The clock is ticking on the 2024-25 NFL regular season, and you can feel the pressure building. Teams in the playoff hunt know their window is closing quickly, and small mistakes could mean the difference between making a run and missing out.
Now, the league is shaking up the schedule to put the biggest matchups in the brightest spotlight.
Why Did the NFL Flex the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers Into the Late Window?
With just a few weeks left, the NFL has begun announcing schedule changes that will highlight teams vying for division titles and top playoff spots. Fans saw the first big shakeup for Week 14 in the NFC North.
News from @nfl345 pic.twitter.com/OP6ohet9Xc
— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) November 20, 2025
What started as a 1:00 p.m. ET game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Dec. 7 is getting a serious upgrade. This is the oldest football rivalry, and currently, there’s only a one-game gap between these teams in the division standings. So, the league moved quickly to put them under a bigger national spotlight.
Now, the Packers and Bears will take the 4:25 p.m. ET slot on FOX. That bumps out the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills, according to the NFL’s Brian McCarthy. The Bengals and Bills move to the earlier slot previously held by the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. Currently, the Bears rank 12th on the PFSN’s Offense Impact (OFFi) metrics.
They’ll be sharing that late window with the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals. Some regions will get the Rams-Cardinals divisional battle, while others will tune in to the Packers-Bears matchup.
How Is the NFC North Race Changing After the Lions’ Fall?
Heading into the 2024-25 campaign, the Detroit Lions looked like a universal favorite to win the division. Things changed in a hurry. After last week’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Lions are in third place with a 6-4 record. But here’s where things get interesting: Detroit is still only one game behind the Packers and Bears in the standings.
The Bears have pushed to the top with a 7-3 record, riding three straight wins and seven out of their last eight under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. Five of those wins have come by just one score, so they’re living on the edge as the games get tighter. Their margin for error is about as thin as it gets, especially with the Packers (6-3-1) right behind them.
That tie against the Dallas Cowboys back in Week 4 could end up being huge for Green Bay. Although the Packers and Lions have the same number of wins, the Packers have fewer total losses. That edge in win percentage keeps them in second place in the division for now. They’re coming off a win after losing two straight to the Carolina Panthers and Eagles earlier this month.
Looking at the Packers’ season so far, the schedule might raise some eyebrows. The only NFC North team they’ve faced was Detroit in the opener on Sept. 7. But now, the real test is coming. Five of Green Bay’s last seven games are against division rivals, so their entire playoff push will come down to these head-to-head battles.
