The 2025 NFL Week 16 schedule is shaping up to be one of the most intense stretches of the season, with playoff positioning beginning to take form across the conference. The matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears carries major implications in the NFC North, as both teams are fighting for control of the division while reigniting one of the league’s most historic rivalries.
The Bears are coming off a dominant 28-point victory over the Cleveland Browns, a result that allowed them to reclaim first place in the NFC North standings. That performance reasserted Chicago’s position as a serious contender, and once again, the division title is directly on the line in this late season clash.
The Packers, meanwhile, are entering Week 16 after a difficult 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos. That defeat pushed Green Bay down both the divisional and playoff standings, increasing the pressure as the regular season winds down and leaving little margin for error moving forward.
What happens if Packers win vs Bears?
A Green Bay victory over the Bears on Saturday night would put the Packers back at the top of the NFC North and firmly back in the postseason conversation. With only three games remaining in the regular season, a win would significantly strengthen their playoff outlook and could even set the stage for an early postseason berth depending on results elsewhere around the league.
What happens if Packers lose vs Bears?
If the Packers lose to the Bears in Week 16, their chances of winning the NFC North would take a major hit, and their path to clinching a playoff spot would become far more complicated. In that scenario, Green Bay would need victories in their remaining matchups against the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings, while also relying on Chicago to stumble against the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions.
The NFC North standings currently read with the Bears at 10-4, followed by the Packers at 9-4-1, the Lions at 8-6, and the Vikings at 6-8, with Minnesota already eliminated from postseason contention.
Across the conference, the Vikings are joined by the Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Washington Commanders, and New York Giants as teams eliminated from playoff contention.
With postseason pressure mounting and the NFC North title still unsettled, this Packers vs Bears showdown stands as one of the defining games of Week 16, a matchup that could ultimately determine which franchise controls its own destiny heading into the final weeks of the 2025 NFL season.