The Chicago Bears (11-6) earned their first playoff berth since the 2020 campaign in head coach Ben Johnson's first season at the helm, but a familiar foe stands before them for the Wild Card round in the Green Bay Packers (9-7-1).
The Bears and the Packers are more than familiar with one another, having already played 212 times throughout their long-standing rivalry. Their 213th meeting will not only mark their third in 34 days but also the third postseason meeting between the two proud franchises.
The teams split their two most-recent matchups, which both ended dramatically in the games' final seconds, but if the Bears want to win the one that matters and host their first divisional round game in 15 years, they must accomplish the three following things:
Get points on the board early
Johnson's arrival in Chicago has revolutionized the Bears' offense, helping sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams break the franchise's single-season passing record, but the offense simply has to find a way to score early on Saturday night.