Packers at Bears: Week 16 preview, odds and injuries

Week 16 · Fri, Dec 25 · Soldier Field1 PM ET

at1 PMET · Netflix

At a glanceUpdated Nov 10, 2026, 10:04 PM ET

The Green Bay Packers (6-3) visit the Chicago Bears (7-2) on Fri, Dec 25, 1 PM ET at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL (Week 16, 2026 season), on Netflix.

When and where is Packers vs Bears?

Fri, Dec 25, 1 PM ET at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. TV: Netflix.

Who is injured for Packers vs Bears?

Packers: Josh Jacobs (RB, out, finger), Micah Parsons (DE, out, knee - acl), Zaire Franklin (LB, doubtful, shin), Bo Melton (WR, questionable, head), Josh Whyle (TE, questionable, concussion) and MarShawn Lloyd (RB, questionable, knee) (plus 3 more). Bears: Case Keenum (QB, out), Kyle Monangai (RB, out, toe), Malik Muhammad II (CB, out, toe), Luther Burden III (WR, questionable, concussion) and Tyrique Stevenson Sr. (CB, questionable, hand).

Cite this page

Pigskin Nightly, “Packers at Bears: Week 16 preview”, https://pigskinnightly.com/games/2026-12-25-gb-at-chi (updated 2026-11-11).

How we calculate Plain-text version Report an error

Regular season through week 15 · rank out of 32

Where this game will be decided

1Packers takeaway defense vs Bears ball security
The Packers' takeaway defense ranks 1st in turnovers per game (2.1 takeaways a game, 9 games) and faces a Bears ball security ranked 29th (1.9 giveaways a game, 9 games).
29thCHI offense28 spots apart1stGB defenseSmall sample, read with care Why sample size matters
2Bears third-down defense vs Packers third-down offense
The Bears' third-down defense ranks 1st in third-down conversion rate (22.8% allowed, 92 third downs faced) and faces a Packers third-down offense ranked 19th (38.1%, 118 third downs).
19thGB offense18 spots apart1stCHI defense
3Bears run defense vs Packers run game
The Bears' run defense ranks 15th in EPA per rush (-0.08 allowed, 170 rushes faced) and faces a Packers run game ranked 31st (-0.24, 194 rushes).
31stGB offense16 spots apart15thCHI defense

When the Packers have the ballEdge CHI · +16 ranks

GB dropback offenseEPA per dropbackCHI pass defense

6th+0.18361 dropbacks

-0.03 allowed303 dropbacks faced7th

GB run gameEPA per rushCHI run defense

31st-0.24194 rushes

CHI +16

-0.08 allowed170 rushes faced15th

Dropbacks include sacks and scrambles; rushes are designed runs. What EPA measures.

When the Bears have the ballNo big edge

CHI dropback offenseEPA per dropbackGB pass defense

12th+0.09354 dropbacks

-0.07 allowed372 dropbacks faced5th

CHI run gameEPA per rushGB run defense

11th-0.04270 rushes

-0.08 allowed220 rushes faced16th

Third downEdge CHI · +18 ranks

GB third-down offensethird-down conversion rateCHI third-down defense

19th38.1%118 third downs

CHI +18

22.8% allowed92 third downs faced1st

CHI third-down offensethird-down conversion rateGB third-down defense

7th45.3%128 third downs

CHI +17

43.7% allowed119 third downs faced24th

Conversions are third-down snaps that gained a first down or scored.

Red zoneNo big edge

GB red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateCHI red-zone defense

19th54%35 trips

56% allowed25 trips faced14th

CHI red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateGB red-zone defense

20th54%37 trips

61% allowed33 trips faced18th

A trip is a drive with at least one snap inside the opponent's 20; the rate is trips that ended in an offensive touchdown. Small samples swing fast here.

Explosive playsEdge GB · +13 ranks

GB big-play offenseexplosive-play rateCHI defense against big plays

9th9.9%555 plays

GB +13

9.9% allowed473 plays faced22nd

CHI big-play offenseexplosive-play rateGB defense against big plays

11th9.8%624 plays

7.4% allowed592 plays faced6th

Completions of 20+ yards and runs of 10+, per snap. Definition.

Pressure & sacksNo big edge

GB pass protectionsack rateCHI pass rush

9th4.7% sacked361 dropbacks

8.6% of dropbacks303 dropbacks faced3rd

CHI pass protectionsack rateGB pass rush

13th5.6% sacked354 dropbacks

7.0% of dropbacks372 dropbacks faced11th

Sacks per dropback. The public play-by-play has no pressure charting, so this is the sack side of it only.

TurnoversEdge GB · +28 ranks

GB ball securityturnovers per gameCHI takeaway defense

13th1.1 giveaways a game9 games

1.1 takeaways a game9 games19th

CHI ball securityturnovers per gameGB takeaway defense

29th1.9 giveaways a game9 games

GB +28

2.1 takeaways a game9 games1st

Interceptions and lost fumbles on offensive snaps, per game. Turnover rates are among the least stable numbers in football.

AbsencesGB 1 · CHI 1 regulars out or doubtful

Packers9 listed

1 of them is a regular ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QTravis GloverOT100% offense · 4 wk
DZaire FranklinLB99% defense · 6 wk
QSean RhyanG87% offense · 7 wk
OUTJosh JacobsRB46% offense · 3 wk
QTy'Ron HopperLB43% defense · 8 wk
QMarShawn LloydRB36% offense · 8 wk
QBo MeltonWR25% offense · 9 wk
QJosh WhyleTE13% offense · 8 wk

Bears5 listed

1 of them is a regular ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

OUTMalik Muhammad IICB75% defense · 7 wk
QTyrique Stevenson Sr.CB67% defense · 8 wk
QLuther Burden IIIWR60% offense · 9 wk
OUTCase KeenumQB45% offense · 3 wk
OUTKyle MonangaiRB41% offense · 4 wk

Snap share is the average of the weeks each player was on the field this season. Full injury report ↓

Rest & travelCHI +1 day of rest · GB travels 184 mi

AwayPackers

5days since last game

184miles to get here

0time zones

Last: Sun wk 15 vs MIA · 6,691 mi flown this season

Short week · 5 days

Rest edge+1CHI dayTravel gap 184 mi

HomeBears

6days since last game

0miles · home

0time zones

Last: Sat wk 15 at BUF · Orchard Park · 6,181 mi flown this season

Normal week

League splits for these situations ↓

Sample: GB 9 games, 555 offensive and 592 defensive plays · CHI 9 games, 624 offensive and 473 defensive plays. Rank 1 is the best offense or the best defense in each stat. Keys are the largest rank gaps (12+ spots) between an offense and the defense it faces, one per stat. Ranks are not schedule-adjusted.

Season to date · rank out of 32