If you were looking for the final score packers game today, you probably realized pretty quickly that the Green Bay Packers didn’t actually take the field this afternoon. Today is Saturday, January 17, 2026. While the NFL Divisional Round is currently underway with the Buffalo Bills taking on the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks hosting the San Francisco 49ers, the Packers are already back in Wisconsin. Their season ended exactly one week ago in a way that most fans are still trying to scrub from their memory.
They lost.
In a staggering collapse at Soldier Field on January 10, the Green Bay Packers fell to the Chicago Bears with a final score of 31-27.
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It wasn’t just a loss. It was a 15-round heavyweight fight where the Packers dominated for 12 rounds and then basically forgot how to block or kick in the final three minutes. They held an 18-point lead. They had the ball. They had the momentum. Then, the wheels didn't just come off; the whole car disintegrated.
The Numbers Behind the Final Score Packers Game Today
When you look at the box score from that Wild Card matchup, it’s almost impossible to understand how Green Bay lost. Jordan Love was dealing. He finished with 323 yards and four touchdowns. He looked like the guy who was supposed to carry the torch for another decade. The Packers led 21-3 at halftime. Chicago looked completely lost, and Caleb Williams was struggling through his playoff debut with two early interceptions.
Then the fourth quarter happened.
Chicago exploded for 25 points in the final frame alone. Caleb Williams, the rookie sensation who had been shaky for three quarters, suddenly turned into a magician. He threw for 195 yards in the fourth quarter alone, finishing with a Bears postseason record of 361 yards.
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The game-winner was a 25-yard strike to DJ Moore with just 1:43 left on the clock. It was a punch to the gut for a Packers defense that had played lights-out for most of the night.
Why the Lead Evaporated
Honestly, you can point to a dozen different plays, but Brandon McManus is going to be the name that haunts Green Bay fans this offseason. The veteran kicker left seven points on the board. He missed a 55-yarder at the end of the half, but the real killers were a missed extra point after Matthew Golden's touchdown and a missed 44-yard field goal late in the fourth that would have given Green Bay a six-point lead.
"It's the most disappointing part of my career," McManus told reporters after the game. It’s hard to argue with him. If he makes either of those kicks, the entire geometry of the final two minutes changes.
Then there was the final play. With no time left, Jordan Love dropped the snap at the Bears' 28-yard line. By the time he recovered and heaved a "Hail Mary" toward the end zone, the timing was shot. Jaquan Brisker knocked it down, and that was it. Season over.
What This Means for Matt LaFleur’s Future
The fallout from the final score packers game today—or rather, the lack of a game today—has shifted entirely to the front office. This was Green Bay’s fifth consecutive loss to end the season. A 9-8-1 record isn't what anyone expected after the way they started the year.
Matt LaFleur is currently in a very hot seat. He met with team president and CEO Ed Policy earlier this week, and while Jordan Love has publicly backed his coach, the "inexcusable" mistakes (LaFleur's own words) are piling up. A delay-of-game penalty coming out of a timeout during the most crucial drive of the season is the kind of thing that gets coaches fired in this league.
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The Rivalry has Flipped
For years, the Packers treated Soldier Field like a second home. Not anymore. The Bears have now won three of the last five matchups against Green Bay. The narrative that the Packers "own" the North is officially dead until proven otherwise. Chicago is moving on to face the Rams tomorrow, while Green Bay is looking at a long list of "what ifs."
The defense, led by Jeff Hafley, showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately couldn't handle the pressure when the Bears went to a no-huddle look. Montez Sweat and the Chicago pass rush recorded eight quarterback hits, four of which came in that disastrous final quarter.
Actionable Insights for Packers Fans
The season is over, but the work for 2026 starts now. If you're following the team's trajectory, here is what you need to watch over the next few weeks:
- Monitor the Kicker Market: Expect the Packers to bring in significant competition for Brandon McManus or move on entirely. You can't leave seven points on the field in a playoff game and expect to keep your job.
- Coaching Staff Changes: Even if LaFleur stays, expect some shuffling among the assistants. The discipline issues (false starts and delay of game) are structural problems that need fixing.
- Draft Focus: With the No. 7 seed exit, the Packers will likely be looking at offensive line depth early in the draft. The loss of Zach Tom to a knee injury late in the season proved how thin that unit is.
The finality of the NFL playoffs is brutal. One minute you're up 18 points and planning a trip to Seattle; the next, you're watching other teams play on your TV. The Packers had the talent to be playing today, but they didn't have the finishing move.