The Bears surprise the Packers with a surprising comeback and achieve their first postseason victory in a rivalry since 1941
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The Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers in a playoff game for the first time since Franklin D. Roosevelt was president.
Chicago rallied from a late 18-point deficit to shock its rival in the wild-card playoff game at Soldier Field on Saturday. It marked the Bears’ first postseason victory in the NFL’s oldest rivalry since December 1941, just days after the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor.
For most of the night, it looked like Chicago would extend the drought, falling behind 21-3 at halftime.
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Romeo Doubs of the Green Bay Packers passes by Jaylon Johnson of the Bears during the NFC Wild Card playoff game on January 10, 2026 at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Even after recovering, the Bears faced a 27-16 deficit with less than seven minutes left in the fourth quarter.
But Bears quarterback Caleb Williams led back-to-back touchdown drives, with a missed Green Bay field goal between those drives to give Chicago a late lead.
The Packers and quarterback Jordan Love had a chance to come back with a late drive in the fourth quarter and nearly reached the edge of Chicago’s red zone.
But the Bears defense held on and forced an incompletion on Love’s final pass of the night, earning a 31-27 victory.
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Evan Williams of the Green Bay Packers faces off against DJ Moore of the Bears during the wild card game at Soldier Field on January 10, 2026 in Chicago. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
It marked Chicago’s first playoff win since the 2010 divisional round against the Seahawks, which was followed by a loss in the NFC Championship game to the Packers the following week.
Now, Chicago is back in the divisional round in year one under head coach Ben Johnson.
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Caleb Williams of the Bears looks to pass against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on January 10, 2026 in Chicago. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
Johnson has led one of the NFL’s most dramatic turnarounds this year, ending the Bears’ four-year streak of losing records and cementing them as one of the NFC’s top contenders.
Meanwhile, the Packers will enter the offseason with disappointment and uncertainty after failing to live up to expectations in a season of costly acquisitions.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to Title IX enforcement and in mainstream media outlets such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The News and ESPN.com.