Detroit’s Frank Ragnow is back, which was predicted here and by anyone else who realized he was far too young to retire from snapping footballs between his legs this past offseason.

Of course, it’s far too soon to expect he’d play on Thanksgiving in what might be Detroit’s biggest game of the season. It’s the traditional turkey day game and against Green Bay, a battle of the Bears’ closest pursuers in the NFC North.

While the Bears are not in this one, their fans do have a stake in the outcome.

Whoever wins, Bears fans are sure to feel better on Thanksgiving than they did last year when Matt Eberflus looked like the big turkey for keeping a timeout and losing yet another game.

Love how Lions & Packers fans are DESPERATE for Bears to lose to scream “fRaUDs”

We are way ahead of schedule, currently top of NFC North, have seen draft picks succeed, have got our HC and QB in sync, have an offence that has great potential, while being ravaged by injury on D pic.twitter.com/bETIbT25Zk

— Cork City Bears Fan (Ant) (@BearsCork) November 26, 2025

The only way to go on this game for Bears fans is with Green Bay, and it has nothing to do with Detroit being better now that Ragnow is back.

Sure, it might mean taking a Pepto-Bismol so it all goes down easier, but in the end it is the best thing.

Bears fans can’t root for the Packers under almost any circumstance. That’s an easy decision.

— Chris (@typophiliac) November 27, 2025

Besides, Detroit already lost tight end Sam LaPorta for the year and that looks like a bigger blow to their chances than getting Ragnow back for four or five games.

Sure, it’s always fun for Bears fans to see the Cheeseheads melt down but there really are more reasons to pull for a Green Bay win.

Bears – 12 -5
Lions – 11-6
Packers – 9-7-1

Bears split with both GB and DET
Packers got a hard schedule worst than Detroit to finish up the yr and if Gordon and JJ can play Friday the Bears have a shot at upset the eagles .

Not saying this will happen but my prediction. pic.twitter.com/uG2lCGX0et

— (Drew) Water Boy Drew (@CHITOWNDREW23) November 26, 20251. Wild card race

The Bears are in no position to assume anything. Their first goal needs to be making the playoffs. Taking the North is a nice goal but the playoffs come first. Any way one of the playoff contenders picks up more defeats is good news for the Bears, regardless of their division. But getting someone to stack up losses who is behind them is the best situation possible.

The Bears need either Detroit, Green Bay or San Francisco to finish with one more loss than they have. Just one of those three needs to finish with a worse record for the Bears to get into the playoffs, barring some kind of late, unlikely miracle Carolina playoff run.

Detroit would have five defeats with a loss to the Packers and would be in the eighth seed, two games behind the Bears in the loss column pending the Bears-Eagles game.

The Chicago Bears now have a 64% chance of making the playoffs via https://t.co/lhPrs1AzBv

The Packers and Lions are both at 78%

If the 49ers lose and move to 7-5 and 3rd in the NFC West they will have the same 64% chance of making the playoffs as the Bears pic.twitter.com/936sRQWnn8

— Steve Letizia (Formerly CFCBears) (@CFCBears) November 23, 20252. Packers schedule

Green Bay is only half of a game back and has the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL, based on opponents’ records. The Packers have to play Denver, Baltimore, the Bears twice and the Vikings, besides Detroit on Thursday. Green Bay’s chances of getting through that gauntlet unscathed enough to win the division looks lower than Detroit’s and not a good deal better even if they win Thursday. But if the Lions lose this one, it means a tough time ahead for both of the Bears’ NFC North challengers–it’s just going to be a bit easier for the Packers than before the Thanksgiving game.

You do realize that the Packers have had a significantly easier schedule than the Bears to date, don’t you? pic.twitter.com/RLlPjXGAHj

— Yitz Willroth™ {DEV MODE} (@coderabbi) November 26, 20253. Tiebreaker

Even though a win makes the Packers 4-0 in the NFC North, the Bears can still control the tiebreaker against Green Bay because they have two games left with the Packers besides the game with Detroit. If they sweep the Packers and beat Detroit, they would have any tiebreaker they need. Then again, if they sweep the Packers and beat Detroit, they probably wouldn’t even need a tiebreaker anyway.

The #Packers have a tough road matchup against a Lions team that has given them all kinds of problems in recent years, but has problems of its own this season.

If the Packers can repeat Week 1, or their last Thanksgiving matchup, it can setup a 1st place showdown with Chicago. pic.twitter.com/8N6Okf64G8

— Bruce Irons (@BruceIronsNFL) November 26, 20254. The Finale

Having already lost badly to Detroit, anything the Bears can have happen that makes their season finale with Detroit become meaningless is better. Getting a two-game edge on the Lions is the way the Bears make it impossible for Detroit to come to Chicago with a chance to tie the Bears and apply their tiebreaker edge.

Mully will be rooting for the Packers to lose to the Lions, and be believes all Bears fans should do the same. pic.twitter.com/LTvPZJQY32

— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) November 26, 2025Jaylon Johnson’s return hinted but who Bears DBs must cover is in questionAnother Bears defensive injury while Ozzy Trapilo role perplexesTime management crisis confronts Caleb Williams and Bears offenseChicago Bears could get used to the fun of playing marquee matchups

X: BearsOnSI