NFL Football
2025-01-05 - Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : NFL Week 18
Sunday 5th January 2025 - Scheduled 1pm
6pm (British Time)
Preview
Losing to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17 has meant the Green Bay Packers (11-5) have lost their grip on the Number 6 Seed in the NFC.
They are going to be playing in the Wild Card Round next week, and the Packers will still be looking to finish the season with a strong performance and try and move back above the Washington Commanders. Playing at the Los Angeles Rams rather than the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round has to be motivation enough for the Packers who have fallen to the best teams they have faced this season.
Fortunately for Green Bay, this is not one of the best teams and the Chicago Bears (4-12) are about to enter an uncertain off-season with a new Head Coach to be appointed. The early signs were positive for the Bears, but things began to go wrong when allowing the aforementioned Commanders beat them on a Hail Mary and that sparked a ten game losing run.
For much of that run, the Bears had been competitive, but they haven't even been that over the last four weeks and even the additional time to prepare to face a Divisional rival is unlikely to have helped turn the page.
The Bears have been struggling mightily on the Offensive side of the ball with the team having problems establishing the run, which has left Caleb Williams in a tough spot behind an under fire Offensive Line. There has simply not been a lot of protection offered to the rookie Quarter Back, and Williams must be looking forward to the end of the season even more so than many of his team-mates.
Caleb Williams does have some Receivers who can make plays for him, but the Bears may be behind the chains against this Packers Defensive Line and that is only going to see the pocket collapse around the Quarter Back. This has proven to make it tough for consistent drives to be maintained, while Williams will have to be aware of the Interceptions that the Green Bay Packers have manufactured.
Giving Jordan Love and the Offensive unit extra possessions could be key to covering a big spread and the Green Bay Quarter Back is looking for a confidence boosting performance in the final game of the regular season. Following the loss to the Vikings, Jordan Love made it clear he needs to be a bit better to get Green Bay over the line against the stronger teams they are set to face in the NFL Playoffs.
He can lean on the Packers Offensive Line much more than Caleb Williams can do with the Bears unit and Josh Jacobs can keep Green Bay in third and manageable spots against a worn down Chicago Defensive Line.
With plenty of time being afforded to him, Jordan Love should find the spaces to exploit in the Chicago Secondary and the Packers can certainly move into the Wild Card Round behind a big win.
The Bears should have beaten Green Bay when hosting them at Soldier Field in November, but the defeat has maintained the Packers dominance of this rivalry. Before that narrow win, the Packers had also cleared the lines the layers had set for them against the Bears and they can get back to doing what they do best against Chicago with the likelihood that the starters will stay in the game for the full game.
Prediction
Lay the points with the home favourite.
The Pick :
Green Bay Packers 28-10 Chicago Bears
