The Chicago Bears appeared to have a problem when star quarterback Caleb Williams went down with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of their Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Williams had authored multiple comeback victories last year and was seen as the key to Ben Johnson's team. However, the Bears have responded brilliantly since his injury.
Third-string quarterback Case Keenum delivered a brilliant performance in their Week 3 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles and backup quarterback Tyson Bagent was under center in their Week 4 demolition of the New York Jets. The Bears probably won't be at their best until Williams returns, but they are playing as well as possible for head coach Ben Johnson and appear to be a very strong team.
The Packers had dominated the Bears for multiple decades, but that started to change last season. Chicago defeated Green Bay in 2 of 3 meetings, including the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The Packers have often put a better team on the field than their archrivals, but that no longer appears to be the case.
Jordan Love is a very capable quarterback, but he does not have RB Josh Jacobs in the lineup because he is on the commissioner's exempt list, and the Packers have struggled badly in the running games. Green Bay will try to use its homefield advantage to gain an upset in the series, but head coach Matt LaFleur's team faces a major challenge.
Bears vs. Packers Odds
Bears: -2.5 (-110)
Cowboys: +2.5 (-110)
Over: 45.5 points (-112)
Under: 45.5 points (-108)
Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)Bears vs. Packers Key Injuries
Bears — Did Not Participate: D'Andre Swift (hip/knee), Kyle Monangai (thumb/toe), Joe Thuney (pectoral), Jonah Jackson (ankle), Darnell Wright (ankle), Caleb Williams (hamstring)
Limited participation: LB Keyshaun Elliott (quadricep); LB Noah Sewell (Achilles); DL Shemar Turner (knee)
Packers — Did not participate: OG Aaron Bank (knee/toe); OL Anthony Belton (knee); RB Chris Brooks (ankle); C-OG Jager Burton (back); C-OG Jacob Monk (quadricep)
Limited participation: Edge Lukas Van Ness (shoulder); WR Savion Williams (ankle); DT Devonte Wyatt (ankle)
Bears vs. Packers Betting Trends
The Bears have won three of their last four meetings with the Packers. They are also 3-1 ATS in those games.
The Packers won 11 straight games in the series between 2019 and 2024.
The Bears are 3-1 ATS this season.
The Bears are 1-0 ATS on the road.
The Bears are 2-1 when favored ATS.
The Packers are 0-3-1 ATS.
The Packers are 0-1 ATS at home.
The Packers are 0-1 as underdogs.
Keys to Bears vs. Packers Matchup
The Bears are coming off a sensational offensive performance in their Week 4 victory over the Jets. While the final score was fairly close as the Bears registered a 23-12 triumph, the Chicago offense held the ball for 42:45. The Jets were unable to do anything to slow down the Bears with the exception of registering a pair of goal-line stands. Chicago registered 34 first downs in the game while the Jets had just 7.
Article Continues BelowAnother area of Chicago domination was the team's third-down conversions. While the Bears were successful on 7 of 15 third-down chances, the Jets failed in all 7 of their attempts. Kyle Monangai was the key to the running games as he had 146 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The running game was powerful for the Bears and they would like to unleash it against the Packers as well. It would take significant pressure off of Tyson Bagent if the ground game can attack the Packers defense.
Bagent did not look like a backup quarterback against New York. He completed 28 of 34 passes for 268 yards, but he did throw one interception. Bagent has a strong arm and can attack downfield with receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burdn III as well as tight end Colston Loveland. The Bears appear to have multiple offensive options.
The Packers cannot say the same thing. RBs Kaleb Johnson and Chris Brooks combined for 72 yards in Green Bay's 17-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That's not going to scare Chicago defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Green Bay needs Jordan Love to have a big game passing the ball. He was 22 of 30 for 197 yards with 2 TDs and 1 interception against the Buccaneers. He has an excellent go-to receiver in Christian Watson and a big-play tight end in Tucker Kraft. Second-year speedster Matthew Golden could be the X-factor for Green Bay in this game. If he can get over the top of the Chicago defense, he could cause havoc with his game-breaking speed.
Bears vs. Packers Prediction and Pick
The Bears appeared to turn the tide in this series last year as they eliminated the Packers in the Wild Card game. The Bears have a brilliant coach in Johnson and a boatload of young talent. However, they don't have Williams and it will be up to Bagent to show he can get the job done in this pressure-packed series.
Bagent does not have to carry the Bears on his shoulders. He can depend on his running game and the Chicago defense to get the job done. On the other hand, the Packers have very little chance of winning if Love doesn't have an impressive performance. The Bears appear to have the most options and the better team.
Prediction: Bears (-2.5) 28, Packers 20. The Bears get the win and the cover, and the over 45.5 comes through for their backers.