GREEN BAY – The Bears got a 51-yard walk-off field goal from K Cairo Santos to beat the Packers, 24-22, in the regular-season finale at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
Chicago had 15 seconds left and got a completion to WR DJ Moore to the Green Bay 33-yard line and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 2 seconds left to set up the kick.
With the win, the Bears broke their 10-game losing streak and finished the regular season 5-12. They also broke their 11-game losing streak to the Packers in the all-time series, and Green Bay lost to Chicago for the first time under Matt LaFleur as head coach.
The Packers fell to 11-6 and will be the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, traveling to No. 2 seed Philadelphia for a wild-card game, day and time TBA.
In the first half, the Packers lost QB Jordan Love to a right elbow injury and WR Christian Watson to a knee injury. QB Malik Willis took over and brought Green Bay back from a 14-3 deficit in the second quarter to within 14-13 at halftime. Chicago got two TDs on a trick play on a punt return that went all the way for the score, and turning a Green Bay fumble into another score.
The Packers squandered possessions in Green Bay territory in the second half, and the Bears eventually stretched their advantage to 21-13 before a deep ball from Willis to WR Malik Heath set up RB Emanuel Wilson's 21-yard TD run. But the Packers didn't get the two-point conversion and still trailed by two points.
A turnover by Chicago with less than two minutes left set up a 55-yard field goal by Packers K Brandon McManus to give Green Bay its first lead of the game, 22-21, with 54 seconds left. But that was enough time for the Bears to drive for the winning points.
For the Packers, Willis was 10-of-13 for 136 yards and a 109.8 passer rating. Before leaving the game, Love was 7-of-12 for 69 yards and a 74.7 rating.
Wilson rushed 12 times for 73 yards and a TD, with RB Chris Brooks adding 59 yards on eight carries and RB Josh Jacobs getting 44 yards and a TD on six rushes before resting the remainder of the day.
WR Malik Heath had three catches for 53 yards, and WR Dontayvion Wicks had five catches for 49 yards.
For the Bears, QB Caleb Williams was 21-of-29 for 148 yards with one TD and a 95.2 rating. RB D'Andre Swift had 20 carries for 65 yards and a TD, and Moore had nine catches for 86 yards and a TD.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Bears lead Packers 7-3 after first quarter
The Packers won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. A holding penalty on the kickoff pushed Green Bay back to its 15.
The Packers gained the initial first down with a 6-yard pass to Dontayvion Wicks and a Josh Jacobs 11-yard run. The drive stalled there, though. Daniel Whelan got off a 35-yard punt after a high snap, as Chicago started from its own 30.
Green Bay's defense gave up no ground on the Bears' first possession. A high snap led to a Caleb Williams fumble. While Williams corralled it, he was quickly sacked by Rashan Gary for a loss of seven yards.
Javon Bullard and Kingsley Enagbare combined for a 4-yard tackle for a loss of Cole Kmet on second down and Chicago eventually punted after a 2-yard check down to Roschon Johnson.
Green Bay started its second series from its 40. Again, it gained the initial first down with a 7-yard pass to Tucker Kraft and a 3-yard Emanuel Wilson run.
Jordan Love and Christian Watson couldn't connect on a second-and-6 out and Green Bay was forced to punt after a Love incompletion.
The Bears ran a misdirection punt return, resulting in Josh Blackwell returning Whelan's punt 94 yards for a touchdown to put Chicago ahead 7-0 with 6 minutes, 34 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Packers gained 15 yards off a pass to Wicks to get their third drive moving. On first-and-5 after an encroachment penalty, backup quarterback Malik Willis entered the game and took a read-option run for three yards.
Jacobs picked up six yards and Luke Musgrave caught a 19-yard pass to the Chicago 23. Referee Clay Martin initially ruled it incomplete, but Head Coach Matt LaFleur successfully challenged.
A short pass to Kraft gained just three yards on third-and-9, leading to a Brandon McManus 37-yard field goal to cut the Bears' lead to 7-3 with 2:24 left in the first quarter.
Chicago went three-and-out on its next possession after T.J. Slaton dropped Johnson for a 4-yard loss on first down. Jayden Reed came in motion on an end-around but fumbled, which Jonathan Owens at the Green Bay 21.
Bears lead Packers 14-13 at halftime
The second quarter started with Caleb Williams finding D.J. Moore for a 15-yard catch and run. On first-and-goal, D'Andre Swift ran in a 4-yard touchdown to extend Chicago's lead to 14-3 with 14:17 left in the first half.
The Packers opened with a 16-yard pass to Dontayvion Wicks, but Christian Watson went down with a knee injury while running his route. He was later carted to the locker room.
Love caught Chicago with 12 men on the field but injured his right elbow on the play. Willis entered and connected with Kraft for 20 yards to set up first-and-goal at the Green Bay 9.
Jacobs plowed in for the touchdown on the next play to cut the Bears' lead to 14-10 with 11:12 left in the first half. On the play, Jacobs established a new franchise record with his eight consecutive game with at least one rushing TD.
Swift gained 25 yards on three caries before the Packers' defense locked in. On third-and-6, Keisean Nixon took down Moore for a 2-yard loss on a receiver screen to force the third Chicago punt.
With Willis still at quarterback, Emanuel Wilson gained 13 yards on three straight carries. On third-and-8, Willis stood tall against the blitz and found Reed for 31 yards to the Bears' 36.
The Packers cut Bears' lead to 14-13 with a 30-yard McManus field goal with 1:57 remaining.
Tyler Scott returned the kickoff 37 yards to the Chicago 45. On third-and-7, Williams hit Rome Odunze for eight yards on a stop route. After a false start penalty, Williams threw the ball away on second and third down and Chicago punted with less than a minute left in the half.
Bears lead Packers 14-13 after three quarters
Watson was ruled out at the start of the second half. Chicago opened with a 13-yard pass to Keenan Allen on third-and-4 and converted a fourth-and-5 with a 6-yard pass to Johnson.
The Bears tried a pass off a double-reverse to Allen, but Xavier McKinney recorded his team-leading eighth INT of the year and returned it 17 yards. Offensive lineman Darnell Wright forced a fumble of McKinney, but Edgerrin Cooper recovered it at the Green Bay 44.
Wilson gained 24 yards on four straight carries before Green Bay opted to pass on first-and-10 at the Bears' 32. Kevin Byard arrived unabated to Willis on a blitz for a strip sack, which Chicago recovered at its 46.
The Bears gained the initial first down with a 3-yard Williams draw but a holding penalty on the next play pinned them back. Chicago punted on fourth-and-9, with Reed calling for a fair catch at the Packers' 16.
Chris Brooks gained 11 yards on back-to-back carries before Malik Heath picked up six yards on a quick pass. Brooks then busted a 23-yard run to the Chicago 44. The run moved the Packers up to 2,468 yards rushing on the season, the second most in franchise history behind only 2003.
Bears beat Packers 24-22, drop to 11-6
The Packers went for it on fourth-and-3 at the Chicago 37 to start the fourth quarter, but Jayden Reed was dropped for a loss of two yards by Tremaine Edmunds for the turnover on downs.
Keisean Nixon tackled Swift for a loss of three on first down before Cole Kmet caught a 7-yard pass and Moore squeaked by the first down marker for a 7-yard pickup on third-and-6.
Williams started to find his groove, connecting with Moore for nine yards on a third-and-5 slant to the Green Bay 36. Two plays later, Moore evaded a slew of Packers tacklers en route to a 32-yard touchdown.
The Bears initially tried to go for two with a reverse to Allen again, but Cooper tackled him. Carrington Valentine was flagged for holding and Chicago opted to kick a 28-yard extra point to push its lead to 21-13 with 10:02 remaining.
Starting at the Green Bay 17, Reed caught a 17-yard pass from Willis on first down. Wilson gained six yards on a run before Willis was sacked for a loss of six on second down.
On third-and-10, Willis hit Kraft for seven yards before he was tackled. Whelan boomed a 59-yard punt for the touchback.
The Packers' defense responded with another three-and-out, with Karl Brooks tackled Johnson for a loss of five yards on third-and-10. Tory Taylor's punt traveled 36 yards to the Green Bay 49.
Willis missed Wicks on a deep out route on first down before Rasheed Walker was called for holding on Willis' second-down scramble. After a sack, Malik Heath pulled down a huge 41-yard catch on third-and-21.
Wilson ran for a touchdown on the next play, but Green Bay still trailed 21-19 with 4:28 remaining after its attempt at the two-point conversation was no good following an incomplete pass.
Chicago converted the initial first down with a 6-yard pass to Moore on third-and-3. A Swift carry to the 43 gained a first down and brought the game to the two-minute warning.
Chicago was called for holding and then Carrington Valentine forced a fumble of D.J. Moore on a quick pass. Javon Bullard recovered it at the Chicago 43.
Heath caught a 6-yard pass, but that's as much as Green Bay would get. McManus still made a 55-yard field goal to pull ahead 22-21 with 54 seconds left.
Kingsley Enagbare was flagged for a horse-collar tackle on first down, moving the ball to the Chicago 35. Odunze caught a 15-yard pass to midfield with 34 seconds left. Williams scrambled for four to the Green Bay 46 and then threw the ball away on second down.
An illegal shift on Moore when the play clock was stopped pushed Chicago back to its 49. Moore caught an 18-yard pass on third-and-11 and Williams clocked it with two seconds left. Santos made the 51-yard field goal to win it.
