The Chicago Bears will get a chance early in the 2026 schedule to set the tone in the NFC North. Week 2 the franchise will take on the Minnesota Vikings, with the most attention being on a Week 5 matchup with the hated Green Bay Packers. To say there is no love lost between the two sides feels like a disservice to just how intense the rivalry has felt over the last year. The emergence of Caleb Williams has inspired no shortage of jealousy and discourse on which franchise has the better signal caller and the brighter future.
One advantage for the Bears has already been covered in the fact that Micah Parsons will be out in the first divisional matchup. This hands a clear chance for Williams to take advantage of a lack of a pass rush and further a mental advantage that is going to become an increasingly large storyline in the 2026 season.
It isn't just the fact that the Bears have won the last two matchups, but how the second win came about. Green Bay had a lead that should've been an impossible hill to climb and took a perfect fourth quarterback from the Chicago offense and an undeniable choke for the Packers. Losing in this style at any point is going to leave some lingering demons.
Doing so in the playoffs as your final game of a season against a hated division rival only furthers this. Chicago winning in Week 5 and making it three straight over the Packers would suddenly push Green Bay into a clear panic when it comes to their ability to beat a rival they had consistent results against over the last decade.
Bears Have an Exciting Early-Season Chance to Send Green Bay Into Tailspin
Beating Green Bay in Week 5 hands you control of the division and invites a level of mental doubt that has to play into the future of the rivalry. Winning for the Packers doesn't completely erase the playoff demons, but it goes a long way in taking away a clear advantage that Caleb Williams and the Bears boast over the hated rival.
No question, the early-season matchup is easily the most important on Chicago's schedule and a chance to bury the confidence of a rival. This isn't to say the Packers cannot compete for a wildcard spot or remain a clear playoff threat. Rather, beating Green Bay for a third straight contest this early in the season should hand the Bears a level of control over the North they won't relinquish.
Even if the Packers get out to a lead, they've seen Caleb Williams melt away a double-digit lead. Being unable to beat the quarterback in a third straight contest would not only help fans in the Jordan Love vs. Williams discussion, but more importantly, offer a divisional advantage that could linger throughout the Ben Johnson era.
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