GREEN BAY, Wis. — Professional football’s longest-running feud adds another chapter Sunday when the Green Bay Packers host the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field in an early-season NFC North showdown.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT, with the contest airing regionally on Fox. Before the action gets underway, the Packers plan to honor former Chicago head coach Mike Ditka with a moment of silence, two days after his death, according to ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports.
Remembering a legendary adversary
Ditka, who died Friday, built a dominant track record against Green Bay during his 11 campaigns guiding Chicago, amassing a 15-5 head-to-head record and engineering six season sweeps of the Packers, ProFootball Talk reported.
The Packers paid tribute to their long-standing foe in a statement reported by Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times: “One of the fiercest competitors in NFL history, Mike helped define the intensity and tradition of the Packers-Bears rivalry, the oldest in professional football. He embodied the toughness and passion that have made the rivalry one of the most storied in all of sports.”
Playoff wounds and division stakes
On the field, the matchup carries heavy divisional implications and lingering playoff bitterness. During the 2025 postseason, Chicago pulled off a stunning Wild Card round rally at Soldier Field, erasing a 21-3 halftime deficit by posting 25 points in the final quarter to knock off Green Bay 31-27, according to SB Nation.
That playoff exit capped an excruciating trend for Green Bay, which surrendered second-half leads in two separate defeats against the Bears during that campaign, The Sporting News reported. Led by head coach Ben Johnson, Chicago captured the division crown last year while chasing its first Super Bowl championship since 1985.
Entering Sunday’s meeting, Chicago sits in second place in the NFC North behind the Minnesota Vikings. An upset win for Green Bay would improve its record to 3-2 and bring the club into a tie with Chicago. A defeat would push the Packers down to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in divisional play, placing their pursuit of a division crown in deep jeopardy, SB Nation noted.
Quarterback situation at Lambeau Field
Under center, the two teams enter the rivalry clash under distinct circumstances. Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams is sidelined, thrusting backup Tyson Bagent into the starting lineup once again, according to SB Nation. The Bears have weathered Williams’ absence effectively so far, going 2-0 with Bagent calling signals, The Sporting News reported.
Despite turning to their backup quarterback, the Bears opened as 1.5-point road favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook, SB Nation reported, leaving Green Bay as a home underdog for the first time since the second week of the 2024 season.
For the Packers, starting quarterback Jordan Love is healthy and set to direct the offense, though The Sporting News reported he has endured persistent physical punishment while playing behind a battered offensive line. Green Bay’s ability to keep Love upright against Chicago’s front will be vital if the Packers hope to avenge their playoff heartbreak.
Whether Bagent can extend Chicago’s winning streak without Williams or Love can guide the Packers to a critical home rebound remains the central question as the two franchises settle their latest duel on the frozen tundra.
