GREEN BAY, WI — The NFL's oldest rivalry resumes Sunday at Lambeau Field, and the Chicago Bears will once again be without their franchise quarterback.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson said Monday on ESPN Chicago that Tyson Bagent will start against the Green Bay Packers, according to CBS Sports.
Caleb Williams is still recovering from a hamstring strain and is set to miss his third straight game.
Kickoff is set for noon Central Time on Sunday, Oct. 11. The game will air on Fox.
Williams' Injury
Williams was hurt in Chicago's Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported in late September that it was a Grade 2 hamstring injury with an estimated recovery time of three to four weeks.
The Bears haven't missed a beat without him. Case Keenum started a win over the Philadelphia Eagles while Bagent was in the concussion protocol, and Bagent led Chicago to a 23-12 win over the New York Jets on Sunday.
The NFL moved the Packers-Bears game into the early afternoon window following Williams' injury, SI reported.
Micah Parsons Watch
Packers pass rusher Micah Parsons tore his ACL in December and opened the season on the physically unable to perform list, which kept him out of the first four games.
Sunday is the earliest he is eligible to return, but reports have pointed to Green Bay's Week 6 game against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, as the more likely target for his season debut.
Vegas Odds
Even with a backup under center, the Bears are favored.
As of Monday, DraftKings listed Chicago as a 2.5-point road favorite. The moneyline sat at Bears -148 and Packers +124, with the over/under at 44.5 points.
That's a major swing from earlier lines. The spread opened with Green Bay favored by about a field goal, and the total has dropped from 49.5 points.
If the line holds, it would be the first time the Bears have been favored at Lambeau Field since 2006, Yahoo Sports reported.
ESPN's Football Power Index gives Chicago a 58 percent chance to win.
The Bears are 3-1 against the spread this season. The Packers are 1-3.
Where The Teams Stand
The Bears (3-1) sit second in the NFC North behind the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (4-0). The Packers (2-2) are coming off a 17-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Chicago has won the last two meetings between the teams, including a wild-card playoff victory in January. The Bears won the division last season at 11-6 before falling to the Los Angeles Rams in overtime in the divisional round.
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