivalry. This is also the longest active winning streak by any NFL team against a specific opponent. The Packers’ only longer winning streak over any opponent in history came from 1937-46, when they beat the Chicago Cardinals 15 straight times… Chicago nearly ended the streak earlier this season. The Packers escaped with a 20-19 victory only after Karl Brooks blocked Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal on the game’s final play. Jordan Love’s 1-yard touchdown run put the Packers ahead for good with 2:59 left… The Bears have scored over 20 points in just two of their past 11 meetings with the Packers… During its 11-game winning streak over the Bears, Green Bay has a plus-15 turnover margin with 19 takeaways and four giveaways… The Packers have outscored Chicago 450-244 in their past 16 home games against the Bears.

Stats and stuff

Chicago has lost 10 straight — its second double-digit skid in three seasons under GM Ryan Poles. The Bears dropped the final 10 games in 2022 as part of a franchise-worst 14-game streak. They have never lost more than 10 in a row in one season… The Bears’ 67 sacks allowed surpassed their previous mark of 66 in 2004, when they used four quarterbacks… Chicago’s defense did its part last week, allowing a season-low six in points and its second-lowest total in yards (265)… Odunze’s 716 yards receiving are the fourth most by a Bears rookie… Bears P Tory Taylor’s 48.1-yard gross punting average is the highest in franchise history, and his 32 punts downed inside the 20 are a Bears record… Santos has made seven field goals of 50 yards or more, tying his franchise record from last season… Green Bay is currently slotted as the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, which would have the Packers visiting the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round. The Packers can move up to the No. 6 seed if they beat the Bears and the Washington Commanders lose at Dallas… The start of the Packers’ 11-game winning streak over Chicago coincides with Matt LaFleur’s arrival as Green Bay’s coach. The only other coaches ever to be undefeated against a particular team through at least 10 games (including the playoffs) are Joe Gibbs (12-0 vs. Detroit), George Allen (11-0-1 vs. Atlanta), Blanton Collier (11-0 vs. Washington) and Curly Lambeau (10-0 vs. Cleveland Tigers, 9-0-1 vs. Milwaukee Badgers)… The Packers have trailed at halftime in all their NFC North games, and they have been outscored 85-27 in the first half of their divisional games. They’ve outscored all other opponents 192-89 in the first half… The Packers are the only NFL team with four players who have at least 25 receptions, 600 yards receiving and multiple touchdown catches (Romeo Doubs, Tucker Kraft, Jayden Reed and Watson)… Packers S Xavier McKinney has seven interceptions to rank second in the NFL, two behind Detroit’s Kerby Joseph… Packers RB Josh Jacobs has rushed for 1,285 yards to rank fifth in the NFL… Jacobs has run for a touchdown in seven straight games, matching the longest such streak in franchise history. Paul Hornung had a touchdown run in seven straight games in 1960… Packers K Brandon McManus is 17 of 18 on field-goal attempts… Packers QB Jordan Love has thrown nine TD passes and no interceptions over his past six games. The most recent player to intercept Love was Chicago’s Terell Smith on Nov. 17.