It's here.
The Chicago Bears season finale against the Green Bay Packers will commence this Sunday. One of the best rivalries in NFL history will kick off again.
The Bears need this win in a bad way. They can end their season on a high note by beating their arch rival in their stadium, keeping them out of a possible Wild Card spot in the playoffs. This would be a memorable game in the NFL's third best rivalry.
After going 4-1 in their last five games, it's not crazy to say the Bears could pull off a victory at Lambeau Field. The Bears turnaround, after an 0-4 start, has been a pleasant surprise.
Bears legend and seven-time Pro Bowler Lance Briggs recently praised the Bears for their improved play in last week's win over the Atlanta Falcons. Briggs, who often grades the Bears after their games, gave them an A in every category.
Happy New Year! Grades are in, and they look good!! #professorbriggsreportcard @nbcschicago @96abrown @ruthiepolinsky @thekapman @laurencewholmes @dmillerabc7 @patvoyle pic.twitter.com/NTc6epfcQa
— Lance Briggs (@LanceBriggs) January 1, 2024
That's high praise. When a former player is praising the team like this, that's a good sign, especially during Packers week.
Although, it's been tough for the Bears to beat the Packers recently. They have posted a 4-26 record against the dreaded Cheeseheads in their last 30 games, per StatMuse. This matchup has the potential to be different given the Bears are the hotter team and the motivation to knock the Packers out of playoff contention.
As of this writing, the spread for the Bears in this game is +3, according to FanDuel.
Here are three bold predictions for this NFC North rivalry game.