The Chicago Bears have awaited news on some key injuries ahead of their most important game of the year on Saturday night. Rome Odunze and Kyler Gordon have both been out for the past month. Their absences have been felt the entire way. Getting them back for the rematch with the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field would be huge. However, head coach Ben Johnson has been careful not to assure anything. Well, news finally arrived on Tuesday about which way things are trending.

Quarterback Caleb Williams admitted his excitement at Odunze’s return. That all but confirms the wide receiver will suit up. It will be the first time he’s faced the Packers this season. As for Gordon, news broke that the Bears have activated his 21-day practice window from Injured Reserve. That means if he has a good week of practice and feels good, there is a strong possibility the Bears will bring him onto the active roster. His presence could have the greatest impact of all.

Rome Odunze and Kyler Gordon returning is so huge.

Let’s start with Odunze. One of the main issues the Bears receivers have had is a size matchup. D.J. Moore and Luther Burden haven’t really given them a physical presence on 3rd down or in the red zone this year. That was Odunze’s bread and butter. Having him back gives them another dimension in the passing game. However, Gordon is the bigger potential return. One common thread with the Bears’ defensive struggles of late is their inability to cover the slot. Teams have exposed it repeatedly for weeks.

Green Bay was no exception. They targeted C.J. Gardner-Johnson 12 times over the two previous games. They connected 10 times for 137 yards and a touchdown. It was a huge reason for their victory in the first matchup and almost delivered in the second. Gordon is the Bears’ best slot cornerback. Over the past two years, he’s allowed only three TD passes with two interceptions when in the slot. If he is healthy, he may close that window that Green Bay has exploited in previous games.

Such things make a big difference in the playoffs.

As if it could end any other way. The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers traded victories this season. So it’s only natural they square off one final time in a playoff rubber match. Plenty is on the line. Head coach Ben Johnson is hoping to make a statement that this team is for real. His counterpart, Matt Lafleur, might be coaching for his job. Green Bay has had the better of this rivalry for a long time. You could argue that their domination over the past 15 years started with that loss in the NFC Championship in 2010. This could be Chicago’s chance to exorcize its demons. So what should we expect?

Chicago Bears in round three against the Packers.

Background

The oldest rivalry in the NFL meets in the playoffs for just the third time in history. That is actually crazy to think about. Fittingly, it’s one-to-one so far. Chicago beat Green Bay in the 1940s, before the Packers got their payback in the 2010 NFC championship. Each game determined who eventually won the title. Will it happen again? Who knows, but there is no doubt that the rivalry has once again gone from cold to hot. The stakes a sky high. Green Bay is trying to avoid another first round exit. Chicago is trying to prove their season wasn’t a fluke. Soldier Field will be electric.

Key matchups

Christian Watson vs. Jaylon Johnson

Watson has given the Bears the most trouble of any Packers player this season. His speed is a constant threat Matt Lafleur likes to exploit, and Chicago doesn’t have many answers for it. Putting Johnson on him feels like their best bet. He is still clearly not 100% recovered from his core muscle surgery, but he remains the top cornerback on the team. Whoever gets the better of that matchup will determine a lot.

Colston Loveland vs. Quay Walker

It is beyond obvious that Loveland has established himself as a primary target in the Bears’ passing game. Caleb Williams is looking his way more and more often. That is because defenses have few answers for him. It’s a safe assumption that Coach Johnson will look for him a lot over the middle, putting him in conflict with Walker. The linebacker has been a liability in coverage at times, but he must bring his best.

Injuries

Kyler Gordon

The Chicago Bears have only had their cornerback for three games this season due to various injuries. He is due to come off Injured Reserve this week, but nobody knows if he will make it. If he does, it would be an immediate shot in the arm for their pass defense, especially in the slot. That is where Green Bay has exploited them the most in each of the past two matchups.

Javon Bullard

Bullard is one of the best run defenders the Packers have. While he is expected to play, he apparently suffered a hyperextended knee in the loss to Minnesota last week. That could diminish his impact somewhat, which would open further opportunities for the Bears’ rushing attack. Green Bay has managed to keep the offense relatively in check in the first two meetings. Bullard is a key reason why.

X-Factors

Rome Odunze

It’s crazy to think that Chicago’s top wide receiver through the first half of 2025 ended up not playing in either game against Green Bay. Reports have since revealed he is back from his foot injury, meaning he is likely going to play in this one. That gives the Bears passing attack a much more formidable look against a Packers secondary that has struggled at times this year.

Josh Jacobs

People talk about Jordan Love all the time. In reality, the big key to Green Bay’s success against the Bears over the past two years has been Jacobs. When he’s rushed for at least 75 yards, the Packers win. When he hasn’t, they lose. Chicago has struggled against the run in recent weeks, which Green Bay no doubt hopes to exploit, and Jacobs will be leading that charge.

Prediction: Packers win 23-21

This hurts a lot. The game will be close, because all of them have been since last year. Chicago has the advantage of home field. Unfortunately, this comes down to the state of their defense. Unless they can force the Packers into a few turnovers, they’ve proven they can’t get stops consistently enough. Combine that with the constant slow starts by the offense, and you have a bad recipe for success in the playoffs.

The Chicago Bears knew they needed not just a new head coach at the start of last year, but a complete culture shift. Matt Eberflus brought his H.I.T.S principles with him from Indianapolis, but it became clear early on that he lacked several traits necessary for a successful head coach. One of them was the ability to hold himself, players, or assistants accountable. That reality caught up to him midway through 2024 and ended up costing him his job. People weren’t sure if Ben Johnson would be any different.

They knew the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator was an offensive wizard. He’d proven that for three years. That wasn’t the concern. Could this 38-year-old be a leader? Many young men enter this job without a proper understanding of how to manage a locker room. Matt Nagy ran into that problem during his tenure. He came across as too rah-rah. Not enough willingness to tell players what they needed to hear. Johnson doesn’t have that problem. He made that clear with his comments at his latest presser.

“The role of the head coach is not to be a cheerleader. It’s to say it like it is. If something pops up and I feel like it needs to be said, then I say it. If I don’t, then we keep it moving.

We’ve got a great group of guys. We’ve got a prideful group. We’ve earned a division title. We’ve earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Those are things that we’re certainly proud about, and at the same time, the season’s not over. It’s just starting for us, and our guys understand that. We can play better than what we played at the end of the season and that’s really our expectation going forward.”

Ben Johnson understands his greatest asset is the truth.

Former Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown alluded to this last year. He said he felt that too many coaches aren’t willing to actually coach. That means telling players the truth, even if it’s something they don’t want to hear. The job of the head coach is to win football games. To do that requires getting players to perform at their best. Such things won’t happen if guys keep making mistakes. Those mistakes won’t be corrected unless the head coach tells guys they’re making them.

We already know Ben Johnson isn’t afraid to make those comments. Players have said he’s on them about such things all the time. The trick is not to be mean-spirited about it. Don’t be demeaning. Just be honest. It sounds like Johnson is able to toe that line. That is why he should end up having a long career in Chicago. They haven’t had a coach capable of this in many years. Mike Ditka had that mentality, but was never known for a delicate touch. Johnson can play both sides of the fence, and that should lead to big things.

Ryan Poles has played NFL general manager on easy mode through the first four years of his career. That may sound crazy after what he went through with the Chicago Bears, but it’s true. Several key aspects have remained unchanged over that time. He had a top 10 pick in the draft and lots of cap space to spend. For the first time in his tenure, neither of those things will be true. Thanks to their playoff appearance, the Bears will pick at least 19th next spring, and that number goes up if they beat the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.

Not only that, but the Bears also currently project to be $200,000 over the salary cap. Even with expected moves to clear space, they should not be expected to do any big spending. That means Poles faces a challenge many GMs have before. He must somehow have a productive offseason despite having no money to spend and later picks in every round. That puts stress on the evaluation capabilities of everybody in that building. Here is how Poles should approach the situation.

Ryan Poles should target a pass rusher, defensive tackle, or cornerback.

In situations like the one the Bears find themselves in, the smart thing to do is play the odds. Yes, there is a chance you can find a star at any position at any time. However, history tends to tell a clear story of which areas are more fruitful in the current range Chicago will be picking compared to others. First and foremost is edge rusher. Since 2015, metrics indicate that at least 70% of the true edge rushers selected between #19 and #32 in the 1st round have become at least solid starters.

• Bud Dupree
• Haason Reddick
• Greg Rousseau
• Jermaine Johnson II
• Boye Mafe
• Will McDonald IV
• Odafe Oweh
• George Karlaftis
• Montez Sweat
• T.J. Watt

Next is cornerback.

Initially, it seemed that Ryan Poles didn’t have to worry about that position, but circumstances have since changed. Kyler Gordon can’t stay healthy. Nahshon Wright is a free agent. Tyrique Stevenson is in the dog house. They may need some fresh blood. Thankfully, the draft has a 60% hit rate on that position in the late 1st round despite being a premium position.

• Quinyon Mitchell
• Nate Wiggins
• Trent McDuffie
• Greg Newsome
• Jaire Alexander
• Adoree’ Jackson
• Marcus Peters

Last but not least is defensive tackle. Gervon Dexter is a good player, but he’s not a difference-maker. Grady Jarrett and Andrew Billings are in their 30s. Shemar Turner tore his ACL. They need somebody who can demand attention in the middle. The position tends to yield favorable results, particularly in more recent years.

• Tyleik Williams
• Calijah Kancey
• Bryan Bresee
• Devonte Wyatt
• Jeffery Simmons
• Kenny Clark
• Malcom Brown

Since offense won’t be a focus for the Bears, Poles should keep himself squarely intent on targeting one of those positions, and it feels like the defensive line is the safest bet he can possibly make.

The Chicago Bears finally broke through this year, winning the NFC North for the first time since 2018, going 11-6 and claiming the #2 seed in the playoffs. When that happens, other teams take notice. Typically, you can expect them to start scouting your organization, seeking qualified individuals to poach. That was always the fear when Chicago hired Ian Cunningham as their assistant GM. He was already considered a prominent GM-in-waiting before joining the Bears. They’ve come close multiple times to losing him in the past three years. Insiders believe 2026 might finally be the time.

That might be closer than we think. Recently, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated revealed that the Atlanta Falcons are a team to watch for Cunningham. They’re expected to hire Matt Ryan as their new president of football operations. Ryan is close friends with GM Ryan Poles, who almost certainly put in a good word for Cunningham.

People close to the organization have informed SM that the assistant GM is confident the Atlanta job is his if he wants it and is already doing preliminary work on potential head coaches to hire.

Ian Cunningham likely has only one path this year.

Only two teams have fired their general managers to date: Atlanta and Miami. The Dolphins revealed their current list of candidates. Cunningham isn’t on it. Unless that changes, it means the Falcons are the only way he claims the GM chair this year. It might be his best. The ties between the two teams run deep. It starts with Ryan, but don’t forget the organization has also employed former Bears GM Ryan Pace. Cunningham replaced him in Chicago, and the results have borne fruit. Why not repeat the process down there?

Much of this depends on owner Arthur Blank. He is the one who must be sold on the hire. Obviously, his trust in Ryan will play a big part, but it’s likely Ian Cunningham will still have to do an interview and make a good impression. If he does, it sounds like the job will be his. In that event, the Bears will receive two compensatory 3rd round picks. Poles will be able to use those to further the mission both men started four years ago to get the Bears to the mountaintop.

Ben Johnson had an interesting decision going into the season finale against the Detroit Lions. The only true incentive to play the game was clinching the #2 seed in the playoffs. At worst, the Chicago Bears would secure the #3 seed, which would guarantee them a home game either way. Perhaps it might be more prudent to give his starters the week off to rest. Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, who also had a shot at the #2 seed, opted to rest his guys. Johnson did not. He went for the win.

Ultimately, the Bears fell to Detroit 19-16. The effort meant little since Philadelphia also lost, handing Chicago the #2 seed. After the game, Johnson showed zero regrets about his decision.

That specific wording is interesting. “Some teams rest their starters. We don’t. We play football.” If that doesn’t sound familiar, it should. Such a philosophy may not seem normal these days, but it was one championed by the late Hall of Fame head coach John Madden. He was a firm believer that you should always look to win, regardless of potential outcomes elsewhere. Never cheat the game.

Ben Johnson continues to show what his mindset will be.

That is to win every single week. He doesn’t care about what happens elsewhere. His sole focus is crushing the opposition in front of him. In his mind, nothing provides more momentum to a football team than winning. Resting the starters ahead of the most important stretch of games in professional football is anathema to him. He’d much rather have them sharp and battle-tested. Injuries don’t scare him. Every team is banged up this time of year. His decision appears to have been the right one, too.

The Bears came out flat in that game on Sunday. They lacked urgency and sharpness. It wasn’t until the 4th quarter that they managed to circle the wagons and make a charge. They didn’t get the win, but Ben Johnson certainly got his validation. He didn’t feel the team was ready for primetime. That game served as proof. Now he’ll spend the whole week reminding them how unprepared they were. By the time of kickoff on Saturday against Green Bay, those players will be agitated and hungry.

Madden would’ve been proud.