For the first time in over two decades, the Chicago Bears are heading into Lambeau Field as the betting favorite, a seismic shift in one of the NFL’s most storied rivalries. Sportsbooks had Chicago as a 2.5-point favorite on Monday morning for their Week 5 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, a situation not seen since September 10, 2006, when the Bears closed as a 3.5-point favorite in Week 1. That year, the Bears won 26-0, powered by Rex Grossman’s 262 passing yards, two Brett Favre interceptions, and a Packers lost fumble, eventually leading them to a Super Bowl appearance. This week’s line has everyone buzzing about what’s really happening in the NFC North.
Chicago’s Shocking Start Puts the Division on Notice
The Bears are rolling, plain and simple, moving to a 3-1 record after a dominant 23-12 win over the New York Jets at Soldier Field on Sunday. That wasn’t just a win, folks, it was a statement: 34 first downs compared to the Jets’ seven, and a whopping 492 yards of total offense against New York’s paltry 157. Chicago’s not just winning games; they’re covering the spread, holding a 3-1 ATS record this season. What’s wild is they’ve done it with a carousel at quarterback, snatching victories straight-up and against the spread with Caleb Williams, Case Keenum, and Tyson Bagent all under center. This team is showing real grit, and they’re proving they’re a force, regardless of who’s taking snaps.
Lambeau Underdog Status: What Caleb Williams Means for the Line
On the flip side, the Green Bay Packers are sitting at 2-2, but it hasn’t exactly been pretty. Their 17-14 road win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and rookie QB Jalon Daniels was far from impressive. In fact, respected money even came in on Tampa Bay, pushing the line down to Packers -2.5, though Green Bay did end up covering for their first win against the spread this season. Now, the big question mark hanging over this Week 5 clash is the status of Caleb Williams. He was ruled out against the Jets after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring injury in their Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and his availability for Green Bay is still up in the air.
One oddsmaker summed up the current line perfectly, calling it an “in-betweener.” They texted Yahoo Sports, explaining, “The line will move in the Bears’ direction if he’s in. If he’s ruled out, it’ll move towards the Packers. So, the line is him questionable.” They added that if Williams is out, given how “bad” Green Bay has looked, they’d shift to either a pick-em or Green Bay -1. Before the season, oddsmakers valued Williams as 4.84 points more valuable against the spread than Bagent. Contrast that with the preseason lookahead lines at DraftKings Sportsbook, which had the Packers as a three-point home favorite. This situation is going to be an absolutely fascinating storyline to track as we head into next Sunday’s game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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