When Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was interviewed at the end of the first half by Prime Video on Saturday night, his team led 21-3. It wasn’t an insurmountable lead but he should have been feeling good. But LaFleur noted that the Chicago Bears had been producing big comeback wins all season.
He just couldn’t stop it from happening. At this point, it’s in the Bears’ DNA to dig a big hole and then produce a ridiculous comeback. It might be becoming part of Caleb Williams’ DNA as an NFL quarterback as well.
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The Bears, down 18 points in the first half and 11 points with less than five minutes to go, had another miracle comeback to go with their miracle comeback against the Packers in Week 16. The Packers’ offense stalled in the second half and a trio of missed kicks cost them seven points. The Packers left the door open for the Bears to mount one of the most exciting comebacks in NFL playoff history.
Williams put together two huge drives in the fourth quarter, the second one ending in a 25-yard touchdown to DJ Moore with 1:43 to go. The Packers couldn’t answer, running out of time after a drive into Chicago territory, and their 21-3 first-half lead became a 31-27 loss. The Bears will play either the Los Angeles Rams or Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round in Chicago.
“Obviously this one is going to hurt for a really, really long time,” LaFleur said afterward.
Chicago has had wild games all season, and came out on the winning end of most of them. The Bears seem to get the exact play they need over and over. That’s probably why, when the Packers seemed to be on the verge of an easy win, the Bears just kept plugging away and finally pulled off the wild rally.
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It also doubles as one of the biggest collapses in Packers history, made especially painful by having it happen against their biggest rival.
Packers take big lead as Bears sputter on fourth downs
The Packers took a big lead in each of their first two meetings with the Bears. The start to the third meeting was familiar.
Jordan Love hadn’t played since suffering a concussion against the Bears on Dec. 20 but was sharp from the start of the game. He threw for three touchdown passes on the Packers’ first three drives. The third one came after a big gamble by Bears head coach Ben Johnson on fourth down and put Chicago in a huge hole.
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Trailing 14-3 in the second quarter, Johnson decided to go for it on fourth-and-5 from Chicago’s 32-yard line. The shotgun snap wasn’t great and Williams’ pass was batted down. The Packers converted two of their own fourth downs, one to Christian Watson to get them to the 1-yard line and another to Romeo Doubs for a 1-yard touchdown. The Packers led 21-3 after that. The Bears went for it again on fourth-and-4 on their next drive and WIlliams’ pass was incomplete. The Bears were 1-of-4 on fourth downs in the first half.
The Packers outplayed the Bears in the first half. Johnson’s unsuccessful gambles on fourth down didn’t help. A 21-3 lead at halftime looked good, but the first two meetings also featured big Bears comebacks in the fourth quarter. That’s why the second half shouldn’t have been too surprising.
Packers struggle to finish off the Bears and Caleb Williams, DJ Moore snatch victory
In both Packers-Bears games in the regular season, the Packers took a big lead but couldn’t put the game away. The first time, they held on to win. The second time, the Bears got some huge breaks and won the game.
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The Packers took another lead against the Bears in the third meeting and couldn’t put the game away.
The Packers’ offense stalled through the third quarter but the Bears couldn’t take full advantage. They got a field goal, but with a chance to get more the Bears had another fourth-down failure. The Bears went for it on fourth-and-inches at Green Bay’s 6-yard line but made it complicated, dropping back to pass instead of running it. Williams got immediate pressure up the middle, passed it as he was retreating and it was picked off. In a close game, the Bears’ fourth-down failures made a big difference.
Despite the Bears’ issues, the Packers couldn’t get a drive going. Finally the Bears reached the end zone, with D’Andre Swift picking up a 5-yard touchdown after yet another Packers punt. The Bears trailed 21-16 with more than 10 minutes to go, despite falling behind by 18 in the first half.
The Packers desperately needed a drive to stop the bleeding. They got a huge play from a rookie first-round draft pick who had a very quiet season. Love threw short to Matthew Golden out of the backfield, and Golden broke through multiple tackle attempts for a touchdown and a 27-16 lead. Golden didn’t score a touchdown in the regular season and had just 361 yards. Green Bay’s Brandon McManus missed the extra point, and that would linger for the rest of the game.
The Packers couldn’t help but keep letting the Bears stick around. An incredible fourth-down pass from Williams to Rome Odunze kept the next drive alive, and Williams hit Olamide Zaccheaus for a touchdown with 4:18 left. The 2-point conversion was good, and because the Packers missed the extra point after Golden’s touchdown, it was a three-point game.
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McManus had a shot to make up for that missed extra point with a field goal in the final three minutes, but he missed wide right. He also missed a field goal to end the first half. The Packers were doing everything to give the game away. Finally, the Bears took the lead back when Moore got open behind the defense and caught a 25-yard touchdown. Moore also caught a game-winning touchdown to beat the Packers in overtime in Week 16.
Love wasn’t done. He completed a fourth-down pass to keep the two-minute drill alive. The Packers got into Bears territory in the final minute of the half. The Packers were moving but an injury when they had no timeouts left caused a 10-second runoff to 22 seconds. That gave the Packers limited chances at the end zone, and they ran out of time. Love threw incomplete on the final play of the game.
It was just a wild-card round win for Chicago, but given who it was against and how it happened, it will be remembered for a long time.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
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Ian Casselberry
Read into this what you will. The Bears and Packers have a great rivalry, historically. Ben Johnson appears to have revived it and blazed through the postgame handshake with Matt LaFleur.
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Ian Casselberry
In Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach, the Bears move on to the divisional round of the playoffs. Chicago scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to complete its comeback.
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Ian Casselberry
Packers – 421 yards total offense
Jordan Love: 24-of-46, 323 yards, 4 TD
Romeo Doubs: 8 catches, 124 yards, 1 TD
Josh Jacobs: 19 carries, 55 yardsBears – 445 yards total offense
Caleb Williams: 24-of-48, 361 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Colston Loveland: 8 catches, 137 yards
D’Andre Swift: 13 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD -
Ian Casselberry
After an incomplete pass on second-and-15, the Packers had one last chance with seven seconds remaining.
Jordan Love fumbled but then picked the ball back up at the Bears’ 33-yard line. He bought himself some time moving around in the pocket, then lofted a pass to the end zone to Emanuel Wilson. But it fell incomplete.
The Bears win, 31-27, rallying from an 18-point deficit to advance to the divisional round. They will face the winner of Sunday’s 49ers-Eagles matchup.
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Ian Casselberry
A false start penalty on Rasheed Walker pushes the Packers back to the Chicago 28-yard line with 13 seconds remaining.
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Ian Casselberry
On first-and-10 from the Bears’ 43-yard line, Jordan Love connects with Jayden Reed for a 20-yard gain.
However, Sean Rhyan was injured on the play, resulting in a 10-second runoff for Green Bay.
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Ian Casselberry
Jordan Love continues to move the Packers, hitting Josh Whyle for a 7-yard gain and Romeo Doubs for a 6-yard catch.
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Ian Casselberry
After a 3-yard checkdown to Josh Jacobs, Jordan Love throws incomplete to Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs dropped a pass on third-and-7.
However, Love then connects on an out route to Matthew Golden for a 13-yard gain and a first down with 1:05 remaining.
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Ian Casselberry
The Bears take the lead! D.J. Moore catches a 25-yard pass down the left sideline, breaking free on what appeared to be a screen pass to Luther Burden III.
It’s Bears 31, Packers 27 with 1:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.
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Ian Casselberry
A 12-yard catch by Colston Loveland and 6-yard run from D’Andre Swift moves the Bears to the Packers’ 48-yard line at the 2-minute warning.
Loveland has 8 catches for 137 yards tonight.
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Ian Casselberry
Brandon McManus misses another kick for Green Bay, pushing a 44-yard field goal attempt to the right with 2:56 remaining in regulation.
McManus had five yard further to kick after the Packers were called for a delay of game penalty on third-and-10 from the Bears’ 21-yard line. Jordan Love hen threw incomplete on third-and-15, setting up McManus’ field goal attempt.
Chicago takes over at its 34-yard line with just under three minutes to go.
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Ian Casselberry
Facing a Bears comeback, the Packers are putting together a drive. Romeo Doubs breaks open down the sideline and snares a one-handed grab for a 34-yard gain, giving Green Bay a first down at the Chicago 33-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
The Bears spring back to life! Olamide Zaccheaus catches an 8-yard touchdown to pull Chicago within five points.
Caleb Williams then hits Colston Loveland in the front corner of the end zone for a 2-point conversion and a 3-point margin.
Suddenly, Brandon McManus’ missed extra point could be a problem for Green Bay.
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Ian Casselberry
The Bears are not done yet. Caleb Williams hit Rome Odunze on a spectacular 27-yard pass after scrambling to the left.
Three plays later, Williams connects with Kyle Monagai for a 22-yard gain, advancing Chicago to the Packers’ 8-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
Just as it appeared that the Bears had the momentum rolling toward a rally, the Packers answer with a touchdown drive.
Green Bay drives 54 yards in six plays, highlighted by a 22-yard catch by Romeo Doubs.
After another 9-yard connection between Love and Doubs, the Packers QB hit Matthew Golden on a skip pass. The rookie then broke five tackle attempts on his way to a 23-yard score that may have ended the Bears’ comeback.
Brandon McManus missed the extra point, but it’s still a two-possession game for Chicago now.
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Ian Casselberry
After the Bears’ first touchdown, Josh Jacobs took his first kickoff return of the season for the Packers.
The running back nearly gave the ball right back to Chicago, fumbling after a 32-yard return. But Kitan Oladapo recovered to avert a major mistake for Green Bay.
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Ian Casselberry
This is now a ballgame, thanks largely to the Bears’ defense. First, Chicago forced a three-and-out on the Packers’ next possession.
Following a 58-yard punt by Daniel Whelan, the Bears finish off a 7-play, 66-yard drive highlighted by two catches by Colston Loveland for a combined 43 yards.
Chicago finally gets into the end zone on a 5-yard run by D’Andre Swift.
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Ian Casselberry
The Bears are chipping away at the Packers’ lead, but still haven’t gotten into the end zone. Cairo Santos hits a 51-yard field goal to cut Green Bay’s lead to 21-9.
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Ian Casselberry
On the Packers’ previous possession, a bizarre play from offensive lineman Darian Kinnard is worth revisiting.
Love passed to Kinnard as an eligible receiver, who then fumbled. The ball was then kicked forward for 15 yards.
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Ian Casselberry
The Packers punted following Jordan Love’s intentional grounding penalty. Love completed an 11-yard pass to Chris Brooks on third-and-20, but didn’t get a first down.
After a 50-yard punt from Daniel Whelan, the Bears took over shortly before the end of the third quarter. Caleb Williams hit Durham Smythe for a 6-yard gain, but missed on a deep pass to Luther Burden III on the next play as the third quarter expired.
