The Green Bay Packers face an unfamiliar reality heading into a matchup at Lambeau Field, where ESPN Madison radio host Kyle Wallace admitted on a recent broadcast that he views his own team as the worst in the NFC North and clear underdogs against the Chicago Bears. For decades, the rivalry favored Green Bay heavily, with the franchise holding a 38-14 record against Chicago in the 21st century and Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers compiling extensive win totals.
Rodgers notably went 24-3 against the Bears across 27 meetings, while Jordan Love maintained the trend initially by winning his first three starts against Chicago. Love’s streak ended during the 2024 regular-season finale when the Bears secured a victory that eliminated the Packers from the postseason, a shift that has fundamentally altered the psychological landscape of the historic matchup.
The Statistical Shift Defining the NFC North Rivalry
On-paper metrics entering the Sunday noon CT matchup on Fox illustrate a stark reversal in roster completeness between the two teams. The Packers are navigating a severe offensive limitation without Josh Jacobs, while Marshawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks, and Kaleb Johnson struggle to establish a ground game. Green Bay currently averages a league-low 58 rushing yards per game and plays without Micah Parsons as he continues recovering from a season-ending ACL tear sustained late last year.
Defensively, Green Bay surrenders 26.3 points per game, ranking 10th-highest in the NFL, while also struggling to stop opponents on the ground by allowing 139.3 rushing yards per contest, good for 26th overall. Wallace pointed directly to these structural deficits on ESPN Madison, stating that the team lacks the performance level required to compete at the top of the division.
Honestly, I don’t know what to take away from it other than the fact that the Packers, we’re not a good team this year,
Wallace said on the broadcast.
Like, we are the worst team in the NFC North. Chicago Bears coming in on Sunday, and I have not a lot of faith that the Packers are gonna win. This is the first time in years that I’m going into a game against the Bears where I feel like we are the underdog. Even throughout the playoffs, I did not feel that way, but for the first time in a very long time, I honestly feel like the Packers are a worse team than the Chicago Bears.
Chicago’s Balance and Resiliency Under Center
The Bears enter the contest operating at a vastly different efficiency level, fueled largely by the impact of Ben Johnson. Chicago leads the entire NFL with an average of 196.3 rushing yards per game, establishing a physical identity that has sustained the offense despite injuries.
Quarterback Caleb Williams has missed time due to a hamstring injury, yet the Bears have maintained a 2-0 record in his absence behind Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent. Keenum delivered 247 passing yards and three total touchdowns in his start, while Bagent threw for 268 yards despite an interception on Sunday, keeping the offense productive enough to rank eighth in the league with 28 points per game.
Chicago’s defense complements the high-powered ground attack by ranking eighth in the NFL with 10 sacks, third in fewest passing yards allowed at 194 per game, and 13th in defending the run by yielding 102.5 yards per contest.
