Chicago Bears look for better start
against the Green Bay Packers in prime-time playoff opener
[January 07, 2026]
By JAY COHEN
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears trailed at halftime in
four of their last five regular-season games. They haven't scored on
their first offensive drive since Week 9 at Cincinnati.
That's a big concern for the NFC North champions going into the
franchise's first playoff appearance since the 2020 season.
“There’s a process I believe in in terms of how we prepare these
guys,” Chicago coach Ben Johnson said Tuesday. “I think we’ve got a
lot of great professionals, and I think any time that you bring
attention to something, that they look to fix it. That’s what we’re
doing here this week.”
Time is of the essence, too — with the Green Bay Packers coming to
Soldier Field on Saturday night for the opening weekend of the NFL
playoffs.
Chicago scored a total of three points in the first half against
Green Bay this season. The Packers closed out a 28-21 win on Dec. 7,
but Caleb Williams rallied the Bears to a dramatic 22-16 victory in
the second meeting on Dec. 20.
The Bears have six wins this season when trailing in the final two
minutes, but they know that isn't exactly a reliable formula —
especially this time of year.
“We certainly don’t want to have to lean into that each and every
week,” Johnson said. “We’d like to start off a little bit faster and
make it more of a complete game for 60 minutes.”
Chicago (11-6) fell way short of a complete game on Sunday. Playing
for postseason positioning, the Bears flopped against a Detroit
Lions team that had dropped out of contention with a three-game
slide.
The Bears managed only four first downs and 69 yards in the first
half. They trailed 16-0 before Williams threw two touchdown passes
in the fourth quarter. But the Lions escaped with a 19-16 win on
Jake Bates' 42-yard field goal as time expired.
“We just came out flat. We don’t have time for that anymore,"
Williams said. "We’ll make sure we don’t. If that starts with me,
that starts with me. We’ll make sure that doesn’t happen. ... That’s
the mindset: Go out there, start fast. We’ll make sure of it.”
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Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson watches from the sideline
during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit
Lions, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
In Week 17, Williams passed for two touchdowns in
the first half at San Francisco. But the defense struggled against
Brock Purdy and the Bears trailed 28-21 at halftime of a wild 42-38
loss to the 49ers.
Another shaky start on Saturday night, and Chicago will be in a
tough spot in the NFL’s longest-running rivalry.
“It’s going to be about who executes and who is on their details,
who’s on their fundamentals,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “That is
what is going to win out at the end of the day. We have to be on top
of that stuff. Obviously it’s going to be an electric atmosphere and
we’ll use that to our advantage. But we have to be on those
details.”
The Bears could get some reinforcements for their postseason opener.
Cornerback Kyler Gordon has been cleared for practice after being
sidelined by a groin injury. Wide receiver Rome Odunze also could
return after missing the final five regular-season games with a foot
injury.
“We have a great opportunity to go on a run,” safety Kevin Byard
said, “and it’s all about putting the best things we can do as far
as film study, recovery, everything and just come in with a great
attitude because at the end of the day, we have a special
opportunity in front of us and it starts with the Green Bay game.”
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