When the 2026 NFL schedule was released in May, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers fans likely scrolled through the games to find when their respective teams would play.
As everyone knows, the Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round at Soldier Field with a fourth-quarter comeback that will forever be ingrained in the minds of both fanbases for drastically different reasons.
The Bears will travel to Green Bay in Week 5 to take on the Packers. Although the historic rivalry doesn't need anything to amplify the magnitude of the NFC North matchup, this first game in 2026 will look different from what many anticipated.
Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons is still recovering from a torn ACL he sustained last season. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Parsons hasn't had any setbacks, but “he's not expected to practice next week,” and he may not return until November.
Micah Parsons might not play against the Bears in Week 5
There was always a high chance of missing the Week 5 game, so that isn't too surprising. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams could also miss his third straight game with a grade 2 hamstring injury.
Williams injured his hamstring in the fourth quarter of the Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Case Keenum started against the Philadelphia Eagles, and reports say Tyson Bagent is scheduled to start against the New York Jets on Sunday.
This Week 5 matchup was initially scheduled for the marquee time slot at 3:25 p.m. on Sunday, but has been flexed to a noon kickoff instead. Several factors likely contributed to this change. The Packers sit at the bottom of the NFC North with their 1-2 record. Their offense is struggling to generate any positive runs, and quarterback Jordan Love has been under constant pressure behind a weak offensive line.
Williams’ health is also a major factor. The Week 5 game could realistically feature Bagent vs. Love. Some other injuries will also keep key players out of the NFC North matchup. Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed went on IR with a neck injury, and running back Josh Jacobs is still on the Commissioner’s Exempt List for misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property after an altercation with his girlfriend.
On Chicago’s side, top free-agent acquisition Coby Bryant is sidelined with a knee injury. Nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon has been a full participant in practice after his 21-day practice window was opened off the PUP list, but it’s too early to say whether he will play this week.
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Anytime the Bears and Packers play, they draw a huge audience. However, all the circumstances going into this NFC North matchup will impact what this game looks like at Lambeau Field.
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