The Chicago Bears saved their best for last — and then some. Caleb Williams delivered the defining throw of his young career Saturday night, capping a stunning comeback as the Bears rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the rival Green Bay Packers 31-27 in an NFC wild-card thriller at Soldier Field. The victory sent Chicago into the divisional round and marked the franchise’s first playoff win in 15 years.
With 1:43 remaining, Williams dropped back, pump-faked and lofted a perfect strike down the right sideline to a wide-open DJ Moore for a 25-yard touchdown. It was the Bears’ first lead since the opening minutes of the game — and the latest clutch moment in a breakout season that keeps rolling.
The NFC North champion Bears (12-6) extended their remarkable first year under coach Ben Johnson, notching their seventh fourth-quarter comeback victory. Chicago had split two nail-biters with Green Bay during the regular season, but this one looked anything but competitive for three quarters.
Green Bay (9-8-1) dominated early, jumping out to a 21-3 halftime lead and carrying a 21-6 advantage into the fourth quarter. The Packers’ offense, led by Jordan Love, carved up the Bears in the first half, with Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson and Jayden Reed each catching touchdown passes.
But everything flipped in the final 15 minutes. Chicago pulled within 21-16 early in the fourth when D’Andre Swift powered in from five yards out. Green Bay answered with a spark of its own, as rookie Matthew Golden broke three tackles and hurdled a defender on a 23-yard catch-and-run for his first career touchdown. Brandon McManus missed the extra point wide left, leaving the Packers ahead 27-16 — a miss that would loom large.
Williams responded with urgency. He engineered a 76-yard drive, throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Olamide Zaccheaus and then hitting rookie tight end Colston Loveland for the two-point conversion to cut the deficit to 27-24 with 4:18 remaining.
The Packers had their chance to put the game away. They drove to the Chicago 21-yard line, but McManus pushed a 44-yard field goal attempt wide right. The miss gave the Bears life — and Williams made Green Bay pay.
Moments later, Williams found Moore for the go-ahead score, igniting a roaring crowd and flipping the rivalry script once again.
Green Bay made one last desperate push. Love moved the Packers into Chicago territory, but on third down at the 28, he dropped the snap, scrambled and heaved a pass toward the end zone as time expired. Safety Jaquan Brisker deflected the ball, sealing the win and setting off a wild celebration — followed by a curt postgame handshake between Johnson and Packers coach Matt LaFleur.
The Bears hadn’t won a playoff game since the 2010 season, when they beat Seattle in the divisional round. They had lost three straight postseason games since, including an NFC championship loss to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. For decades, Green Bay owned the rivalry. Now, the momentum appears to be shifting, with Chicago beating the Packers for the third time in the past five meetings.
This is exactly what the Bears envisioned when they drafted Williams No. 1 overall last year and hired Johnson in the offseason. Williams shook off a shaky start to throw for 361 yards and two touchdowns, completing 24 of 48 passes despite two interceptions. Loveland had a career night with eight catches for 137 yards.
The Bears had limped into the postseason after close losses to San Francisco and Detroit, but Saturday’s comeback showed just how dangerous they’ve become.
For Green Bay, the ending was a fitting close to a frustrating stretch. The Packers dropped their final five games after soaring expectations followed the late-August acquisition of star pass rusher Micah Parsons. The two-time All-Pro suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 15, and the defense struggled without him.
Love, playing his first game since missing the final two regular-season contests following a helmet-to-helmet hit in Week 16, threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns. Linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper briefly stalled Chicago’s rally with a third-quarter interception near the goal line, but it wasn’t enough.
The Bears will host a divisional-round game against either the Los Angeles Rams or Philadelphia. The Eagles face San Francisco on Sunday, while the Rams eliminated Carolina on Saturday.
As for the Packers, the offseason begins — and the Bears, at long last, are still dancing.
