CHICAGO BEARS (3-1) at GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-2)
Associated Press
DAY/TIME/TV: Sunday, 12:00 p.m. CDT, FOX
LAST WEEK: The Bears beat the New York Jets 23-12; the Packers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-14.
LAST MEETING: Green Bay has won 17 of the last 20 regular-season matchups.
SERIES RECORD: The Packers lead the series 108-96-6.
BEARS OFFENSE: OVERALL (00), RUSH (00), PASS (00), SCORING (00)
PACKERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (00), RUSH (00), PASS (00), SCORING (00)
BEARS DEFENSE: OVERALL (00), RUSH (00), PASS (00), SCORING (00)
PACKERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (00), RUSH (00), PASS (00), SCORING (00)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Chicago +1; Green Bay -2
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COACHES CAPSULES:
Matt LaFleur: 78-42-1, .649; (3-6 postseason); 8th NFL season
Ben Johnson: 14-7, .667; (1-1 postseason); 2nd NFL season
Head to Head: LaFleur 1-2 vs. Johnson
vs. Opponent: LaFleur 12-3 vs. Bears; Johnson 2-1 vs. Packers
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THE BEARS HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW AGAIN THEY’VE GAINED THE UPPER HAND IN THEIR RIVALRY WITH PACKERS
After beating the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North title and knocking them out of the playoffs last season, the Chicago Bears have one more opportunity to show definitively that a new chapter has started in the NFL’s most-played rivalry.
Chicago has won three of its past four meetings with the Packers, who had beaten the Bears 11 straight times from 2019-24. The Bears beat the Packers 22-16 in overtime last December after scoring 10 points in the final two minutes of regulation and then erased a 21-3 halftime deficit to beat them again 31-27 in the NFC wild-card playoffs.
The quarterback who led both those comebacks might not be playing Sunday when the Bears (3-1) meet the Packers (2-2) again at Lambeau Field.
Caleb Williams has missed Chicago’s past two games with a hamstring injury, but he returned to practice on a limited basis Friday and was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. Tyson Bagent would start if Williams isn’t available.
“To say this is just like any game just wouldn’t be true,” Bagent said. “This is one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.”
Ben Johnson’s arrival as the Bears coach last season has spiced up this series. Johnson’s locker room speech following the Bears’ playoff win over Green Bay gained lots of traction on social media as video showed him shouting an expletive before adding “the Packers.”
Packers linebacker Zaire Franklin is new to this rivalry, yet he already understands the harsh feelings between these teams.
“It’s a lot of bad blood — a lot of bad blood,” said Franklin, who came to Green Bay this year after spending eight seasons in Indianapolis. “A lot of genuine dislike, which is a little different than nowadays. Nowadays, most rivalries are just on social media, and in the offseason, you’re hanging out. I don’t think nobody wants to hang out with the Bears in the offseason.”
While Chicago has overcome Williams’ injury to start fast, the Packers are having a tougher time dealing with the absences of key players.
Green Bay has lost linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (Achilles tendon), offensive tackle Zach Bako-Bewele (knee) and wide receiver Jayden Reed (neck) to season-ending injuries.
All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons hasn’t played yet this season as he recovers from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Green Bay’s running game has struggled without Josh Jacobs, who is on the commissioner’s exempt list after pleading no contest to two misdemeanor charges stemming from a May altercation with his then-girlfriend.
Green Bay could get over .500 for the first time this season by avenging those two losses to the Bears and perhaps silencing Johnson for the time being.
“I mean, he’s dissing us,” Packers offensive tackle Jordan Morgan said. “He’s dissing the Packers. A lot of people in here, I’m pretty sure, take that to heart. And we’ve got a chance to prove to everybody on Sunday that we’re the best team.”
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BEARS QB CALEB WILLIAMS RETURNS TO PRACTICE AND IS QUESTIONABLE FOR GAME WITH PACKERS
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams returned to practice on a limited basis Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Green Bay.
Williams has missed the Bears’ last two games since injuring his right hamstring during a 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 20. Bears coach Ben Johnson had indicated Monday that Williams wouldn’t be available this weekend, but that was before the quarterback returned to practice.
“He’s doing a great job with his rehab,” Johnson said Monday. “He’s not going to be there this week for us. We think it’s still a week-to-week deal for us.”
The Bears (3-1) have won each of the two games Williams has missed, with Case Keenum taking his place in a 27-7 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles and Tyson Bagent starting in a 23-12 triumph over the New York Jets. Bagent is expected to start Sunday against the Packers (2-2) if Williams is unavailable.
In other injury news, the Bears ruled running back Kyle Monangai (thumb/toe) and linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (quadricep) for Sunday’s game. Defensive back Kyler Gordon (calf), linebacker Noah Sewell (Achilles), defensive lineman Shemar Turner (knee) and Williams are questionable.
The Packers have ruled out running back Chris Brooks and wide receiver Savion Williams due to ankle injuries. Guards Aaron Banks (knee/toe) and Jacob Monk (quadricep) are doubtful. Center/guard Jager Burton (back) and defensive tackles Anthony Campbell (ankle) and Javon Hargrave (toe) are questionable.
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MATCHUP TO WATCH
Bears running game vs. Packers run defense: Chicago has an NFL-leading 196.3 yards rushing per game with Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift splitting carries. Monangai (thumb/toe) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game. Green Bay has allowed 139.3 yards rushing per game to rank 28th in the NFL in run defense, and opponents have run wild in the Packers’ past two home games. Derrick Henry rushed for 216 yards — the most ever by a visiting player at Lambeau Field — when Green Bay lost 41-24 to Baltimore in its home finale last season. Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson rushed for 194 yards as the Falcons beat Green Bay 35-14 in the Packers’ home opener this season.
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STATS AND STUFF
— The Bears lead the NFL in total yards per game (429.0) and time of possession (36:36).
— Bears DB Dillon Thieneman has started his rookie season by leading the team in tackles in each of his first four games.
— In its previous game, Chicago’s defense didn’t allow the Jets to convert any of their seven third down situations.
— The Bears have an NFL-leading 14 drives of at least 10 plays.
— The Bears have an NFL-best turnover margin of plus-23 since Johnson’s arrival in 2025.
— Packers QB Jordan Love has 13 touchdown passes and two interceptions in seven games against the Bears, including last season’s playoff loss.
— In Green Bay’s victory at Tampa Bay, S Evan Williams became the first Packer to have at least seven tackles, multiple passes defended, a sack and an interception in a game since Morgan Burnett did it against Carolina in 2011.
— Green Bay has won its past eight October games.
— The Packers have an NFL-high 86 penalty yards per game.
Bears at Packers broadcast information.
Radio stations map for the Green Bay Packers Radio Network.
The Bears at Packers Series Capsule.
From the NFL, the Bears at Packers Game Capsule.
The team rankings for both Chicago and Green Bay following NFL Week 4.
As provided earlier this week on our social media, here is the full league schedule for NFL Week 5.
