Chicago Bears prep for the Packers in a game where the stakes climb to new heights

It’s been a while since there’s been a game like this for Chicago.

The Chicago Bears, who are the top seed in the NFC and first place in the NFC North, will travel to Lambeau Field to play a Green Bay Packers team with Super Bowl aspirations.

More than just the usual bragging rights and rivalry pride are at stake. It’s been maybe 12 years since there was a Packers-Bears game that meant so much. That was the season finale in the 2013 season, where Marc Trestman’s Bears lost in a winner-take-the-NFC-North Week 17 game. 

The division won’t be won on Sunday. But, it might be decided in the next three weeks.

The Bears, beginning their preparations for the Pack, don’t want to make this game bigger than is.

"This is a huge week for this organization and this city," Bears safety Kevin Byard said. "It is the most important game of the season, but only because it’s the next game."

That’s been the MO for head coach Ben Johnson’s first season in Chicago: the game ahead is the most important one. There’s no looking ahead.

In that same vein, the Bears have a chance to accomplish a great deal more with a win on Sunday in a season where they’ve already accomplished plenty.

"We always want to beat Green Bay," defensive end Austin Booker said on Monday.

Big picture view:

Byard has become one of the NFL’s best safeties in his first season under defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme, but he’s also been a voice of reason.

The decade-long veteran who is in line to earn the third All-Pro honor of his career made sure to lay out a harsh reality check.

"We’ve been able to stack wins, but that’s not going to help us on Sunday," Byard said. "All that stuff is all good, but that team is pretty good, too."

The Packers are good. They’re behind the Bears in the NFC North race, but have the talent to win a game with any team. Green Bay just finished off a season sweep of the Lions to stake their claim as one of the top teams in the division.

The Bears were complimentary of the Packers this week, making it known how highly they regard their division rivals.

"They've really come on, especially these last three games," Bears coach Ben Johnson said. "Offense is playing at a high level, quarterback is very accurate. And so, we’ve got a challenge on that side. Then this defense, I think I said it yesterday, it might be the best defense we've seen all year. So, all hands-on deck. It's going to take all three phases for us here this week."

The Packers reiterated that high regard for the Bears, too. Even when Johnson’s "And to be quite frank with you, I kinda enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year" soundbite during his introductory press conference hangs like the elephant in this room this week.

"They’ve always done a nice job, I think (Bears general manager Ryan) Poles does a hell of a job, of collecting a bunch of talent," Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters this week. "In terms of the offense and defense, they’ve made a lot of progress."

The Packers are currently where the Bears were in 2018: A team that went all in with a massive trade to land an NFL Defensive Player of the Year hopeful in Micah Parsons. The offense has Josh Jacobs, a healthy Christian Watson and quarterback Jordan Love.

This squares off against the smash-mouth Bears that thrive off running the ball right at defenses and taking the ball away from opposing offenses.

The new-look Bears against the super-charged Packers, coming soon to Lambeau Field

"This is going to be a tough game," Byard said. "They play really well at home."

Local perspective:

Behind all of the stakes involved this Sunday is the simplicity of it all.

It’s another edition of Bears vs. Packers. Games No. 211 and 212 of the all-time series will be played this season. Those two games will be played in a three-week span, too.

The rivalry means a lot to Bears fans, and none know better than the Bears players who grew up around the rivalry.

"This is a huge rivalry and a game that means a lot to a lot of people. I think Ben understood that coming in taking the job," tight end and Arlington Heights native Cole Kmet said on Monday. "This is a game that I look forward to every year. This is one of my favorites and especially going up there. Obviously have respect for the opponent, but it's an honor to be part of this type of game. Looking forward to the two times we get to face them now down the stretch here."

However, with the Bears’ success this year, there could be another chapter of the rivalry that starts on Sunday.

Even the younger players are looking forward to it.

"The games and how the games have gone and some of the long streaks that have gone on," quarterback Caleb Williams said. "I didn't really know that getting drafted here, but I definitely appreciate it. You love rivalries. I've been in some cool fun rivalries throughout my career so far, whether it's NFL or college. And so, they're always fun."

That rivalry, and the stakes at hand, come to a head on Sunday.

"It's a big week," Johnson said Monday. "We know how important this rivalry is."