The energy in Chicago right now is basically vibrating off the walls of every Italian beef joint in the city. If you went to bed early last Saturday night thinking the season was over, honestly, I don't blame you. Being a Bears fan usually means waiting for the other shoe to drop, and for three quarters, that shoe wasn't just dropping—it was stomping all over our playoff hopes.
But then the fourth quarter happened.
The final score of the Chicago Bears game against the Green Bay Packers was 31-27. It sounds like a normal, close football game on paper, but the way we got there was anything but normal. This wasn't just a Wild Card win; it was a "burn the tapes of the first half" kind of miracle.
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The Comeback That Defied Every Stat
At halftime, the scoreboard looked like a crime scene. Packers 21, Bears 3.
Jordan Love was slicing through the secondary like it was a walkthrough. Christian Watson and Jayden Reed were finding gaps that shouldn't exist in a Ben Johnson-coached defense. You could feel the collective "here we go again" sigh across Soldier Field. The Bears hadn't won a playoff game in 15 years, and it looked like the streak was going to hit 16 with a thud.
But Caleb Williams decided he wasn't done.
The kid finished with 323 passing yards and four touchdowns, but the stat line doesn't tell you about the "it" factor. In the fourth quarter alone, the Bears outscored Green Bay 25-6. Most teams fold when they're down 18 in the playoffs. This team just started throwing haymakers.
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How the Final Score Shifted in the Last 7 Minutes
If you’re looking for the exact moment the game flipped, look at the 10:08 mark in the fourth. D'Andre Swift punched in a 6-yard rush to make it 21-16. Suddenly, the stadium went from a library to a riot.
Then things got weird.
- The Packers Response: Matthew Golden broke three tackles on a 23-yard catch-and-run to put Green Bay back up 27-16.
- The Missed Kick: Brandon McManus missed the extra point. That one point felt huge at the time, and it turned out to be the crack in the door the Bears needed.
- The Tight End Emergence: Rookie Colston Loveland caught a touchdown and then the two-point conversion to bring it to 27-24.
- The D.J. Moore Dagger: With 1:43 left, Caleb Williams found Moore on a 25-yard streak. Touchdown. Final lead change.
The final score of the Chicago Bears game stayed at 31-27 because the defense finally woke up. On the last play, Jaquan Brisker deflected a desperation heave from Love as time expired. It’s the kind of finish that makes you age five years in three hours.
Why This Final Score Changes Everything
For years, the narrative has been that the Bears can’t develop a quarterback and can’t beat the Packers when it actually matters. This game sort of nuked both those talking points.
Caleb Williams is the first Bears rookie to throw for over 300 yards in a playoff game. He also broke Erik Kramer’s single-season franchise passing record during the regular season finale against the Lions (even though we lost that one 19-16). This isn't just a lucky win; it's a shift in the power dynamic of the NFC North.
Ben Johnson has this team playing with a weird kind of "true belief," as Caleb called it in the post-game presser. They’ve had seven fourth-quarter comebacks this year. Seven! That’s not a fluke; that’s a personality trait.
What Comes After the 31-27 Victory?
So, the Bears are moving on. No time to celebrate with too many Old Styles because the Divisional Round is already knocking.
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The Los Angeles Rams are coming to Soldier Field this Sunday, January 18. This is going to be a massive test for the secondary. The Rams have the #1 scoring offense in the league right now, averaging over 30 points a game. If the Bears play the first half against Matthew Stafford the way they played against Jordan Love, they won't get a chance to make a comeback.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the Injury Report: Keep an eye on Shemar Turner. The interior defensive line struggled without him against the Packers, and they’ll need that push to keep Stafford from getting comfortable.
- Watch the Weather: It’s mid-January in Chicago. The forecast is looking "Bears Weather" cold, which traditionally favors the home team, though McVay’s Rams have proven they can play in the elements.
- Update Your Calendar: Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC.
The final score of the Chicago Bears game gave us a ticket to the dance. Now we see if this young core can actually keep the music playing. The road to the Super Bowl goes through Soldier Field this weekend, and for the first time in a generation, that sentence actually feels real.
Go get your tickets, or at least clear your Sunday evening. This ride isn't over yet.