A day after the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Jets in dominant fashion, head coach Ben Johnson left no speculation about the quarterback position. With Caleb Williams still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in Week 2, Johnson went ahead and named Tyson Bagent the starter for the Bears’ Week 5 trip to the Green Bay Packers. The divisional grudge match will mark the first matchup between the teams since the Bears defeated Green Bay in the 2025 Wild Card round.
Williams does not appear close enough to become an option for the Bears on game day. If he were, the team likely would have waited to make this decision until seeing Williams practice. Instead, the Bears will turn to Bagent again as their early divisional foe looks to deliver a major blow early in the season. After all, this game carries significant stakes that could prove pivotal later in the year.
What Is at Stake in Green Bay?
Chicago is already 0-1 in the division following its Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the same game in which the Bears lost Williams to injury. If the Packers can take down the red-hot Bears, Chicago will fall to 0-2 in divisional play early in the season and create a significant hole to climb out of. Though the Bears have looked like early Super Bowl favorites, that is not an ideal race to be trailing in.
The NFC North is already a tight race, with no team below .500. Johnson has led his team to victories over the Eagles and Jets in consecutive weeks. Chicago accomplished that behind a grinding rushing attack, suffocating defense, and quarterback play that has been mostly mistake-free and efficient.
However, both games took place at Soldier Field rather than in hostile territory. Now, the pressure could be on.
Bagent Under Ultimate Pressure to Deliver
After an efficient first start in 2026, Bagent starting makes sense with Williams not ready to return. However, the backup quarterback will face significant pressure when the Bears travel to Lambeau Field. In his limited work as a starter, Bagent is 0-2 on the road but has a very different record at home. This will be a critical opportunity to snap that road losing streak.
The good news for Bagent and the Bears is that the Packers’ defense has not been particularly strong. Green Bay has had some decent moments in two of its games, but the other two resulted in blowout losses. Make no mistake, though, Green Bay and its fan base will give the Bears all they can handle.
Bagent will need to remain efficient and make just enough plays to get Chicago out of Lambeau Field with a win.
Otherwise, the Bears could find themselves further behind in the NFC North than they would like this early in the season.
