At long last, the Chicago Bears snapped their 11-game losing streak against the Green Bay Packers in the Week 18 finale last season. It came on Jan. 5, team owner Virginia McCaskey’s 102nd birthday.
The upset victory at Lambeau Field marked the first Bears win against the Packers since 2018.
Now the Bears will take their 9-3 record to Lambeau to face the 8-3-1 Packers on Sunday. When the Bears hired coach Ben Johnson in January, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator quipped during his opening news conference that he “kind of enjoyed beating (Packers coach) Matt LaFleur twice a year.”
It’s time to put his money where his mouth is.
Johnson typically hasn’t stoked rivalries through the media. This week, when asked about his team currently being in line for the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, he responded by saying the Bears “haven’t accomplished anything yet.” Asked about his previous comment regarding LaFleur, Johnson did not mention the Packers coach by name this time.
“It’s a big week,” Johnson said. “We know how important this rivalry is.”
The Bears and Packers will square off twice in the next three weeks, including at 3:25 p.m. Sunday in Green Bay. Johnson is well aware he doesn’t need to give his opponent any additional bulletin-board material. For the first time in a long time, both teams are good — really good — heading into a late-season matchup.
Here’s what the numbers say.
When was the last time the Bears and Packers were both this good?
The stakes are higher than they’ve been in a long time. Not since 2019 have the rivals squared off in the months of December or January when both teams had a winning record.
Packers defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila drives quarterback Jim Miller to the ground late in the fourth quarter during the Bears’ 17-7 loss on Dec. 9, 2001, at Lambeau Field. (Jim Prisching/Chicago Tribune)
Taking that a little deeper, according to Stathead, this will be just the second time the Bears and Packers were both five games over .500 entering a regular-season meeting in December or January. The only other instance was Dec. 9, 2001. That afternoon, coach Mike Sherman’s 8-3 Packers beat Dick Jauron’s 9-2 Bears 17-7 at Lambeau Field.
The NFL often schedules these division games for late in the season, but rarely in the Bears-Packers rivalry have both teams been this good this late in the season.
Five games over .500 is a high bar. This will be just the seventh time that these teams have met (in any month of the season) when both teams were five games over .500, per Stathead. The last was that 2001 matchup. Before that, you’d have to go back to Nov. 17, 1963, when the 8-1 Bears met the 8-1 Packers at Wrigley Field.
If you include the postseason, both Bears-Packers playoff games in December 1941 and January 2011 would qualify as well.
More Bears-Packers nuggets
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers celebrates as he leaves the field after a victory over the Bears on Dec. 4, 2022, at Soldier Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
The Bears and Packers have played 210 times, including two postseason matchups. The Packers lead the series 108-96-6, including 107-95-6 in the regular season.
On Sunday at Lambeau, the Bears have a chance to win back-to-back games against the Packers for the first time since 2007. That was also the last time the Bears swept both matchups in a single season.
Since those back-to-back Bears wins in 2007, the Packers have won 29 of the last 35 matchups, including the NFC championship game following the 2010 regular season.
LaFleur was 11-0 against the Bears before the Week 18 loss in January. The Packers had won eight straight at Lambeau Field heading into that matchup.
Updated playoff odds
Bears safety Kevin Byard III celebrates his interception against the Eagles in the third quarter Nov. 28, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
The Bears are currently the top seed in the NFC, but as Johnson pointed out Monday, they haven’t even clinched a postseason spot yet. Here’s a look at the updated playoff odds.
NFL Next Gen Stats gives the Bears a 75% chance to make the postseason. That is the worst odds among the seven teams currently in playoff position in the NFC.
ESPN gives the Bears a 76% chance to make the postseason, which ranks seventh among NFC teams. ESPN says the Bears have a 35% chance of winning the NFC North (the Packers are at 57%), a 12% chance to earn the No. 1 seed and a 5% chance to reach the Super Bowl.
The Athletic’s playoff simulator gives the Bears a 77% shot to make the playoffs, 36% chance to win the division (the Packers are at 59%), 12% chance to earn the No. 1 seed and a 2% chance to win the Super Bowl.
For the current No. 1 seed, those aren’t great odds. But the Bears have been defying the odds all season.
Historic effort
Bears running back D’Andre Swift (4) breaks through against Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young on Nov. 28, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
By now fans are well aware that D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai last week became the first Bears teammates to rush for 100 yards in the same game since Walter Payton and Matt Suhey in 1985.
It also marked the first time two teammates rushed for at least 100 yards and one rushing touchdown apiece in any NFL game since 2019, according to the Bears. Dallas Cowboys backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard were the last to do it on Dec. 15, 2019.
Per the Bears, here is the list of Bears teammates to rush for 100 yards in the same game.
Kyle Monangai (130) and D’Andre Swift (125), Nov. 28, 2025.
Walter Payton (107) and Matt Suhey (102), Nov. 10, 1985.
Suhey (112) and Payton (106), Nov. 20, 1983.
Roland Harper (144) and Payton (105), Nov. 26, 1978.
Rick Casares (115) and Bobby Watkins (115), Nov. 6, 1955.
Best start in 15 years
The last time the Bears were 9-3 was 2010, when the team went on to reach the NFC championship game. The Bears have won 10 games just twice since then: 2012 and 2018.
If the Bears beat the Packers on Sunday to reach 10-3, it would be their best start since their last Super Bowl appearance in 2006. Coach Lovie Smith’s 2006 Bears started 13-2 and finished the regular season at 13-3.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/04/chicago-bears-green-bay-packers-numbers/
