Packers hope to build momentum for the playoffs as they seek 12th straight win over Bears

 

[January 03, 2025]  By STEVE MEGARGEE

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Gaining momentum matters more to the Green Bay Packers than improving their playoff seeding as they gear up for the postseason against their longtime punching bag, the slumping Chicago Bears.

Green Bay (11-5) is currently positioned as the No. 7 seed in the NFC, which would result in a trip to Philadelphia for the wild-card round. The Packers could earn the sixth seed if they beat the Bears (4-12) on Sunday and the Washington Commanders lose at Dallas.

“I think for us the mindset really is it doesn’t matter,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “I think we’re going into this knowing that we’re obviously going to be on the road and go play some teams we’ve already played before. We’re excited obviously for the playoffs to start.”

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he intends to treat this game like any other and will play his starters.

Tight end Tucker Kraft believes an impressive outing on Sunday could serve as a “springboard” into the playoffs. The Packers are trying to bounce back from a sloppy 27-25 loss at Minnesota last weekend.

“I want to see juice,” Kraft said. “I want to see us out there right away getting the ball to our back (Josh Jacobs), letting him just be him. And then getting some flavor going in the next couple of drives and just execute.”

The Packers are 1-5 against NFC teams that have clinched playoff berths, but they’re 10-0 against everyone else. That includes a 20-19 victory at Chicago on Nov. 17 that gave the Packers 11 straight wins over the Bears, the longest active winning streak by an NFL team over an opponent.

Chicago began the season 4-2 but has lost 10 straight since. Quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, says he has taken notes throughout his rookie season on areas where he must improve.

“Things are going to take time,” Williams said. “I’m well aware of that and OK with that. But I am definitely going to try to push myself to exhaustion mentally and physically this offseason to be able to withstand the long season.”

Jacobs’ touchdown streak
Jacobs has run for a touchdown in seven straight games to match Paul Hornung in 1960 for the longest such streak in Packers history.

Jacobs enters the weekend ranked fifth in the NFL with 1,285 yards rushing. He earned his third Pro Bowl selection this week.

Lopsided rivalry
Green Bay’s 11 straight victories over Chicago represent the longest winning streak by either team in the history of this rivalry, which has been played more than any other NFL matchup.

The Packers’ only longer winning streak over an opponent was 15 straight over the Chicago Cardinals from 1937-46.

Green Bay kept the streak alive back in November when Karl Brooks blocked Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams throws a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Bears’ collapse
The Bears had big hopes coming into the season. Instead, it fell apart.

They fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron after nine games and let a head coach go during a season for the first time in franchise history when they gave Matt Eberflus the boot after a Thanksgiving Day loss at Detroit.

But the losses continue to pile up. They’re 0-4 under interim coach Thomas Brown. They’ve never lost more than 10 straight in one season.

“I think just overall there has to be more accountability, I think, up close and personal and more so just talking to guys and pulling them aside,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “I think it’s one thing to say something when everyone is saying something. But I think if you can pull a guy to the side, maybe, and have a personal conversation and try to really get them to understand the magnitude of what’s going on and how much we need him, I think that can do something better.”

Love avoiding interceptions
Love threw his 11th interception of the season when Chicago’s Terell Smith picked off a pass at the goal line in that Nov. 17 game.

He hasn’t thrown a pick since.

After getting picked off 11 times in his first eight starts this season, Love has thrown nine touchdown passes without an interception over his last six games.

On the line
Williams defended Chicago’s offensive line, calling it a “stupid idea” that his soaring sack total is all on his blockers.

“The connotation behind my offensive line has been annoying and frustrating because they work their tail off to be able to go out there,” he said.

Williams has been sacked 67 times, the fourth-highest single-season total in league history. David Carr has the record with 76 as a rookie with Houston in 2002. Philadelphia’s Randall Cunningham took 72 sacks in 1986, and Carr was sacked 68 times in 2005.
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AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman contributed to this report.

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