Packers vs. Bears: Odds, Weather, Prediction, Big Matchup
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will wrap up the regular season on Sunday at frigid Lambeau Field. For the Bears, this will be the final game of the season. For the Packers, it’s one last game before the playoffs.
What Channel for Packers-Bears
TV: The game will be broadcast on Fox with play-by-play man Kevin Kugler joined by analyst Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin reporting from the sideline.
Is the game on TV where you live?: Yes, but only regionally. Here’s the broadcast map from 506 Sports.
Radio: The Packers Radio Network will have the call, featuring Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren. Here’s the list of stations, or you can find them on Sirius Channels 162 or 227 and the Packers app.
Sports USA will have the national broadcast with Josh Appel on play-by-play and James White providing analysis.
Packers Weather Report and Game Vitals
Kickoff: Noon Sunday.
Weather: It’s going to be a cold one at Lambeau Field. According to WBAY-TV, it will be cloudy and 17 degrees with a north-northwest wind of 8 mph making it feel a touch colder.
As Steve Beylon wrote as part of his forecast: “Today’s temperatures will rise into the upper teens for the kickoff of today’s Packers-Bears game, with lower 20s later this afternoon. Wind chills will rise out of the single digits and into the lower teens. If you plan on going to the game, stay warm by dressing in layers.”
Records: The Packers are 11-5 and the Bears are 4-12.
Coaches: Green Bay – Matt LaFleur (67-32, sixth season). Bears – Interim coach Thomas Brown (0-4, first season).
The series: The Packers lead 108-95-6, including a split of two playoff games. LaFleur is 11-0 against the Bears. He is one of five head coaches in NFL history to be undefeated against an opponent with a minimum of 10 games.
That 11-game winning streak is the longest by either team in series history and the team’s second-longest over any franchise; they beat the Chicago Cardinals in 15 consecutive games from 1937 through 1946.
Packers-Bears Betting Odds
The Packers were as high as 10.5-point favorites against the Bears at FanDuel Sportsbook, but that’s down to 9.5 on Sunday morning. The total is 41.5. Bettors like the Packers, with 72 percent of the money and 63 percent of the bets on Green Bay.
For anytime touchdown scorer at FanDuel, the eight players with the shortest odds are all Packers.
The line is also 9.5 at DraftKings. For passing yards, the over/unders are 205.5 for Jordan Love and 199.5 for Caleb Williams.
The Packers are 10-point favorites at BetMGM, with a whopping 97 percent of the money on Green Bay.
The Big Matchup: Packers vs. the Packers
This is a bit of an odd-ball game. Yes, it’s a rivalry game – at least among the fans. The Packers, however, have dominated it with 11 consecutive wins. So, from their perspective, is this really a rivalry? Plus, the Bears have lost 10 consecutive games.
The Packers are coming off a big loss at the Minnesota Vikings that left a “sour taste” in coach Matt LaFleur’s mouth. Being 0-5 against the NFC’s top teams has to be a blow to the psyche. Can the Packers be revved up and ready to go after a bitter defeat last week and with the playoffs looming next week?
“I thought, as the week progressed, (we got) better and better and better in terms of just being on top of our details,” LaFleur said. “And I think our guys are excited and ready to go.”
A fast start could take the fight out of the Bears in a hurry. A slow start, on the other hand, could make this a long, cold day.
Packers-Bears Prediction
Some games are tough to pick. That’s the beauty of the NFL, with most games decided by one score in the final minutes.
Some games are easier to pick. This should be one of them.
The Bears have lost 10 in a row, starting with that season-changing Hail Mary at Washington. They are 0-7 on the road. They are 0-4 under interim coach Thomas Brown, and got stomped in the first three.
However, in back-back-to-back games in November, they lost by one point at home to Green Bay, three points at home to Minnesota and three points at Detroit. They lost by only three points last week against Seattle.
Still, the Packers are the better team, and they have something to play for in terms of seeding (though they’d need help from former coach Mike McCarthy) and the desire to build some momentum for next week’s wild-card game.
“I think every time you go out on the field, it’s about you,” LaFleur said. “You playing your best, controlling things that are within your control. Obviously, I think the prep’s been on point and I think is the starting point. So, I’m excited, our guys are excited. Most likely going to be the last game of the season in Lambeau.
“I think every time you walk in our own stadium, it’s a special place. And you can never take that for granted.”
Packers 27, Bears 10
Latest Green Bay Packers News
Three reasons why Packers will lose to Bears | Three reasons why Packers will beat Bears | Packers transactions | Q&A on eve of Matt LaFleur’s 100th game | Five greatest games in Packers-Bears history | Eric Stokes shows some of his first-round talent | Packers-Bears final injury report | NFC North power rankings and previews | Pro Bowler Rashan Gary | Pro Bowler Xavier McKinney | Pro Bowler Josh Jacobs | Packers-Bears keys to the game | New Year’s resolutions | Jaire Alexander surgery; pressure’s on other corners | Packers-Bears: Time, TV, weather, trends | Packers-Bears matchups