As if it could end any other way. The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers traded victories this season. So it's only natural they square off one final time in a playoff rubber match. Plenty is on the line. Head coach Ben Johnson is hoping to make a statement that this team is for real. His counterpart, Matt Lafleur, might be coaching for his job. Green Bay has had the better of this rivalry for a long time. You could argue that their domination over the past 15 years started with that loss in the NFC Championship in 2010. This could be Chicago's chance to exorcize its demons. So what should we expect?
Chicago Bears in round three against the Packers.
Background
The oldest rivalry in the NFL meets in the playoffs for just the third time in history. That is actually crazy to think about. Fittingly, it's one-to-one so far. Chicago beat Green Bay in the 1940s, before the Packers got their payback in the 2010 NFC championship. Each game determined who eventually won the title. Will it happen again? Who knows, but there is no doubt that the rivalry has once again gone from cold to hot. The stakes a sky high. Green Bay is trying to avoid another first round exit. Chicago is trying to prove their season wasn't a fluke. Soldier Field will be electric.
Key matchups
Christian Watson vs. Jaylon Johnson
Watson has given the Bears the most trouble of any Packers player this season. His speed is a constant threat Matt Lafleur likes to exploit, and Chicago doesn't have many answers for it. Putting Johnson on him feels like their best bet. He is still clearly not 100% recovered from his core muscle surgery, but he remains the top cornerback on the team. Whoever gets the better of that matchup will determine a lot.
Colston Loveland vs. Quay Walker
It is beyond obvious that Loveland has established himself as a primary target in the Bears' passing game. Caleb Williams is looking his way more and more often. That is because defenses have few answers for him. It's a safe assumption that Coach Johnson will look for him a lot over the middle, putting him in conflict with Walker. The linebacker has been a liability in coverage at times, but he must bring his best.
Injuries
The Chicago Bears have only had their cornerback for three games this season due to various injuries. He is due to come off Injured Reserve this week, but nobody knows if he will make it. If he does, it would be an immediate shot in the arm for their pass defense, especially in the slot. That is where Green Bay has exploited them the most in each of the past two matchups.
Javon Bullard
Bullard is one of the best run defenders the Packers have. While he is expected to play, he apparently suffered a hyperextended knee in the loss to Minnesota last week. That could diminish his impact somewhat, which would open further opportunities for the Bears' rushing attack. Green Bay has managed to keep the offense relatively in check in the first two meetings. Bullard is a key reason why.
X-Factors
It's crazy to think that Chicago's top wide receiver through the first half of 2025 ended up not playing in either game against Green Bay. Reports have since revealed he is back from his foot injury, meaning he is likely going to play in this one. That gives the Bears passing attack a much more formidable look against a Packers secondary that has struggled at times this year.
Josh Jacobs
People talk about Jordan Love all the time. In reality, the big key to Green Bay's success against the Bears over the past two years has been Jacobs. When he's rushed for at least 75 yards, the Packers win. When he hasn't, they lose. Chicago has struggled against the run in recent weeks, which Green Bay no doubt hopes to exploit, and Jacobs will be leading that charge.
Prediction: Packers win 23-21
This hurts a lot. The game will be close, because all of them have been since last year. Chicago has the advantage of home field. Unfortunately, this comes down to the state of their defense. Unless they can force the Packers into a few turnovers, they've proven they can't get stops consistently enough. Combine that with the constant slow starts by the offense, and you have a bad recipe for success in the playoffs.
