The legend of Cardiac Caleb Williams lives to see another day.
The Chicago Bears pulled off another thrilling victory, defeating the Green Bay Packers 31-28 in a game that tested their resilience from start to finish.
Chicago struggled to start fast, with a 16-play opening drive that produced just three points and a similarly slow first drive of the second half that left them with only six points late in the third. After looking porous in the first half, the Bears’ defense clamped down in the second, forcing multiple stops and giving the offense advantageous field position. Chicago’s offense struggled to capitalize at times, including a fourth-down interception in Green Bay’s red zone in the third quarter and a field goal on their next visit, but the Packers allowed enough opportunities for the Bears to chip away at the lead.
Caleb Williams eventually found the clutch gene that has powered Chicago to numerous heart-stopping wins this season, orchestrating a late-game comeback with contributions from nearly the entire team. Devin Duvernay returned a punt to the Packers’ 35-yard line, setting up a quick field goal. Colston Loveland led a touchdown drive finished by two hard runs from D’Andre Swift, including a six-yard score. Williams delivered a miraculous fourth-down throw to Rome Odunze late in the fourth quarter, keeping the drive alive, and DJ Moore hauled in the game-winning touchdown to give the Bears the lead for good. Dennis Allen’s defense held strong throughout the second half to buy the offense the time it needed, helping Chicago secure a win that feels monumental for the franchise.
For Packers coach Matt LaFleur, the loss was a painful collapse. Green Bay led 21-6 early in the fourth quarter, which was reduced to 21-9 following a defensive stop by Chicago. Rather than shortening the game and running the clock, the Packers ran the ball just three times in the third quarter, went three-and-out on three of their first four possessions in the second half, and held the ball for just 5:22 despite three possessions in the period. LaFleur’s decision to maintain a fast pace while holding a multi-score lead provided the Bears with additional opportunities, which Chicago capitalized on to score the decisive touchdown with less than two minutes left and close out the game with a defensive stand.
Chicago earned the win despite recording zero takeaways. Their defense, which has thrived all season on forcing turnovers, forced opportunities—including a fumble by Darian Kinnard—but failed to secure the ball. What the Bears lacked in turnovers, they made up for with second-half execution, shutting down a previously unstoppable Packers offense and pressing Jordan Love into difficult throws. In the final moments, Chicago’s defensive backs executed tight man coverage, breaking up a pass to Christian Watson near the goal line and stopping Love’s desperate throw to the end zone, proving the team could win without relying on takeaways.
According to Next Gen Stats, from 6:51 in the second quarter to 2:59 in the fourth, the Bears’ win probability never exceeded 25%, hitting a low of 3.0%. This marks the second of the Bears’ eight most unlikely comebacks of the season against Green Bay. Caleb Williams now has seven fourth-quarter comebacks this season, including the playoffs—the most ever in a season by a quarterback under 25—and finished with the most passing yards in a playoff debut (361) since Matthew Stafford in 2011.
Jordan Love had an impressive game despite the loss. He converted four of six third downs in the first half, threw a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, and kept Green Bay ahead late in the fourth quarter with a touchdown drive that gave the Packers an 11-point lead with 6:36 remaining. Love also moved Green Bay into field goal range late before Brandon McManus missed a second attempt and completed a perfect throw to Jayden Reed that was dropped, denying the Packers a chance to reclaim the lead. Love’s performance highlighted his ability to keep the offense productive even as the team fell short in the final minutes.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson’s aggressive strategy nearly backfired. Chicago went for it on fourth down four times in the first half, converting just once. Two of the failures came against analytical recommendations, and one gave the Packers an easy touchdown. Johnson adjusted after that, but his early risk-taking could be a talking point heading into the Divisional Round.
