Caleb Williams threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore with 1:43 remaining as the Chicago Bears rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Green Bay Packers 31-27 in a wild-card game on Saturday night. The NFC North champions secured their first playoff win in 15 years, extending their resurgent season under coach Ben Johnson.
Chicago trailed 21-3 at halftime and 21-6 through three quarters before outscoring Green Bay 25-6 in the fourth quarter. Williams, making his playoff debut, finished with 361 passing yards and two late touchdowns despite a shaky start that included two interceptions. The comeback marked the Bears' seventh fourth-quarter victory of the season.
"True belief," Williams said. "Belief. That's all you need. You have belief in the coaches that they're going to call the right play at the right time." Rookie tight end Colston Loveland caught a career-high eight passes for 137 yards, while D'Andre Swift scored on a five-yard run early in the fourth quarter to pull Chicago within 21-16.
The Packers responded with a touchdown from rookie Matthew Golden, but Brandon McManus missed the extra point and later a 44-yard field goal attempt with 4:18 remaining. Chicago then drove for the go-ahead score, with Williams hitting Olamide Zaccheaus for an eight-yard touchdown and Loveland for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 27-24.
Green Bay's last hope ended when Jordan Love lost the snap on third down, scrambling to heave a pass that was deflected in the end zone by Jaquan Brisker. Love threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns in his return from a concussion, but the Packers lost their fifth straight game to end the season.
