The Chicago Bears are headed to the playoffs - that part’s locked in. But with two games left on the schedule, the real intrigue lies in the details: Can they win the division?
What seed will they land? And perhaps most tantalizing of all - will they square off against the Green Bay Packers for a third time this season?
Thanks to a wild Christmas Day result, the picture just got a little clearer. In a stunning upset, the Detroit Lions - who came into the day with playoff hopes still flickering - were knocked out by the Minnesota Vikings and third-string quarterback Max Brosmer.
The Lions’ 23-10 loss wasn’t just surprising; it was a full-on collapse, headlined by Jared Goff’s five turnovers. Just like that, Detroit’s season is over.
And with it, Green Bay officially clinched a playoff spot.
Now, all eyes turn to the Bears and what lies ahead. The most likely scenario? A playoff trilogy with the Packers.
Let’s break it down.
The Bears-Packers Collision Course
There are several paths that could lead to a Bears-Packers first-round showdown - and most of them are very much in play:
- Scenario 1: The Bears split their final two games (1-1), and the Packers lock in as the 7-seed. That means a 2-seed Bears team would host Green Bay at Soldier Field.
- Scenario 2: Both the Bears and Seahawks win out.
Chicago still grabs the 2-seed, and again, the Packers sit at 7. Same matchup.
- Scenario 3: The Bears lose both games, and the Packers win out. In that case, Green Bay snags the 2-seed, and the Bears fall to 7 - flipping the script, but still setting up a playoff clash.
- Scenario 4: Even if the Bears lose out and the Eagles stumble (going 1-1 or 0-2), Chicago could still hang onto the 2-seed - which would again likely mean a date with Green Bay.
The only clear routes for the Bears to avoid the Packers in the opening round? They’d need to win out and hope Seattle drops one of its last two games, which would vault Chicago to the NFC’s top seed and a first-round bye. There’s also a convoluted path involving multiple losses by the Packers and a strong finish by the Eagles that could push the Bears to the 3-seed - but that’s a thinner thread to hang on.
A Rivalry Renewed - and Elevated
If the Bears and Packers do meet in the playoffs, it’ll be just the third postseason meeting in the long, storied history of this rivalry. The last time was the 2010 NFC Championship Game - a bitter memory for Bears fans, as Green Bay walked into Soldier Field and walked out with a Super Bowl ticket.
The only other playoff meeting came way back in 1941, when the Bears knocked off the Packers and went on to win the NFL title. That’s it.
Two postseason games in over a century of battles. If this year adds a third, it’ll be dripping with history - and high stakes.
And here’s where it gets even more poetic: each time the Bears have won a championship, they’ve had to get through Green Bay. In 1963 and 1985, they swept the Packers during the regular season en route to titles.
In 2006, they split the series - and came up short in the Super Bowl. In 2010, they split again, and the Packers ended their season one win shy of the big game.
This year? Another split.
The Bears won the first matchup. The Packers took the second.
Now, the rubber match could come in the playoffs - with everything on the line.
No Room for Nostalgia - Just Execution
Make no mistake: history is fun, but it won’t win playoff games. If Chicago wants to make a real run, they’ll need to bring their best football to the table - especially against a Packers team that’s already proven it can punch back.
Green Bay, fresh off a playoff-clinching boost and still smarting from a recent stumble, won’t be short on motivation. They’ll be looking to show that their late-season collapse was an outlier, not a trend. And they’d love nothing more than to spoil the Bears’ postseason party.
For Chicago, the challenge is clear. Home field won’t be enough.
They’ll need to be sharp, physical, and disciplined - the kind of team that doesn’t just make the playoffs, but belongs there. If they want to be taken seriously as contenders, there's no better way to prove it than by taking down their oldest rival when it counts the most.
So here we are, with the playoff picture still shifting but one storyline rising above the rest: Bears vs. Packers, Round 3.
History says it’s always a battle. This time, it could define a season.