How the Chicago Bears see a chance to 'build our own history' in Wild Card game vs. Packers

Stacey Dales breaks down the Bears-Packers playoff matchup | Chicago Sports Tonight

NFL Network's Stacey Dales joined Lou on tonight's CST. They recap Sunday's disappointing loss to the Lions and look ahead to the enormous playoff matchup with the Packers. Also, Stacey gives us her keys to victory on Saturday night and previews what the atmosphere will be like at Soldier Field.

At this time last year, and the past four seasons before that, it was more of the same for the Chicago Bears.

It was time to go home for the offseason.

"We’re usually packing the cars up, sending everything back home to the home base and getting ready for the offseason," Bears defensive end Montez Sweat said.

The script has a different ending this season.

The NFC North Champion Bears are preparing for Round 3 against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card Round.

"It feels good preparing for the postseason right now," Sweat said.

It could go deeper than that, too.

Bears players and leadership specifically mentioned how this Wild Card weekend has a chance to change the modern history of Chicago Sports.

Big picture view:

Bears tight end Cole Kmet had a first earlier this season. The Bears beat the Packers 22-16 in overtime. Kmet got his first win over the Packers at Soldier Field.

That was a monumental win for the Bears, their first over the Packers since 2018 and it put them in the driver’s seat for the NFC North title.

Kmet mentioned how a win in Round 3 over Green Bay could be a catapult for more.

"Chicago is just a city deeply rooted in history, which is awesome and it’s what makes it such a special place," Kmet said. "We want to build our own history here. We have a chance to do that on Saturday."

The Bears have taken the city by storm with multiple winning streaks, a division title and six epic comeback wins under coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. The team can feel that energy.

"You really have felt this city come alive over the course of this season," Johnson said. "That’s something I’m grateful for."

The Bears need that energy on Saturday.

The Bears had not won a game over the Packers in the 2020s until they beat the Packers in the last game of the regular season in 2025. Win No. 2 in 2020s was the Saturday win on Dec. 20

A win in the Wild Card game this Saturday would be win No. 3, and a sign the Bears have changed the narrative in the rivalry that Green Bay has dominated since the 2000s.

"Getting to this point, being able to go to the playoffs in my second year, coach's first year and continue that mindset, that energy, here in Chicago I think is important," Williams said. "I think is where we're at. I think it starts … this weekend."

What's next:

The Bears are heading into this Wild Card game with the right perspective. The team needed to move on quickly after losing its final two games of the regular season.

The playoffs bring a different environment. The players who have been there before know the difference.

"I remember my first playoff game, it was my second year in the league, in Kansas City and I just remember going out to pregame warmup and it the lights felt a little brighter," Bears safety Kevin Byard said. "The sidelines was a lot more packed with media and all the different people out there. the intensity level just ramps up. It's kind of just like going from preseason to regular season ball and regular season to postseason. You just feel rejuvenated."

The Bears needed to capture the gravity of the game Saturday. That’s where players like Byard, Grady Jarrett and Joe Thuney will benefit the Bears the most in this instance.

Especially against a rival like the Packers.

"It's going to be a special atmosphere, and it almost feels like we've played these guys like five or six times here in the past month," Kmet said. "I think that'll just make the atmosphere in the battle that much more epic."

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