Posted December 27, 2025
The NFL’s oldest rivalry returned to the spotlight this week as America’s Game of the Week featured the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. The matchup dates to 1921, when the teams first met and when the Bears were still known as the Staleys, according to Yahoo Sports. The franchise adopted the Bears name the following year.
The rivalry has remained competitive, but recent history has tilted heavily toward Green Bay. Since Dec. 8, 2015, the Bears are 2-17 against the Packers, including an 11‑game losing streak. Overall, Green Bay leads the series 109-96-6, a margin that grew with its win Sunday night.
Chicago entered the game with confidence. The Bears hired former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their head coach in the offseason, energizing fans who praised his playcalling and leadership. In his introductory news conference, Johnson took a jab at Packers coach Matt LaFleur, saying he “enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year” and citing it as part of his reason for staying in the NFC North. The comment echoed general manager Ryan Poles’ 2022 declaration that the Bears would “take the [NFC] North and never give it back.” Since that statement, Chicago is just 3-17 in divisional play. The parallels between those bold introductions may leave Johnson reconsidering his words after the loss to LaFleur, which ended any chance of beating the Packers coach twice this season.
Green Bay entered the game as the favorite, though some believed the Bears could play spoilers. Chicago won the previous meeting in 2024, giving fans reason for optimism. But the Packers’ run defense and overall efficiency quickly closed that door. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai were held to fewer than 70 rushing yards combined after both topped 120 yards the week before against the Eagles. The absence of sophomore wide receiver Rome Odunze, a focal point of the offense all year, also proved costly.
The game tightened late after Green Bay carried an 11‑point lead into halftime. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams rebounded from an uneven first half to deliver a strong second‑half performance. He completed 19 of 35 passes for 186 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, according to Bears Wire. While the stat line appears modest, most of his misses came early, and his lone turnover occurred on Chicago’s second‑to‑last play with 30 seconds remaining. Williams kept the offense within striking distance, though the late interception is likely to overshadow his overall performance.
Ultimately, the Packers’ steady ground attack and timely deep passes proved too much for Chicago. The Bears entered the week at plus‑17 in turnover margin, with no other team in double digits, according to Sports Illustrated. To pull off an upset, Chicago needed takeaways, which it did not produce.
The game marked not only another chapter in the league’s oldest rivalry but also the start of a new era within it. Both teams now feature young, competitive head coaches and promising quarterbacks who have already shown flashes of star potential. The Packers sit at 9-3-1 and the Bears at 9-4, positioning both firmly in the playoff race. With each franchise trending upward, the rivalry is poised to grow even more compelling in the years ahead and could lay the foundation for two emerging NFC powers.
The article may be found online at https://uwrfjournalism.org/2025/12/green-bay-steals-nfc-north-crown-from-chicago-in-historic-rivalry/.