The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will meet in Week 14 for their first of two matchups within a three-week span.
The first matchup will be in Lambeau Field, where the Packers have already lost two games this season, and the top spot in the division is on the line.
The Bears are red-hot, but the Packers have been their Achilles heel in recent years. Will the Bears finally get over the hump against their rivals from up north?
What Are the Key Injuries In Bears vs. Packers?
There are a couple of key injuries on each side in Sunday’s matchup. The Packers will be without defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt, who suffered a season-ending injury last week.
However, the Packers will get linebacker Quay Walker and receiver Jayden Reed back from injury.
Reed has been a Top 25 receiver in the NFL each of the last two seasons, according to PFSN’s WR Impact, and Walker ranks No. 15 in the NFL among all linebackers, according to PFSN’s LB Impact.
On the Bears’ side, Chicago will be without receiver Rome Odunze, but will get linebacker T.J. Edwards back.
Odunze leads the team in receiving yards, but the Bears will have Edwards, who’s been out since Week 9. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was placed on injured reserve a couple of weeks ago, so Edwards’ presence becomes even more important.
The Packers Win If They Stop the Run, Force Caleb Williams To Be the Difference
The Bears’ run game has been phenomenal this season. Chicago ranks No. 4 in rushing attempts and No. 2 in rushing yards on the season, according to PFSN’s Offense Impact.
Quarterback Caleb Williams has been much improved this season, and he’s taken care of the ball, but he hasn’t been the reason the Bears have won.
The Packers rank No. 8 this season in both rushing and passing yards allowed, according to PFSN’s Defense Impact. However, the Packers have struggled against the run game lately, and now they’re without Wyatt, who’s been critical in clogging gaps in the middle.
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The Packers need to slow down the Bears’ rushing attack on Sunday, not only for themselves to have success, but to keep Chicago’s offense from being on the field all day.
The Bears have rushed for fewer than 100 yards in just four games this season. Now, they are 3-1 in those games. However, in the Bears’ three losses, they’ve been held to an average of 116 rushing yards – just over the century mark.
That’s forced more onto Williams’ shoulders. The Bears quarterback has just three touchdown passes in those three games combined, and two of his five interceptions on the season.
The Packers need to slow the Bears’ run game to make Williams have to be the difference maker, and then make him uncomfortable if they want to protect home field and take over first place in the NFC North on Sunday.
The Bears Will Win If They Run the Ball, Packers Can’t Sustain Drives
It feels pretty simple, but if the Bears get their run game going, they’re very difficult to stop. It opens up the play action for Williams, and he’s at his best.
Chicago has run for at least 140 yards in six games this season, and the Bears are 6-0 in those games. In those games, Williams has seven passing touchdowns and just two interceptions.
The Bears ride on their run game, and when it’s successful, they win games.
The Packers must sustain drives to give their defense a break, especially if Chicago gets the run game going. Even if the Packers are scoring on offense, if it’s explosive plays all the time, the Bears will slowly wear down the Packers’ defense.
Green Bay will need to have long drives in this game and can’t be forced into three-and-outs, or Chicago will control the game.
Who Wins the Game?
I think the Packers do what it takes to come out on top. The game is in Lambeau, edge rusher Micah Parsons is fired up, and the top spot in the division is on the line.
The Packers have already lost twice at home this season, and I don’t believe it happens a third time, against their division rivals.
Over the last two decades, the Packers are 118-43-2 at home, and they’re 86-75-1 on the road. That was coming into the 2025 season.
43 losses in 20 years is just over two losses at home per season. The Packers don’t lose at home, especially during the holiday season.
This team has Super Bowl aspirations, and this is the first step in doing so – take over first place in the NFC North.
I think defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley puts a plan together to at least slow the Bears’ run game, and Parsons makes big plays when he has to. The Packers’ linebacker has 12.5 sacks this season, and eight have come in the fourth quarter.
On the offense side, the Packers seemed to have found something last week against the Detroit Lions, and I think it continues enough on Sunday.
I think the Packers defend Lambeau Field and beat the Bears, 27-20, to retake first place in the division.
