Williams and the Bears look to get
payback against the Parsons-less Packers in an NFC North showdown
[December 19, 2025]
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears were sitting atop the NFC with five
straight wins and nine in the previous 10 games going into their
most recent meeting with the Green Bay Packers.
They came up short when Caleb Williams got intercepted in the end
zone. They won't have to wait long for the rematch.
Chicago and Green Bay meet for the second time in three weeks, this
time at Soldier Field on Saturday night with first place in the NFC
North on the line and Packers star pass rusher Micah Parsons out
with a season-ending knee injury. Both teams have a chance to clinch
a playoff spot.
“It’s another game,” Williams said. "Go out here and do my job, play
well. Start fast, get the energy going for the team and we’ve got a
real shot to go win the game.”
Williams made it clear after the Bears' 31-3 romp over Cleveland
last week that he was looking forward to the rematch with the
Packers. It's not hard to see why.
The Bears (10-4) were threatening to tie or take the lead, only to
come away with a 28-21 loss at Lambeau Field when Williams got
intercepted in the end zone by Keisean Nixon with 22 seconds
remaining on a badly underthrown pass to Cole Kmet. The loss knocked
Chicago from first to seventh in the NFC and into second place in
the division behind Green Bay.
Chicago bounced back in a big way against Cleveland and regained the
North lead with the Packers falling at Denver. Even worse for Green
Bay (9-4-1), Parsons tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the
third quarter, a massive blow for a team that came into the season
with Super Bowl hopes after acquiring the two-time All-Pro from
Dallas just before the opener.
“Just understanding what’s in front of us, understanding that we’ve
still got the pen in our hand,” Packers defensive end Rashan Gary
said. “We can still write our story.”
With or without Parsons, Bears coach Ben Johnson sees a difficult
task.
"It’s a really good football team and a really good defense,” he
said. “I know you kind of lock in on one player, because he does
garner a lot of your attention when you go against that defense, and
yet, they have some high-caliber players throughout, on the
defensive line, the linebacking core and on the back end. Just
because one player goes down, that doesn’t mean that this is going
to change a whole lot for them.”
Needing more from Gary
Parsons’ injury means the Packers will need all their healthy pass
rushers to raise their games. Perhaps nobody is more equipped to do
that than Rashan Gary, who has 46 1/2 career sacks.
It’s been an up-and-down season for Gary, who had 7 1/2 sacks in
Green Bay’s first seven games but none in the seven games since.
“I’ve just got to be myself,” Gary said. “You know, when guys are
thinking that they need to do more than what they’ve been doing, you
start to strain, start to try to find plays that’s not there.”
[to top of second column] |
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) celebrates as he runs
off the field after an NFL football game against the Cleveland
Browns in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Playoff scenarios
Chicago and Green Bay can clinch playoff spots with a win plus a
loss or tie by Detroit against Pittsburgh. The two teams also would
get in with a tie if the Lions lose.
Green Bay is looking to reach the playoffs for the sixth time in
seven years under coach Matt LaFleur, while Chicago is trying to
make it for the first time since 2020. The Bears have just three
trips to the postseason since the 2006 Super Bowl season.
Packers’ injury issues
Parsons isn’t the only notable Packers player who could be missing
for Saturday’s game.
Injuries knocked out wide receiver Christian Watson
(chest/shoulder), safety Evan Williams (knee) and right tackle Zach
Tom (back/knee) from the Packers’ loss at Denver. Running back Josh
Jacobs said he reinjured his knee early in that game, though he
continued to play and scored two touchdowns.
The status for each of those players remains uncertain.
“Definitely, it sucks to see guys go down that are key points for
this team,” Williams said. “But it’s also an opportunity for more
opportunities for other people. And that’s pretty cool to see, to
see other people get their shot, and to get to see what they get to
do with their time on the field.”
Lopsided rivalry
Though the Bears have a chance to add to their division lead, wins
over the Packers are rare for them.
Green Bay has dominated the NFL's longest-running rivalry in recent
decades, going 30-6 against Chicago since the start of the 2008
season. That includes the 2010 team winning the NFC championship
game at Soldier Field en route to capturing the Super Bowl title.
The Packers won 11 straight against the Bears before losing last
year's finale at Lambeau Field. Green Bay has won six in a row in
Chicago.
Home run
The Bears have won five straight at Soldier Field since a
season-opening loss to Minnesota. It's their best home winning
streak since a six-game run in 2005.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
