CHICAGO – The Bears pulled off another comeback and it ended the Packers' season, as Chicago prevailed in the NFC Wild Card game, 31-27, on Saturday night at Soldier Field.
Green Bay blew leads of 21-3 at halftime and 21-16 in the fourth quarter as all three phases had major breakdowns in the second half.
The Bears, now 12-6, advance to the divisional round and will host another game next weekend. The Packers' season is over with a 9-8-1 overall record and five straight losses to end it.
For the Packers, QB Jordan Love was 24-of-46 for 323 yards with four TDs and a 103.8 passer rating, but the offense went on a string of four possessions in the third quarter during which it gained just one first down. That started Chicago's comeback.
Green Bay's special teams also gave up multiple long returns that helped the Bears' field position in their comeback effort.
Eventually, the Packers got another touchdown to go up 27-16, but K Brandon McManus missed the PAT. He then missed a 44-yard field goal on Green Bay's next drive after the Bears had cut the deficit to three, McManus' second missed field goal of the game including a long one at the end of the first half.
The Bears drove quickly down the field to take the lead, leaving just under two minutes left, and the Packers got inside the Chicago 25-yard line on their final drive but stalled out there.
WR Romeo Doubs had eight catches for 124 yards and a score for the Packers, with rookie WR Matthew Golden adding four catches for 84 yards and a TD. WR Jayden Reed had four catches for 43 yards and a score, with WR Christian Watson catching three for 36 and a TD.
RB Josh Jacobs had 19 carries for 55 yards, most of them in the first half. He found no running room after halftime.
For the Bears, QB Caleb Williams was 24-of-48 for 361 yards with two TDs, two INTs and a 71.6 passer rating. TE Colston Loveland caught eight passes for 137 yards, and WR DJ Moore had six catches for 64 yards and a TD. RB D'Andrew Swift had 13 carries for 54 yards and a TD, and RB Kyle Monongai had eight carries for 27 yards.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Packers lead Bears 7-3 after the first quarter
Chicago won the coin toss and elected to receive. Carrington Valentine started at cornerback opposite Keisean Nixon.
The Packers had the Bears in third down on four occasions, including a third-and-12 opportunity from the Green Bay 26. D.J. Moore caught a 12-yard slant to convert.
The Packers forced Chicago to settle for a 27-yard Cairo Santos field goal after Rashan Gary pressured Caleb Williams into throwing the ball away on third-and-5 from the Green Bay 9.
The Bears took a 3-0 lead with 7 minutes, 2 seconds left in the first quarter following the 16-play, 59-yard drive.
Jordan Morgan started at right tackle in place of Zach Tom. Nixon returned the opening kickoff but Green Bay started at its own 15 after a holding penalty on backup tight end Josh Whyle.
Jayden Reed gained 14 yards on a reverse on first down. Luke Musgrave gained nine yards on an out to set up a 33-yard pass from Jordan Love to Romeo Doubs on a deep crosser on third-and-1.
Josh Jacobs gained 14 yards on back-to-back carries to move Green Bay to the Bears' 15. On third-and-2 from the Chicago 7, Love rolled out and hit Christian Watson for a 7-yard touchdown to put the Packers ahead 7-3 with 2:06 left in the first quarter. The nine-play, 85-yard drive lasted 4:56.
The first quarter ended with the Bears lining up on fourth-and-2 from their 38 but not snapping the ball.
Packers lead Bears 21-3 at halftime
On fourth-and-2, Williams fired a 18-yard pass to Moore on a slant for the first down. D'Andre Swift was tackled after a 3-yard gain and then Moore slipped for no gain on a trick play.
Edgerrin Cooper dropped Kyle Monangai after a 1-yard pickup and the Bears chose to go for it on fourth-and-6 from the Green Bay 40. Williams misfired a deep ball to Luther Burden that Carrington Valentine intercepted at the 13.
Jacobs gained 20 yards on back-to-back carries. Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards was injured on the next play and carted to the locker room.
Out of a two-RB look, Love hit Matthew Golden for 36 yards on a corner route to the Chicago 31. Austin Booker, who was fined twice for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the Packers' previous meeting in Chicago, again made helmet-to-helmet contact on a sack of Love.
Love bounced up and hit Doubs for 10 yards on third-and-8. Then on third-and-9, Love placed in an 18-yard touchdown to Jayden Reed to extend Green Bay's lead to 14-3 with 6:46 left in the first half.
The Bears went three-and-out again after Rome Odunze couldn't bring in a pass over the middle. It was initially called a completed catch but overturned upon a successful challenge.
Chicago went for it on fourth-and-4 from its own 33 and turned the ball over on downs after Cooper deflected a Williams pass at the line of scrimmage.
Jacobs gained nine yards on back-to-back carries but then stuffed on third-and-1. Green Bay went for it on fourth-and-1 and nearly scored on a play-action rollout to Watson.
Watson fumbled before crossing the goal line, but Romeo Doubs recovered it at the 1. Love's first-and-goal pass fell incomplete and Jacobs was tackled for no gain on back-to-back plays as the first half reached the two-minute warning.
On fourth-and-goal, Love hit Doubs for a 1-yard TD to push the Packers' lead to 21-3 with 1:56 left in the first half.
Williams opened the next Chicago series with a 22-yard pass to Colston Loveland. Edgerrin Cooper nearly picked off Williams on the next play after Rashan Gary got a hand on Williams' throw.
Lukas Van Ness had hits on Williams on back-to-back plays. Williams scrambled for six yards to set up fourth-and-4 at the Green Bay 37. Williams misfired on a pass to Loveland across the middle and Chicago turned the ball over on downs for the third time in the first half.
Taking over at the Green Bay 37, Chris Brooks gained 16 yards on a checkdown to the Bears' 47. Love then gained 11 yards on a scramble. Love threw it away twice and Brandon McManus missed a 54-yard field goal as time expired.
Packers lead Bears 21-6 after three quarters
Green Bay went three-and-out to start the second half. Starting at the Chicago 37, Williams hit Loveland for 29 yards on third-and-7 and then 19 yards on the next play to move into scoring territory.
Quay Walker stuffed Moore for a 4-yard loss on a reversal. Williams then came up limping after Barryn Sorrell's quarterback hit forced a third-and-14 incompletion. Santos made a 34-yard field goal to cut Green Bay's lead to 21-6 with 10:07 left in the third quarter.
The Packers started at their 37 after Nixon's 28-yard return. Watson caught a 6-yard out to set up third-and-2 but went three-and-out again after missing Golden high.
Williams stayed in the game as Chicago took over at its 18. He opened with a 25-yard pass to Burden over the middle.
Monangai picked up the first down on third-and-2, and the Bears gained an additional 15 yards after Nixon leaped on the pile. Edgerrin Cooper injured his ankle on the play and announced as questionable to return.
Williams connected with Swift over the middle for 15 yards to the Green Bay 15. The Packers stopped Swift before the first down on third-and-4 and Chicago went for it again.
With Karl Brooks bearing down on him, Williams threw up a pass that Ty'Ron Hopper picked off and returned to the Green Bay 9. The Bears fell to 1-of-5 on fourth down with the turnover.
The Packers ran a screen for offensive lineman Darian Kinnard, who gained six yards before fumbling out of bounds. Jacobs picked up the first down with a 6-yard run.
Devin Duvernay returned Daniel Whelan's 50-yard punt 37 yards to the Green Bay 35.
Bears rally again to beat Packers, 31-27
Isaiah McDuffie and Evan Williams each had a pass deflection off Williams before Lukas Van Ness got a strip sack that the Bears recovered. Santos made a 51-yard field goal to cut the Packers' lead to 21-9 with 13:29 left in regulation.
Santos' squib kick fell short of the landing zone and Green Bay took possession at its 40 but again went three-and-out. Chicago started its next drive at its 34.
Williams scrambled for 11 yards on first down and then hit Loveland for 22 yards on a corner. Loveland caught another corner for 21 yards to move the ball to the Packers' 12.
On third-and-3, Swift ran in for a 5-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 21-16 with 10:08 remaining. Josh Jacobs returned the kickoff to the 46 but fumble the ball. Kitan Oladapo recovered.
Green Bay fell back 10 yards due to a holding penalty but gained nine back on a pass to Doubs, who then gained 22 yards on a slant to the Chicago 33. Love went back to Doubs again on a stop route for nine yards on third-and-9.
Matthew Golden caught a flare in the flat and turned it into a 23-yard touchdown to push the Packers' lead to 27-16 with 6:36 after McManus missed the extra point wide left.
Williams opened with a 17-yard pass to Rome Odunze and then hit Loveland down the sideline for seven yards to the Chicago 48. Chicago lined up to go for it on fourth-and-3 after two incompletions but then jumped offsides.
On fourth-and-8 from the Bears' 43, Williams hit Odunze for a 27-yard gain. After two more incompletions, Monangai took a check down 22 yards to the Green Bay 8.
Olamide Zaccheaus caught a crosser for an 8-yard touchdown to cut the Packers' lead to 27-24 with 4:18 remaining after Loveland caught the two-point conversion.
Jacobs returned the kickoff to the Green Bay 31. On second-and-8, Doubs made a brilliant one-handed catch for a 34-yard completion to the Bears' 33. Golden caught a 12-yard pass on a corner route to convert on second-and-10.
Chicago used its second timeout with 3:07 left after stopping Jacobs for no gain. Love threw three incompletions and McManus missed the 44-yard field goal wide right.
Loveland caught a 12-yard pass and Swift gained six yards to the Green Bay 46 as the game reached the two-minute warning. On third-and-4, Williams and Swift connected for a 23-yard completion to the Green Bay 25.
Williams found Moore for a 25-yard touchdown on the next play to put the Bears up 31-27 with 1:43 remaining.
On fourth-and-7, Love kept the game alive with a 13-yard out to Golden to the Green Bay 44. Josh Whyle caught a 7-yard out on first down to move across midfield. Golden dropped a deep crosser on second-and-3.
Doubs caught a 6-yard slant for a first down at the Bears' 43. Green Bay used its final timeout. Jayden Reed caught a 20-yard pass to the Chicago 23. Sean Rhyan was injured on the play and the Packers were assessed a 10-second penalty for an injury without timeouts. Lecitus Smith replaced Rhyan at center.
Love missed Watson deep with 13 seconds left. Rasheed Walker was called for a false start to set up second-and-15 at the 28. Love's second down pass fell incomplete with seven seconds left.
Love's third-down pass fell incomplete, as the Bears pulled off the 15-point comeback.
