When the 1985 Bears established themselves as Super Bowl favorites with a stunning 44-0 rout of the Cowboys at Texas Stadium in Week 11 — the Cowboys were two-point favorites, believe it or not — the eyes of the NFL were on them like never before. The 11-0 Bears were 16-point favorites against the Falcons the following week at Soldier Field and had that spread covered by halftime in a 36-0 rout.
The 2025 Bears are not the ’85 Bears, but as statement-game follow-ups go, their challenge after getting the NFL’s attention like never before this season after a 24-15 upset of the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field is a little more difficult Sunday. The Bears (9-3) are 6½-point underdogs against the Packers (8-3-1) at Lambeau Field.
Though little has changed in the 10 days between games — the Bears won’t have wide receiver Rome Odunze, who is out with a foot injury, but are expected to regain linebacker T.J. Edwards — the dynamic changes significantly after the Eagles game. The Bears are the No. 1 seed in the NFC with five weeks to go. They earned well-deserved respect not only for beating the Eagles on the road on a short week, but for the way they did it — with 281 rushing yards and a dominant advantage in time of possession. This was no fluke.
“They had two guys go over 100 yards in an NFL game; that’s pretty rare,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters this week when asked about the Bears’ running back tandem of D’Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai. “It’s a credit to everybody. Their offensive line, they’ve added some pieces up front. Those tight ends, they block their ass off. And the receivers get involved in the run game, as well. It’s going to be a great challenge because they’re the best in the league right now at doing it.”
Coming off the upset of the Eagles, the final five games will be a test of the Bears’ playoff mettle because not only are four games against playoff contenders (the Packers home and away, the 49ers on the road and the Lions at Soldier Field), but they’ll be getting everyone’s best shot.
For most of the season, the Bears have been a notably improved team. Now they’re a threat.
Win or lose Sunday, the Bears will be on a trajectory toward contention in the NFC, but this game will be as defining if not more than the Eagles game. You have to win back-to-back games against playoff teams to win in the postseason, and this is a well-timed simulation. The Bears haven’t beaten back-to-back playoff teams in the regular season since 2006, when they beat the Giants and Jets at the Meadowlands in Weeks 10-11. Since then, they’ve faced eventual playoff teams in back-to-back games 46 times without winning both.
The Packers are a fitting proving ground. In 2018, the Bears made their biggest statement with a 15-6 victory over the 11-1 Rams at Soldier Field. The following week, they beat the Packers 24-17 at Soldier Field to clinch the NFC North title. That’s the last time they took the North.
That Packers team was 5-7-1 with a gimpy Aaron Rodgers. This Packers team is 8-3-1, at home and surely fired up to put coach Ben Johnson in his place after he taunted LaFleur in his introductory press conference. It’s a chance for Johnson and the Bears to take their biggest step yet.
When the Bears have the ball
With much of the focus on Caleb Williams and his inaccuracy after he went 17-for-36 (47.2%) for just 154 yards in the upset of the Eagles, look for coach Ben Johnson to try to establish the passing game and get Williams in an early rhythm. That also figures to be a sensible tack against the Packers’ eighth-ranked run defense, which surely will be on high alert after the Bears gashed the Eagles for 281 rushing yards.
The Bears’ offensive line and protection scheme will be put to the test against a defense fortified by the addition of game-wrecking edge rusher Micah Parsons, who leads the Packers with 12œ sacks, including six in their three-game winning streak.
On paper, though, the Packers’ defense is about where it was last season (actually, down in sacks from 12th to 10th), with the biggest jump in pass defense, from 13th to sixth. And the Packers will be without defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, who was having a breakout season before suffering a fractured ankle against the Lions on Thanksgiving.
This could be a chance for the Bears to show off their depth. Rome Odunze, the Bears’ leading receiver (44 receptions, 661 yards, six touchdowns), is out with a foot injury. DJ Moore (38-502-3), rookie tight end Colston Loveland (31-406-3) and rookie wide receiver Luther Burden (26-328-1) are prime candidates to fill that void in Johnson’s offense.
When the Packers have the ball
In three games against the Bears that Jordan Love has started and finished, he is 3-0 with a 72.4 completion percentage, 274 passing yards per game and a 128.3 passer rating (six touchdowns, one interception). For the season, Love has a career-best 104.3 passer rating, 67.0 completion percentage, 232.8 yards per game and 19 touchdowns to only three -interceptions.
That figures to be a challenge for a Bears defense that has thrived on takeaways. The Bears intercepted Jalen Hurts last week after he came in with just one interception all season. Lambeau Field is a good test of the uncanniness of this defense, which leads the NFL with 26 takeaways and 17 interceptions.
The Bears are getting healthy — a rarity in December. Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon will be playing for the second consecutive game after long absences. Linebacker T.J. Edwards (hand/hamstring) is expected to play after missing the last four games.
The Packers are without tight end Tucker Kraft (season-ending torn ACL in Week 9), but Christian Watson is back from the torn ACL he suffered against the Bears in Week 18 last season and Jayden Reed (questionable, foot/shoulder) could return from injured reserve this week. Dontayvion Wicks came up big against the Lions last week (six receptions, 94 yards, two touchdowns). The Packers rarely have trouble finding a hero against the Bears.