Packers vs Bears Odds, Lines and Spread

• The Green Bay Packers will visit the Chicago Bears in the regular-season finale
• The Packers would earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs with a win
• The Bears have won three straight and scored 30-plus points in four straight for first time since 1955

The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will square off for the 202nd time on Sunday. In a rivalry that dates back to 1921, there haven’t been an abundance of big, late-season games between these ancient rivals.

Sunday’s game, however, is a big game.

The Packers, sent reeling by left tackle David Bakhtiari’s torn ACL, would win the No. 1 seed and the only first-round bye in the NFC playoffs with a victory. The Bears, with a suddenly strong offense, might need a victory to get into the playoffs.

Packers vs Bears Odds

All odds as of Jan. 2 at FanDuel

Red-Hot Packers

Starting with a 41-25 romp over Chicago in Week 12, Green Bay has won five in a row. The Packers are just 3-4 against the spread over their last seven, though. A team in search of a signature win all season, the Packers got it last week by destroying the Tennessee Titans 40-14.

Behind four touchdown passes by Aaron Rodgers, the victory not only kept the Packers in command of the No. 1 seed in the NFC but made Rodgers the MVP favorite. He is No. 1 in the NFL with 44 touchdown passes, and his 119.4 passer rating not only leads the league but is No. 3 in NFL history.

“A win is a win, and that’s the most important thing,” Rodgers said this week. “But, at the same time, you don’t mind when it looks kind of pretty. And there’s been some pretty ones this year.”

Welcome to the #99Club, @tae15adams‼️@AaronRodgers12 surprises Davante with the news that he's finally a 9️⃣9️⃣ overall in #Madden21@EAMaddenNFL | #GoPackGo https://t.co/Vu7eR3523x

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 31, 2020

Can Rodgers, receiver Davante Adams (league-high 17 touchdown catches despite missing two games) and running back Aaron Jones (fourth with 1,062 rushing yards and first among backs with a 5.6-yard average) continue to rack up crazy numbers without Bakhtiari? The four-time All-Pro suffered a serious knee injury at Thursday’s practice.

Surging Bears

The Bears looked like they were toast following a six-game losing streak. But the return of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky from a benching and shoulder injury has changed the team’s fortunes. It’s won three consecutive games thanks to an offense that has averaged 35 points per game the last four weeks.

The question is whether that offensive production is real or a byproduct of facing four of the bottom seven teams in the NFL in terms of points allowed. Green Bay’s defense hasn’t been very good, either, checking in at No. 16 in points allowed, but it has held three of its last four opponents to less than 17 points.

Here is a clip of every impactful completion that Mitchell Trubisky had last week against the Vikings. There are some nice throws in there (he consistently used to airmail those deep crossers off PA), but most of the damage was done via boots and play action … pic.twitter.com/aqMRUV4NI3

— Robert Mays (@robertmays) December 27, 2020

Trubisky’s been good but David Montgomery has been the key. The second-year running back has rushed for 529 yards and six touchdowns the past five games. That’s more than the first 10 games – 472 yards and one touchdown. He’s on a four-game touchdown streak.

Defensively, Chicago will need a big game from defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, who was inactive for the first matchup, and linebacker Roquan Smith, who didn’t have a single solo tackle in that game.

What’s the Best Bet?

Last week’s victory over Tennessee was a big one for the Packers. While they’d been winning all season, that marked a complete, 60-minute victory – something that had proven elusive.

Rodgers is having the best season of his career and has owned Chicago over the years. His record against the Bears is a ridiculous 20-5 – and that includes a loss in 2013 in which he suffered a broken collarbone on the opening possession. Including Week 12, when his passer rating was a lofty 132.2, the Packers are 11-0 vs. Chicago when he has a 100-plus passer rating.

Losing Bakhtiari is a major blow to Green Bay’s Super Bowl chances but it averaged 30.3 points when he missed three games at midseason with a broken rib.

Meanwhile, the run defense – the team’s weakness – showed some fangs last week against the Titans’ Derrick Henry. The addition of veteran Damon Harrison should only improve their chances of stopping Montgomery.

Prediction: Packers -4.5 (-106), 1 Unit