Packers Survive Wild Card Thriller as Bears’ Furious Rally Falls Short at Soldier Field

CHICAGO — The Green Bay Packers burst out of the gate and appeared ready to cruise through their NFC Wild Card matchup against the Chicago Bears, only to find themselves clinging desperately to a shrinking lead late in a dramatic playoff battle.

Playing in hostile conditions at Soldier Field, Green Bay dominated early with tempo, efficiency, and explosive execution, but nearly watched everything unravel as Chicago mounted a furious second-half comeback that pushed the Packers to their absolute limit.

The opening minutes set the tone for what initially looked like a comfortable Packers night, as Matt LaFleur’s offense played with urgency and balance, capitalizing on early opportunities and converting red-zone chances that had haunted them weeks earlier.

Green Bay wasted little time answering Chicago’s opening field goal, a significant psychological shift after struggling inside the red zone during their Week 16 loss at the same venue earlier in the season.

Jordan Love orchestrated the response with poise, leaning on play-action and misdirection to exploit Chicago’s linebackers and secondary, a formula that quickly paid dividends for the visiting Packers.

A 14-yard jet sweep by Jayden Reed ignited the drive, setting up a crucial third-and-short where Love sold the run fake perfectly before hitting Romeo Doubs deep for a 33-yard gain that flipped field position.

Moments later, Love booted right off another convincing fake and found Christian Watson racing toward the pylon, beating his defender for a seven-yard touchdown that silenced the Chicago crowd and gave Green Bay a 7–3 lead.

The Bears responded with a lengthy possession, leaning heavily on rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who demonstrated both composure and creativity while converting multiple third downs to sustain an exhausting 16-play opening drive.

Despite Chicago’s ability to control the ball early, the Packers defense stiffened in key moments, forcing Cairo Santos to settle for a field goal and preventing an early momentum swing in front of a restless home crowd.

As the first quarter progressed, Green Bay’s defense delivered one of its most important early sequences, highlighted by Rashan Gary’s pressure that forced Williams into a hurried throwaway on third down.

The Packers capitalized immediately, extending their advantage on a meticulously executed drive that showcased Love’s growth as a playoff quarterback and Green Bay’s improved route discipline against zone coverage.

Facing third-and-9, Love identified a favorable matchup and delivered a perfectly placed 18-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Reed, whose double move left linebacker Tremaine Edmunds trailing helplessly.

Earlier in the drive, rookie Matthew Golden flashed his potential with a 36-yard catch-and-run, giving fans a glimpse of the first-round pick’s athletic upside on the playoff stage.

Green Bay’s defense followed with another critical stop, denying Chicago on fourth down after a successful challenge by LaFleur overturned what was initially ruled a completed pass.

With the Packers set to receive the ball to start the second half, Bears coach Ben Johnson gambled by keeping his offense on the field, only to see Edgerrin Cooper deflect Williams’ pass and swing momentum decisively.

Given the short field, Green Bay seized control once again, although a misfired snap ultimately caused Brandon McManus’ 55-yard field goal attempt to drift wide left, preventing an even larger halftime cushion.

Still, the Packers entered the locker room firmly in command, holding a 21–3 lead and dominating both sides of the ball through execution, physicality, and discipline.

Jordan Love’s halftime stat line reflected his command, completing nine of 15 passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns, with two incompletions serving as intentional clock-killing throwaways late in the half.

Josh Jacobs provided steady balance on the ground, carrying 12 times for 49 yards, as Green Bay outgained Chicago decisively both rushing and passing while converting every red-zone opportunity.

Despite the scoreboard advantage, Green Bay was well aware of Chicago’s resilience, particularly with Williams having led the NFL in fourth-quarter comebacks during the regular season.

The second half opened with an unexpected shift, as the Packers squandered a golden opportunity to deliver a knockout blow by going three-and-out on their opening possession.

Chicago immediately capitalized, driving into scoring range and cutting the deficit with a field goal after Williams connected twice with tight end Colston Loveland for significant gains.

Another Packers three-and-out followed, fueling belief on the Chicago sideline and shifting the energy inside Soldier Field as the Bears began to sense vulnerability.

Williams led a promising drive deep into Green Bay territory, aided by a costly penalty and a series of short completions that steadily chipped away at the deficit.

Facing fourth-and-one at the six-yard line, Chicago attempted a play-action strike, but Karl Brooks’ relentless pressure forced a desperate throw that was intercepted by Ty’Ron Hopper in the flat.

The interception temporarily steadied Green Bay, but the warning signs were unmistakable as offensive stagnation and mounting defensive fatigue threatened to undo the Packers’ early dominance.

Entering the fourth quarter with a 21–6 lead, Green Bay appeared safe on paper, yet momentum told a far different story as Chicago opened the final frame with strong field position.

The Bears trimmed the margin further with a field goal following a strip-sack sequence, narrowing the score to 21–9 and keeping the door firmly open with over 13 minutes remaining.

Chicago continued to apply pressure, with Williams finding Loveland repeatedly and D’Andre Swift finishing a drive with a five-yard touchdown run to pull the Bears within five points.

Meanwhile, Green Bay’s offense collapsed into disarray, producing minimal yardage and burning almost no clock while Jordan Love absorbed pressure and drew consecutive intentional grounding penalties.

With each failed possession, the Packers’ grip weakened, and the once-comfortable lead transformed into a tense standoff as the Bears fed off crowd energy and defensive intensity.

The turning point arrived when Matthew Golden finally broke through, scoring his first touchdown of the season on a remarkable 23-yard reception that featured broken tackles and an acrobatic hurdle.

Although McManus missed the extra point, Golden’s score restored some breathing room at 27–16, momentarily halting Chicago’s momentum and reigniting the Packers’ sideline.

Chicago refused to fold, however, as Williams engineered another impressive drive, converting fourth-and-eight and third-and-ten with pinpoint throws under pressure.

An eight-yard touchdown pass to Olamide Zaccheaus, followed by a two-point conversion to Loveland, suddenly cut the deficit to 27–24 with just over four minutes remaining.

With time dwindling, Green Bay’s margin for error vanished entirely, and the Packers found themselves needing a game-sealing drive to avoid one of the most dramatic collapses in playoff history.

Instead, chaos struck again when a delay of game penalty pushed the Packers into third-and-long, ultimately leading to a missed 44-yard field goal by McManus.

The miss gave Chicago life with 2:51 remaining, forcing Green Bay’s defense to summon one final stand to preserve a victory that once appeared inevitable.

In the end, the Packers survived, but the narrow escape served as both a testament to their resilience and a warning about the perils of postseason complacency.

For Chicago, the loss underscored the promise of Caleb Williams and a young core that refused to quit, signaling a dangerous future for the Bears despite the season’s abrupt end.

For Green Bay, the win advanced them to the next round, but the lessons were unmistakable: playoff success demands four full quarters of execution, focus, and discipline.

As Matt LaFleur emphasized before the game, there are no wasted plays in January football, and on this night at Soldier Field, every snap carried consequences that nearly changed the outcome entirely.