Bears Welcome Rival Packers To Solider Field For Playoff Showdown

CHICAGO — One of football's greatest all-time rivalries will add another chapter to its storied history this weekend. In the second game of the NFL playoffs, the Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers Saturday night at Soldier Field. The game, airing on Prime Video, kicks off at 7 p.m.

This season, Chicago (11-6 regular season record) split two games with Green Bay (9-7-1) en route to winning the NFC North for the first time since 2018. On Dec. 7, the Packers defeated the Bears, 28-21, at Lambeau Field. Chicago got revenge two weeks later with a thrilling 22-16 comeback win in overtime at home.

"I think it's a great opportunity in front of our home crowd; can't wait to see what that looks like on Saturday night," said Ben Johnson, who is a strong contender for NFL Coach of the Year after turning a team that finished 5-12 last season into a playoff squad for the first time since 2020.

For two of the league's charter teams, the wild-card round contest will mark the third time the Bears and Packers have faced off in the postseason. Green Bay won the 2010 NFC Championship in Chicago, 21-14. The first playoff meeting between the two came in 1941 when the Bears won the Western Division playoff, 33-14, at Wrigley Field.

Players were back at practice Tuesday at Halas Hall following a 19-16 loss to Detroit in the regular season finale over the weekend. Despite the loss, Chicago locked up the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs after Philadelphia's 24-17 loss to Washington.

Since losing the Super Bowl at the conclusion of the 2006-2007 season, the last two decades have resulted in one playoff win for the Bears in three playoff appearances. Chicago was knocked out of the playoffs in the wild card round in both 2018 and 2020, the latter being the last time the team played past the regular season.

Despite the team's lack of recent postseason experience, Johnson pointed out that many of his players have been part of playoff teams elsewhere.

"We've got a lot of veterans that have been here before, so they know what that's about," Johnson said. "They can certainly share those experiences with the younger guy, but my experience has been this is where the details and fundamentals come out to the forefront."

Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams, in his second NFL season, broke the franchise's single-season passing yards record Sunday, a record previously set by Erik Kramer’s 3,838 in 1995. Williams ended the 17-game regular season with 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

"I feel good (about playing the Packers), feel good about whatever position we were going to be in, whatever position we're in now," Williams said. "I feel good about us versus anybody, and now we can keep carrying that mindset throughout the weeks."

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