Ten Most Important Packers for Showdown vs. Bears: He Can’t Be Punching Bag

The Green Bay Packers will host the Chicago Bears on Sunday in what could be dubbed a revenge game. The Bears ended the Packers’ hopes at both an NFC North championship and a Super Bowl title a season ago.

After each game, Ben Johnson gave Matt LaFleur a blow-by handshake, and then loudly exclaimed expletives toward the Packers in a video that made its rounds on social media.

Nine months later, the adversaries will face off again. Forget all those storylines, though, the Packers need a win.

The Bears are coming to Lambeau Field, where they have not won a game the Packers’ starting quarterback has finished since 2015. The Bears are playing a backup quarterback, with Tyson Bagent expected to start for injured Caleb Williams.

Allowing the Bears, who are 3-1, to come into Green Bay and drop the Packers to 2-3 could be catastrophic.

Here are the top 10 players to ensure that does not happen.

No. 10: LB Zaire Franklin

Teams that like to run the football first have a certain personality. Chicago’s run game took a big hit on Friday when Kyle Monangai was ruled out with a toe injury that has him in a walking boot. Monangai is the running back that gives Chicago’s run game its personality. He’s a violent runner. He runs through people, not around them.

Zaire Franklin is the counter to that personality on defense. He gives the Packers a physical presence in the middle of their defense at linebacker. Even without Monangai, stopping the run is just as much about attitude as it is about ability.

Franklin is also the single biggest replacement for Edgerrin Cooper’s playmaking in the middle of Green Bay’s defense. To be clear, Franklin is not going to replace Cooper. Unless Fred Warner is walking through the door, perhaps that cannot be done at all.

He still needs to be part of the solution.

“It’s great,” linebacker Isaiah McDuffie said about working with Franklin. “He brings it every day. He’s the same guy every day. He’s a great player. He’s a great leader. It’s definitely fun having him in the room, it’s going to be fun being out there with him.”

Chicago’s run game thrives on running outside zone. According to Sharp Stats, Chicago runs outside zone 60 percent of the time on carries given to its running backs.

Green Bay ranks 31st in the NFL against that style of run, giving up 6.2 yards per carry. The Falcons, who rank second in outside zone rate, ran all over the Packers two weeks ago. No, the Bears do not have the individual excellent of Bijan Robinson in their backfield, but they lead the league in rushing yards per game.

Franklin needs to help the Packers remain competitive against Chicago’s run game to force Tyson Bagent to beat them.

“I think it really starts with stopping the run personally,” Franklin said. “No matter how talented of a play-caller you are or how complicated or analytical we get with this football game, football is just run the ball, stop the run, take the ball away. I think if you want to stop any offense you just have to stop the run”

If it can’t do that, it will be a long day for Green Bay’s defense.

No. 9: WR Matthew Golden

Matthew Golden was shut out of the end zone during the regular season as a rookie. His first touchdown came on an impressive catch-and-run against Chicago in the playoffs that reminded everyone of the talent the Packers saw when they made him a first-round pick.

Now, Golden is fully immersed in Green Bay’s offense. He leads the team in targets and often looks like the man that Jordan Love is targeting on the biggest plays of the game.

That dates to last year, as well. With the Packers facing a fourth down and their season on the line, Golden was the target. He converted, but the Packers’ final drive ultimately fell short.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) scores a touchdown against Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

These games are often about the best players making big plays. Golden is capable of that. Chicago’s defense has had some success early in the season against opposing the pass but did struggle with Green Bay’s speed a season ago. Golden is faster than Romeo Doubs, who started all three games Green Bay played against Chicago last year.

Could he be in line for some big plays against a new-look Bears defense?

“I think the main thing is they got some new players out there,” Jordan Love said. “Especially with both safeties being new guys, some of the linebackers being new. The personnel is the main thing that stands out. I think they got a really good defense. They’ve got a great coordinator over there. I’ve got a lot of respect for him and some of the stuff they do.”

New players or not, the best players need to make plays against this defense, which is what Golden is growing into.

No. 8: TE Tucker Kraft

Speaking of best players and making plays. Tucker Kraft has certainly not played up to the standard he set a season ago, when it looked like he was going to be in contention for an All-Pro selection.

If Zaire Franklin gives the Packers a personality on defense, it’s Tucker Kraft who gives the Packers their personality on offense in the absence of Josh Jacobs. When Kraft is at his best, he’s punishing defenders by running through them instead of around them.

With all the fanfare surrounding the trash talk on both sides, Kraft kept it simple.

“I talk with my pads,” Kraft said.

In order for Kraft to talk with his pads, however, he needs to catch the ball. Kraft has had a few uncharacteristic drops this season, which have limited his playmaking opportunities.

“I’ve owned it. I dropped the football,” Kraft said. “I think I’m just trying to do too much. Offensively, we might get into a lull and I think I can make the game-saving play right there. I’m taking my eyes off the ball. Can’t do anything without the ball, so I’m just going to slow down and play my role, catch the football.”

Sunday’s game is the style of game that the Packers need to play clean. Chicago is the best team in the league in possessing the football, which means more mistakes by Green Bay’s offense, means more time on the field for their defense. Drops, fumbles and penalties are killer.

They hurt even more when it’s a team captain making a mental mistake. Those types of mistakes cannot happen against a team that the Packers are chasing in the division.

No. 7: S Evan Williams

In the absence of Edgerrin Cooper, the Packers are searching for playmakers on defense. Last week, that was safety Evan Williams, who is emerging as one of the top players on Green Bay’s defense.

Last year at Lambeau Field, Williams was nearly the goat of Green Bay’s 28-21 win over the Bears. Williams jumped a route, leaving Cole Kmet, his man, unattended in the end zone for what could have been a game-tying touchdown.

As Williams tells it, Keisean Nixon saved him while comparing Nixon to Jesus of Nazareth.

Williams can’t afford to be caught in a position to need a savior this week. For all the fanfare surrounding Chicago’s quarterback position, Tyson Bagent put the ball in harm’s way several times last week against the New York Jets.

Former Packers DB Micah Hyde's game reached elite heights under Bobby Babich in Buffalo.

Now, Babich is coaching another DB whose game is reaching an elite level: Evan Williams. ⬇️https://t.co/v2B1pDjbb4
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 10, 2026

Bagent had three interceptions wiped out by penalties and one other interception that actually stood. The one that stood was the Jets’ first interception since the 2024 season.

If the Packers can get the Bears into obvious passing situations, the ball will have a chance to find the waiting hands of some Packers’ defensive backs.

Williams was the one who picked off Jalon Daniels last week to set up Green Bay’s first touchdown. As the game wound down, it was Williams who Jonathan Gannon called on to close out the Bucs.

Williams got home for one sack and nearly picked up another before Daniels’ desperation heave ultimately fell incomplete.

Whether it’s as a blitzer or playmaker, Williams needs to be at his best.

No. 6: RB Pierre Strong Jr.

Matt LaFleur said last week that the bench is a great teacher for his running backs who continue to put the ball on the ground.

Well, the only running back who did not fumble last week was Chris Brooks, and he was placed on injured reserve on Saturday with an ankle injury.

It would be hard to bench every running back that was left on the roster, so the Packers promoted Pierre Strong from the practice squad.

Packers RB Pierre Strong has waited a long time for this opportunity.

And what an opportunity it could be on Sunday against the Bears.https://t.co/1Tu8S58Ldx
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 10, 2026

Green Bay’s run game was better last week, but that is an incredibly low bar to clear this early in the season. Could Strong help? He’s been waiting since 2024 to make an impact on an active roster.

“I always train like I’m ready to play,” Strong said. “Especially being on P-squad, you never know really when you’re going to be called up, so I always prepare and train like I’m ready to play.”

Strong will need to be ready to play, and might even need to be ready to start. That could be too much to put on a player who just joined the active roster, but the Packers need to find some semblance of a ground game to help Jordan Love get into play-action looks, where he has been excellent.

“I think it works well when we’re running the football,” LaFleur said. “Everything plays off one another and you’ve got to stay in some of those situational calls and then like many teams do, a lot of times, with play action you’re looking for premier looks. It gets a little bit harder if teams are going to play off and soft to get some of those premier looks that you’re looking for. I would say coverage dictates some of that, as well.”

No. 5: WR Christian Watson

Christian Watson was excellent against the Bears last year. He had two touchdowns in the win at Lambeau and might have had two in the playoffs if Jordan Love did not overthrow him just before halftime.

This year, Watson is off to an excellent start and has an excellent matchup coming for him this week against the Bears. Both of Chicago’s corners, Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson, can get grabby, as Matt LaFleur noted earlier in the week in what was perhaps inspired by the school of Phil Jackson’s gamesmanship.

Green Bay Packers receiver Christian Watson (9) scores a touchdown during the wild-card game at Chicago. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Make no mistake, the Packers are going to go big-play hunting at some point against Chicago’s secondary.

According to Sharp Stats, Chicago plays single-high coverage 63 percent of the time. Watson is targeted on 26 percent of routes against single-high safeties and averaged 1.96 yards per route. That number goes even higher against the blitz, which Chicago sends 37 percent of the time. Watson has 3.15 yards per route on such looks.

Last year, Watson’s second touchdown of the game at Lambeau came on a blitz when he pointed out he’d have single coverage against C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Watson beat Gardner-Johnson on a slant and was off to the races.

This week, Watson might need to replicate that performance to keep pressure on Chicago’s defense. He should be the focal point for Bears coordinator Dennis Allen’s game plan, but that’s something that great receivers overcome all the time.

No. 4: K Trey Smack

Let’s rewind to last year’s playoff disaster for the Packers, shall we? Yes, there were a multitude of reasons that the Packers lost the game, but one of the biggest ones was the advantage that Chicago had at kicker.

Cairo Santos was money in the bank. Brandon McManus was a check that bounced. McManus missed two field goals and a PAT in last year’s 31-27 loss to the Bears. You can do the math. That’s seven points that McManus left on the board in a game the Packers lost by four.

After the game McManus called the game the worst performance of his life.

The Packers agreed. After paying McManus a $1 million roster bonus in March, the Packers traded two draft choices to draft Trey Smack.

They called it an open competition, but that competition ended before McManus ever saw Smack kick one ball in practice. He was released and remains out of football.

Smack has been a weapon for the Packers. Other than a block against Atlanta, he has yet to miss a field goal. He’s shown range in kicking two field goals of 58 yards, including one just before halftime last week to give the Packers a 10-7 lead.

Division games against teams that expect to be contenders do not have a high margin for error. The Packers cannot afford to leave any points on the field with how they’ve struggled this season.

Smack was drafted to make kicks in the biggest games. This is a big game. Smack needs to deliver.

No. 3: S Javon Bullard

Javon Bullard didn’t mince words.

“We’re trying to kick their a**,” Bullard said.

Well, if they’re going to kick Chicago’s … butt, that starts with Bullard putting D’Andre Swift on his.

Bullard is one of the league’s best slot defenders and has a tough assignment this week. Chicago’s run game requires a defense to defend it at all levels. Chicago’s two tight ends are prolific, with steady veteran Cole Kmet and up-and-coming Colston Loveland, who lit the Packers on fire in the playoffs last year, both likely to see the field a bunch.

Green Bay Packers safety Javon Bullard (7) high-fives fans before their game against the Falcons. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“They’ve got a unique skill-set,” Bullard said. “Each of those tight ends are very different. We’ve got to capitalize on the opportunities that we see each of them. Everybody got a weakness. I think with us it’s just trusting ourself and trusting the game plan.”

When Chicago goes to three-receiver sets, Bullard will be locked up with Luther Burden, who has gotten off to a nice start this season, or Kalif Raymond, the former All-Pro returner who leads the Bears in receptions.

“For sure, I think it’s going to be imperative for us to stop the run,” Bullard said. “They got a nice rushing attack. We know they’re going to lean on their running game a lot too. They got two good running backs, a nice O-line, so we got to come with it. It’s not going to be easy, but it ain’t impossible, either.”

No. 2: QB Jordan Love

The top two people on this list are obvious, but facts remain facts for a reason. The biggest games of the year often come down to coaches and quarterbacks.

Jordan Love is the quarterback. He was excellent against Chicago in the first half of last year’s playoff game before dropping off in the second half due to protection issues and some erratic decision-making.

The Packers are entering a stretch of games that is going to define their season. They play five games in October. All of them are against NFC teams that are expected to make a run to the postseason.

They knocked off Tampa Bay last week before getting into the teeth of the schedule. Three home games against Chicago, Dallas and Carolina, with a road date in Detroit mixed in the middle.

If the Packers are going to make Micah Parsons’ potential return matter, they need to win a majority of those games.

That starts against a team who Love’s predecessor once loudly proclaimed he owned.

Wins and losses aren’t a quarterback stat, but that is how they are often discussed. The reality is the Packers have lost the last two games against Chicago. They have not lost three in a row since a 4-12 season in 2005 saw them get swept and Mike McCarthy’s coaching debut in 2006.

Losing a home game against Tyson Bagent cannot happen, under any circumstance, for a team that fancies itself as a title contender. Love must play his best game of the season.

No. 1: Coach Matt LaFleur

The press conference to finish the 2025 season was eerie. It felt like a funeral. Matt LaFleur may have even thought in the back of his head that he was saying goodbye after the Packers’ season went up in flames in Chicago.

That was not the result, despite a vocal portion of the fanbase that wanted LaFleur to be replaced once the game ended.

LaFleur can put on a public face all he wants about how he wants to keep this week’s game about the players.

“This game is about players and so we’ll keep it about the players,” LaFleur said. “I’m not the one out there playing so I think that’s always been my mentality and we’re going to keep it about those guys.”

Players play, and coaches coach. That’s true.

The coach he is facing, however, has had plenty to say about Matt LaFleur, while LaFleur has consistently taken the high road.

Through three games, however, LaFleur is 1-2 against Johnson. Maybe the high road should be the road less traveled in this case.

LaFleur has all the advantages in his pocket this week. His team is at home. It should have more urgency as a 2-2 team looking to get its season on track. He has his starting quarterback. Ben Johnson does not.

Forget all that for a minute.

LaFleur needs a win to get to 3-2. He also needs a win for himself. Football is the ultimate macho sport. It’s won just as much with brawn as it is brains. Players are challenged on every single play.

The way last season ended, and the words that were shot across the bow of LaFleur’s organization, was a challenge, not just to the Packers but to LaFleur himself.

That type of edge that Johnson has displayed in just one season is something that has been missing in Green Bay during LaFleur’s tenure in Green Bay.

He can say whatever he wants publicly. Privately, urgency should be at an all-time high to punch back, otherwise LaFleur runs the risk of being the punching bag in a rivalry that has been one-sided for the better part of 30 years.

Our weekly dynamic duo of stories.

Three reasons why the Packers will earn a huge win over the Bears. ⬇️https://t.co/cZq1P0Kxm6

Three reasons why they will lose. Again. ⬇️https://t.co/uWCtkQgMmI
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 11, 2026

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