Laugh at Bill’s Week 16 NFL Predictions, Including Packers-Bears, Playoffs

The Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) and Chicago Bears (10-4) will meet in a showdown that will determine which team is in first place with two weeks to go. Here’s our prediction for that game, the rest of Week 16 and the potential playoff standings.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) runs against the Bears at Soldier Field last year. | Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

CHICAGO – The Green Bay Packers will play their latest “biggest game of the season” when they play at the Chicago Bears on Saturday night at Soldier Field.

It’s impossible to overstate what’s at stake.

If the Packers win, they’ll be back in first place in the NFC North with two games to go. The NFC North winner is on track to earn the No. 2 seed, which would mean two home playoff games to advance to the NFC Championship Game.

If the Bears win, they’ll have all but wrapped up the NFC North championship with a game-and-a-half lead with two games to go. The Packers would be stuck at the No. 7 seed and just a half-game ahead of the Detroit Lions with two games to go, assuming Detroit beats Pittsburgh. The No. 7 seed is a death sentence, meaning a wild-card game at the No. 2, followed by a trip to the No. 1.

Here’s our prediction of Packers-Bears, the rest of Week 16 and the potential playoff standings.

Packers at Bears Prediction

The Bears were about one foot away from beating the Packers at Lambeau Field two weeks ago. Had Caleb Williams thrown the ball just a bit further, Cole Kmet would have hauled in a touchdown pass and the Bears would have been a two-point conversion away from stunning the Packers.

Chicago is a better team now than two weeks ago with the return of linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. It has to be filled with confidence given how it played in the second half.

The Packers are not better than two weeks ago. Not only is Micah Parsons out with a torn ACL, but safety Evan Williams is out and right tackle Zach Tom might be out, as well.

Emotions only matter for a short period. But, let’s face it: The Bears have been dying for a game like this for years. This will be their biggest home game since the double-doink playoff loss to the Eagles in 2018. 

Former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers rightly declared his ownership of the Bears, and Jordan Love has continued the Packers’ dominance at Soldier Field. Chicago is desperate for a big win. It’s even more desperate for a big-game win over the Packers.

“I think it’ll be like the first time we went down there in 2019 to open up the season,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think it’s going to be electric. I’m sure they’re going to have the big baritone national anthem guy out there, piping it away. I think it’s going to be an unbelievable atmosphere. It’s playoff-football atmosphere, so it’ll be fun.”

Maybe the element-of-surprise factor will work in Green Bay’s favor. Chicago can only guess what Jeff Hafley’s going to throw at its offense without Parsons. It might look a lot like the 2024 Packers, but Hafley had all offseason and training camp to implement changes. Those changes, for the most part, have been kept in moth balls. The Bears’ injuries at receiver could make things a little easier for Green Bay’s defense, as well.

The guess is the emotions will carry the Bears to a fast start, and the Packers will be too injured to overcome the challenge.

On the bright side, the Packers will get another shot at the Bears in the wild-card round.

Prediction: Bears 27, Packers 23.

Last week’s prediction: Broncos 20, Packers 17.

Season record: 9-4-1.

NFL Week 16 Predictions

The game of the week came on Thursday, with the Seattle Seahawks stunning the Los Angeles Rams to take over the top spot in the NFC. For Green Bay’s purposes, the other big game this week will be Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers playing at the Detroit Lions.

Thursday’s games: Rams over Seahawks.

Saturday’s games: Eagles over Commanders, Bears over Packers.

Sunday’s early games: Buccaneers over Panthers, Bills over Browns, Chargers over Cowboys, Bengals over Dolphins, Jets over Saints, Vikings over Giants, Chiefs over Titans.

Sunday’s afternoon games: Cardinals over Falcons, Broncos over Jaguars, Lions over Steelers, Texans over Raiders.

Primetime games: Patriots over Ravens, 49ers over Colts.

Last week’s record: 9-7.

Season record: 146-78-1

Predicted NFC Playoff Standings After Week 16

Assuming the predictions above work out correctly, this is what the NFC standings would look like by the end of Monday night’s Niners-Colts game.

1. Seattle Seahawks: 12-3

2. Chicago Bears: 11-4

3. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-5

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-7

5. San Francisco 49ers 11-4

6. Los Angeles Rams: 11-4

7. Green Bay Packers: 9-5-1

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8. Detroit Lions: 9-6

The Packers can clinch a playoff berth this week. Here's how.

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