Packers-Bears III? All Signs Point to a Playoff Showdown in the NFC North
The Green Bay Packers haven’t punched their playoff ticket just yet, but the ink is nearly dry. One more win over their final two games - or a single loss by the Detroit Lions - and Green Bay is in.
That’s how close they are to extending their season. And while clinching a spot is the immediate goal, the bigger storyline might be what’s waiting for them in the Wild Card round: a potential third meeting with their oldest rival.
Yes, we’re staring down the barrel of a Packers-Bears trilogy - and this one would come with postseason stakes.
The NFC North Is Still in Play… Technically
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves - the division title isn’t completely off the table for Green Bay. But it’s a narrow path.
The Packers would need to take down both the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings, while hoping the Chicago Bears lose out against the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. Not impossible, but let’s call it what it is: a long shot.
Still, the more realistic scenario - and the one with the most intrigue - is Green Bay locking in as the NFC’s No. 7 seed. That would most likely set up a playoff date with none other than the Bears, who are trending toward the No. 2 seed.
Numbers Don’t Lie: Packers-Bears Is the Most Likely Wild Card Matchup
Let’s talk probabilities. According to playoff simulations, Chicago has a 68% chance of landing the No. 2 seed.
There’s still a 14% shot they leap to the top spot and an 11% chance they slide to the No. 7 - which would flip the script and potentially send them on the road. But when you add it up, there’s a 79% chance the Bears end up either second or seventh.
On the other side, the Packers have a 76% chance of grabbing the seventh seed and a 7% chance at No. 2. That’s an 83% likelihood they land in one of those two spots - and that’s where the math starts to paint a pretty clear picture.
Why does that matter? Because the No. 2 seed hosts the No. 7 seed in the first round. And unless something dramatic shifts over the next two weeks, that means we’re looking at a Packers-Bears playoff clash.
A Rivalry Renewed - With Everything on the Line
This wouldn’t just be any meeting between these two storied franchises. It would be the third time they’ve faced off this season - and the first time in years that both teams enter the postseason with serious momentum and aspirations.
Matt LaFleur’s Packers have found their rhythm with Jordan Love under center, while Ben Johnson’s Bears have already secured their spot behind the poised play of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. It’s a matchup that offers a little bit of everything - history, rivalry, young quarterbacks on the rise, and coaching minds that know each other well.
Whether it’s at Lambeau Field or Soldier Field, this one would carry serious weight. The kind of game that could define the next chapter in this rivalry.
Still Some Twists Left
Now, nothing’s set in stone. Chicago still has a path to the No. 1 seed, though it would take a few dominoes to fall.
Green Bay could still move up to the No. 6 or - in a worst-case scenario - miss the playoffs altogether. But based on the current landscape, those outcomes are long shots.
Right now, all signs are pointing to a third and final showdown between the Packers and Bears - this time with everything on the line. And if that’s what we get, buckle up. This rivalry might be about to deliver one of its most memorable chapters yet.