Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers Preview & Bets (12/20): Rivalry Round Two

Danny Burke

Written by: Danny Burke

Last Update: Wed Dec 17, 2025, 5:30 pm ET

Read Time: 10 minutes

Round two of this NFC North rivalry is on Saturday. Get ready with our expert Chicago Bears vs Green Bays Packers preview & best bets.

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Just 13 days after a game-ending interception by Keisean Nixon, the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers meet again on Saturday night at Soldier Field.

Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET, with FOX carrying the broadcast.

With the NFC North race up for grabs, will the Bears exact revenge and maintain their grip on first place, or will Jordan Love get the best of Chicago once again? Let's break down what to expect in this divisional showdown with my Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers preview and picks.

For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today's slate, take a look at our NFL Picks Page or our NFL Odds Page.

You can also browse our recommendations for the best online sportsbooks available in the U.S.

Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers Preview & Bets

Bears vs Packers

Can the Packers reclaim the NFC North with another win against the Bears in NFL Week 16?

Bears vs Packers Preview 

In NFL Week 14, the Cheeseheads got the better of their division rival, pulling away for a 28–21 win. Green Bay jumped out to a 14–3 lead and carried that advantage into halftime. It looked like the Bears were on the verge of being exposed by one of the NFL's top teams – until Caleb Williams took over.

The Bears struck quickly in the third quarter and converted a two-point attempt to cut the deficit to 14–11. Green Bay responded with another touchdown to make it 21–11, but Chicago answered with a field goal to pull within 21–14 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Bears tied the game near the midway point of the fourth quarter on a one-yard receiving touchdown from Colston Loveland, but once again, the Packers answered. This time, Josh Jacobs kept the drive alive with a crucial third-down conversion, eventually capping it with a two-yard touchdown run.

With time winding down, Caleb Williams led the Bears into the Packers' red zone. Facing fourth-and-short, he worked through several reads, with options to either convert the first down or find Cole Kmet in the end zone. Instead, Williams waited too long, underthrew the pass to his tight end, and Keisean Nixon sealed the game with an interception.

Despite the devastating loss to their rival and the top spot in the division, many Bears fans walked away feeling surprisingly optimistic – a rare sentiment, especially after a loss to the Packers. Don't get me wrong: as a die-hard Bears fan myself, I was frustrated and deflated by the final play. But after the initial wave of disappointment wore off, it became clear just how impressive that overall effort really was.

The first half was brutal on both sides of the ball. Still, the Bears came out firing after halftime and put themselves in a position to win on the road after trailing by double digits – something past Bears teams wouldn't have been capable of doing. It's evident this group, under head coach Ben Johnson, is different. They can hang with the league's top teams and won't go down without a fight.

In the process, Caleb Williams made some jaw-dropping throws and showed exactly why he was the No. 1 overall pick. The final errant pass was egregious, no doubt, but outside of that moment, he was outstanding in the second half.

Now entering Week 16, the Bears find themselves back atop the division and have a chance to extend their reign if they can get their revenge on Saturday.

For both Green Bay and Chicago, last week set up as a tricky spot. It was a classic sandwich game and a potential look-ahead situation, as both teams had been openly discussing this rematch immediately after their first meeting, despite having important games in between.

Chicago handled its business at home, cruising to a 31–3 win over the Cleveland Browns. Green Bay, meanwhile, fell 34–26 in the Mile High City against the Broncos.

While the Packers were in a more difficult road spot, they were still favored and came up short. To make matters worse, they lost their top defensive player, Micah Parsons, to an ACL tear – a devastating blow to one of the league's premier defenses.

Additionally, their top receiver, Christian Watson, exited the game with a chest and shoulder injury. He returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday, and head coach Matt LaFleur said Watson is "fighting to play."

On the Chicago injury front, there are concerns as well. Wide receiver Rome Odunze missed the first meeting against Green Bay with a foot injury and was set to return last Sunday against Cleveland, only to re-aggravate it during pregame warmups.

Along with him, fellow wideout Luther Burden III exited the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Neither receiver practiced on Wednesday, and the outlook for both appears to be trending in the wrong direction.

Glass Half-Full

There is relatively good news for both teams.

For the Packers, even if Christian Watson can't go, they should be fine. Jordan Love torched the Bears' secondary for 234 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, completing 17 of 25 passes. While Watson led the way with four receptions for 89 yards and two scores, Green Bay still has a handful of other weapons capable of stepping up.

Furthermore, Chicago's true weakness is its inability to consistently stop the run. The Bears allow 5.0 yards per carry, ranking 30th in the NFL, and sit 26th in rush success rate and 20th in rush EPA per play. While there has been some improvement, this matchup still sets up well for Josh Jacobs or backup Emanuel Wilson. Jacobs is dealing with ankle and knee injuries but intends to play.

As for the Bears, even if they end up missing Odunze and Burden, they should still be able to move the ball. Chicago has adopted a run-heavy approach on offense, and thanks to significant improvement along the offensive line – paired with the skill and power of D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai – the Bears rank second in the NFL in total rushing yards (2,126) and rushing yards per game (152). Green Bay's run defense has shown vulnerability, and without Micah Parsons in the mix, it figures to be even more susceptible.

In the first meeting, Swift carried the ball 13 times for 63 yards, while Monangai added 57 yards on 14 attempts. Combined, they averaged 4.5 yards per carry.

Don't overlook the fact that this Bears offense may be set up for success thanks to its defense as well. While the defense has its flaws, it has thrived in the turnover department. Chicago boasts a +20 turnover differential with 30 total takeaways. The next closest defense is the Houston Texans, who sit at +14 with 23 total takeaways. 

Bears vs Packers Bets

Like we did two weeks ago, with me as the resident Bears fan and fellow staff writer and NFL analyst Varun Sharma – a.k.a. "V" – representing the Packers, we'll both be sharing our best bets for this matchup below.

Danny's Best Bet: Bears Moneyline (-104)

After their first meeting, oddsmakers opened the Packers as three-point favorites for this rematch. Fast forward to now, and the game has essentially become a pick'em.

With or without the injuries on both sides, I would still be backing Chicago in this spot. This team has proven doubters wrong time and time again. Before heading to Lambeau, I said, and wrote, that I didn't like the Bears' chances in that game, but that I expected these teams to split the season series, with each winning at home. That belief hasn't changed.

The Bears were one errant throw away from beating the Packers at Lambeau, in a game where the defense delivered one of its worst performances in coverage and tackling. If Chicago can clean up those areas, they will end up on top. 

This is the biggest game at Soldier Field in years. The Bears didn't suffer any consequences from a potential look-ahead spot last week – in fact, they put together one of their most complete performances of the season – further evidence that Ben Johnson has this team locked in. Meanwhile, Green Bay is coming off a gruesome loss to one of the league's toughest teams and lost one of its best playmakers in the process.

It won't be pretty, but the Bears will find a way to squeak out a win and claim the NFC North as their own.

V's Best Bet: Matthew Golden Over 17.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

Matthew Golden

Writing about the Packers this week is tough, but we're going to get through it.

This is the second of two meetings between the Bears and Packers, and obviously the more important of the two. Jordan Love is a perfect 2-0 at Soldier Field and will look to build on that this week. In those two games, Love has thrown for 506 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.

This is the best Bears team that Love has ever played, and that's not hyperbole. The Bears currently lead the division and could take control with a win this week over their Midwest rivals. They lead the league in takeaways, and it was on full display last week. The Bears finished with as many interceptions as the Browns did points – three.

I'd love to come in here with the Packers to win, but with so much on the line – and this game coming right after the Parsons injury – I'm staying off a side and pivoting to the Packers' rookie wideout, Matthew Golden.

Golden's missed some time with a wrist injury and the team has been slowly working him back into the lineup. With Jayden Reed and Christian Watson also back, it's made for a crowded wide receiver room. That being said, Golden was on the field for nearly 40% of the team's offensive snaps last week, he was targeted four times and caught three balls for 55 yards.

This week, he lines up against a Bears secondary that makes big plays, but has shown a ton of vulnerability to the long ball. Chicago ranks 17th this year in coverage grade, 18th in passing yards allowed and 20th in receiving yards allowed to opposing wideouts. The Bears' lack of pass rush is why I love this prop.

Chicago ranks 26th in pass rush grade and it's why they continue to give up big plays through the air. The Bears have allowed a pass of 33+ yards in 10 of 14 games, and while your head may turn to Christian Watson, let's talk about the rookie, Golden.

Golden is top 10 in separation score this year, despite not seeing the target share that reflects it. Despite missing multiple games and playing limited snaps, he's second on the team in go routes and is top five in the NFL in separation score on those routes.

Golden is seeing an average depth of target of 13.1 yards, and with Watson beat up this week, I know LaFleur has something in his bag for the rookie.

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Danny Burke
Danny Burke

Danny Burke is a betting analyst with a decade of sports media experience. He got his start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, sharing picks on the local ESPN affiliate. After college, he hosted shows for VSiN in Las Vegas before returning to Chicago to launch 'Rush Hour', the first daily sports betting show from an Illinois casino. He also co-hosted 'Props and Locks' on Fox32’s Bears pregame show and ran 'Bet On, Chicago' on WLS-AM 890.

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