Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears: 5 matchups to watch

The Green Bay Packers take on the Chicago Bears with their playoff hopes on the line. If they come up with the win, it will be by winning these matchups.

Last week saw the Green Bay Packers get back to their winning ways in a drubbing of the Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears outlasted the Los Angeles Rams in a defensive struggle. This week, both teams have a ton at stake when they do battle on Sunday at Soldier Field. The Packers are playing for their slim playoff lives, and the Bears are attempting to win a division title for the first time since 2010.

Way back in Week 1, we saw two very different teams. The Bears defense was improving, but they have become a legitimately elite unit at this point, and the Packers were dealing with a severely limited Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Ultimately the Packers won that game, but their season has appeared downhill ever since. If Mitch Trubisky can extend his positive play past the first quarter, the Bears could have a huge game.

The Bears play at their best when they have a lead. With a defense like theirs, that happens quite often. However, against the Packers, things just happen differently. They don’t always play up to their maximum potential. These two teams play each other differently than they play other teams, and, whichever one wins these key matchups will likely end up winning this game on Sunday afternoon.