Chicago leads NFL in takeaways coming into showdown with Green Bay

Mike Spofford

GREEN BAY No statistic explains the Chicago Bears' 2025 season more than this one:

In their nine victories, the Bears have 25 takeaways. In their three losses, they have one.

Chicago's league-leading turnover total highlighted by an NFL-best 17 interceptions is a big part of the Bears' identity and success.

It's a hallmark of defenses run by Dennis Allen, the Bears' coordinator under first-year coach Ben Johnson, so much so that for Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur it harkens back to when he broke into the NFL coaching ranks.

As an offensive assistant for Houston in the 2008-09 seasons, LaFleur recalled his Texans practicing against New Orleans, where Allen was the Saints' secondary coach, and how Allen's defenders "attacked the football."

"You could see the emphasis placed on it in practice," LaFleur said, which Allen continued during his ensuing years as Saints defensive coordinator and head coach. "He does such a great job getting that out of his guys, on every level of the defense."

Not that ball security isn't important every week, but it's paramount for Sunday's NFC North showdown between the Bears (9-3) and Packers (8-3-1) at Lambeau Field.

The Packers are doing well lately in that regard, not turning the ball over once during their current three-game winning streak. The flip side is an early fumble against Carolina and a late-first-half strip-sack against Philadelphia were key miscues in close losses.

Those are Green Bay's only turnovers in the last seven games, and the Packers want to keep it that way.

"It's something that we've harped on all season, so we've got to go out there and do a great job of just protecting the ball," QBJordan Lovesaid. "And that's everybody. That's me, the receivers, the running back, tight ends anybody that's carrying the ball.

"Their DBs are aware of the ball, and they're making plays when it is in the air. They're doing a good job at hunting the ball right now and flying around."

On those interceptions, 15 of the 17 have come from three players safety Kevin Byard III (six), cornerback Nahshon Wright (five) and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (four), who's currently on injured reserve.

The Bears also have not only nine fumble recoveries but 14 forced fumbles, so they're regularly creating chances.

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Creating chances also can mean taking them, too, meaning jumping routes or raking at the ball at the expense of tackling. Whether the Packers can take advantage of any overzealousness will be worth watching come Sunday.

The Bears rank 25th in the league in points allowed and 26th in total yards, so it's not as though the defense isn't vulnerable at times.

"On tape, you can see the confidence that their defense is playing with," receiverChristian Watsonsaid. "When they get a chance to make a play, they've made them.

"I feel like we've got to play some sound ball, protect the football on offense, don't give them those opportunities and we'll be all right. I think there's definitely still opps to make big plays against them, too."

In that regard, the Packers like how their offensive arrow is pointing up at the right time of the season. In addition to the current turnover-free streak, pre-snap penalties have been greatly reduced lately compared to earlier in the season.

The explosive plays also began returning in the win over the Giants three weeks ago, and then after playing it safe when the Vikings' offense was being dominated by the Packers' defense another barrage of big plays highlighted the Thanksgiving win in Detroit.

Several weapons were part of the big-play parade against the Lions, too, asJosh Jacobsbroke off runs of 13 and 29 yards, Watson had catches of 17 and 51 yards, andDontayvion Wickshad receptions of 22, 18, 30 and 16 yards.Bo Meltonadded a 14-yard run andLuke Musgravea 23-yard grab as well.

"You always want to be trending in the right direction and playing your best ball in December," Love said. "We've got some more work to do, obviously, five games left and a good test this week.

"We've just got to keep finding ways to stay on the details, stay the course."