Prime-time player: Williams knows the playoffs are when QBs build their legacies

It’s win-or-go-home time for the Chicago Bears.

Chicago will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 on Saturday night. The team will host its longtime rival, the Green Bay Packers, in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs at Soldier Field.

The Bears have had a memorable year in head coach Ben Johnson’s first season in charge. They made countless memories throughout the year, including six fourth-quarter comeback wins. It resulted in a playoff berth and the team’s first NFC North title since 2018.

They’ll start their playoff journey by playing the Packers for the third time in five weeks.

Both matchups during the regular season were thrillers. The Packers won the first meeting when Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was intercepted in the final minute with a chance to tie or win the game. Williams got revenge two weeks later when the Bears came back to win an overtime thriller.

Now the two storied rivals will play each other in the playoffs for just the third time in their history.

Saturday night’s game kicks off at 7 p.m. on Prime Video and can also be viewed in the Chicago area on Fox 32. Here are the top five storylines to watch.

Caleb Williams makes playoff debut

Saturday will not only be the Bears’ first playoff game in five years and the first at Soldier Field since 2018. It will also be Williams’ playoff debut.

It’s a moment Bears general manager Ryan Poles hoped would happen this season. Poles paired the former No. 1 overall pick with Johnson to bring the best out of Williams. The quarterback responded by showing steady growth and leadership throughout the season.

Now Williams will have a chance to show how he can perform in the playoffs. He did well during the regular season. Williams broke the Bears’ single-season passing record and also led a league-high six fourth-quarter comebacks.

But quarterbacks’ legacies are decided based on what they do in the playoffs. Williams will get his first chance to show what he can do and is ready for the challenge.

“Another game, and then from there, you go out there, make plays for your team,” Williams said. “You understand that you don’t have another game. But in my mindset, I go into it it’s another game and go out there and go win the game.”

Avoiding another slow offensive start

If Chicago wants to advance deep into the playoffs, they’ll need a strong offensive showing for a full game.

That hasn’t been the case recently, especially against the Packers. Chicago scored three points and averaged 98.5 total yards in the first half of both games against Green Bay. Those numbers came before the Bears offense put up a sluggish first three quarters against the Detroit Lions to end the regular season.

Chicago’s slow starts might have been overlooked a bit this season. The Bears overcame slow starts six times this season for comeback wins. But they also couldn’t do it a few more times on other games.

Relying on comebacks will only get a team so far. Starting slow in the playoffs could end the Bears’ run before it started.

“We definitely need to start fast, and that’s been the message for the last couple weeks now,” running back D’Andre Swift said. “I don’t feel like we’ve done that at all, but we know we can’t waste any opportunities coming Saturday.”

Getting back on the ground

A key way to get off to better offensive starts is to rediscover the successful running game the Bears had earlier in the season.

Chicago made a statement in front of a national audience on Black Friday when it dominated in the trenches and ran for 281 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles. But the unit hasn’t had consistent success running the ball since. The Bears reached 150 rushing yards once and rushed for a season-low 65 yards Sunday.

Green Bay struggled stopping the run to end the season. The Packers allowed the Baltimore Ravens to run for 307 against the Packers in Week 17 while the Minnesota Vikings ran for 137 yards Sunday.

When the Bears had offensive success against the Packers, it came when they ran the ball. Chicago finished with 138 and 150 rushing yards, respectively, against Green Bay. An efficient running game should be at the top of Johnson’s play-calling list.

“I think you just go back to the fundamentals that we’ve been preaching since we got here, and you know, that’s not a sexy answer, and yet, that really is what it is,” Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said. “It’s our ability to come off the ball, all in unison, be communicating, our backs on their tracks, our perimeter players being willing to strike. It gives you confidence going into a game like this, especially when you’re playing a defense for really like the third time in six weeks.”

Closing down passing lanes

While the offense will need a bigger offensive output in order to advance in the playoffs, the Bears defense will need to do a better job of limiting explosive plays and getting off the field sooner. Primarily in the pass defense.

Chicago ended the season by giving up two of its four-highest passing yards in games this season. The 49ers threw for 296 yards in Week 17 while the Lions threw for 311 yards Sunday. Both 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and Lions quarterback Jared Goff faced little pressure as they picked apart the middle of the field.

The Packers took advantage of those open passing lanes in both of their games against the Bears. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love threw for 234 yards in Week 14 while Love and backup quarterback Malik Willis combined to throw for 198 yards in Week 16.

The Bears could have some help in closing down the lanes. Slot cornerback Kyler Gordon could return after he was ruled questionable for Saturday. Love will also play in his first game in three weeks. But if the Bears can’t limit the Packers in the air, it’ll be hard to keep up.

“I would say getting to work early, get hands on and then really the pass rush has got to help us on the back end,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “We know Jordan Love can extend plays and they have a lot of explosives when Jordan Love extends plays and throws the football down the field so really rush and cover has got to play together the whole game.”

Adding another chapter to the rivalry

The Bears-Packers rivalry is the NFL’s most played in its history with 212 matchups heading into Saturday. But it will be just the third time the rivals will meet in the playoffs.

Chicago won the first playoff matchup in 1941. Both teams were tied atop the Western Division, which spurred a playoff game that the Bears won 33-14. The Bears went on to the NFL championship that season.

Green Bay won the second matchup in 2011 when the two teams met in the NFC Championship. The Packers went on to win that matchup 21-14.

Saturday’s matchup has a chance to be another classic. Each of the last four matchups between these two teams were decided in the final minutes. That could be the case once again Saturday as the current Bears try to write a new chapter in the rivalry.

“I think Chicago’s just a city that’s deeply rooted in history, which is awesome and it’s what makes it such a special place,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “But you know that being said, we want to build our own history here and we have a chance to do that here coming up on Saturday.”