Packer Central

Looking Back at Packers’ Loss to Bears, Ahead to Playoff Rematch at Eagles

The Green Bay Packers couldn't move the ball with consistency on offense and failed to mount any consistent pass rush in their loss to the Chicago Bears.

Casey Hibbard

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams avoids a sack during the fourth quarter of their game against the Green Bay Packers.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams avoids a sack during the fourth quarter of their game against the Green Bay Packers. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ 10-game winning streak against the Chicago Bears ended with a thud in a 24-22 loss on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

With Jordan Love exiting early due to an elbow injury, Malik Willis stepped in, but Chicago sealed the win with a last-play field goal.

The Packers will play at the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

Here’s what went down and what’s ahead for the Pack:

Packers Lose to Bears: Three Keys

One: Ball Security

The Packers’ offense struggled with ball security, a critical issue that derailed their momentum and handed the Bears key opportunities.

Early in the first quarter, receiver Jordan Reed had the ball jarred loose by cornerback Jaylon Johnson after a 4-yard run. Former Packers safety Jonathan Owens scooped up the loose ball and returned it to Green Bay’s 21-yard line.

The Bears capitalized on the short field, scoring a touchdown to extend their lead to 14-3 early in the second quarter.

Later, Willis was blasted on a safety blitz and fumbled. While the Bears failed to capitalize, this miscue stalled another Packers drive and added to their offensive woes.

These turnovers not only disrupted Green Bay’s rhythm but gave Chicago prime field position, turning the tide in a tightly contested game. The Packers will need to address their ball-security issues as they prepare for their wild-card matchup.

Two: Pass Rush

Green Bay’s pass rush fell short of expectations against a Bears offense that had surrendered an NFL-high 67 sacks.

Despite Rashan Gary notching a sack on the first defensive snap to set the tone, the Packers failed to maintain consistent pressure on Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. Green Bay’s defensive front frequently appeared a step slow, allowing Williams ample time to scan the field and make decisive throws. When he was pressured, he was able to escape the pocket and at least throw away the ball.

While the Bears’ offensive strategy focused on quick passes to keep Williams upright, the Packers missed opportunities to exploit one-on-one matchups and collapse the pocket. This lack of pressure proved costly in the game’s final moments, as Williams orchestrated a composed, game-winning drive that left Green Bay searching for answers.

Three: Special Teams Breakdown

The Bears needed a strong start, and they got it when they pulled off a perfectly executed deceptive punt return on Josh Blackwell’s 94-yard touchdown.

The play began with receiver D.J. Moore positioning himself as though he was the intended returner, drawing the Packers’ coverage team to one side of the field. Meanwhile, Blackwell fielded the punt on the opposite side and had a virtually clear path to the end zone, thanks to solid blocking and the misdirection’s success.

The Packers’ coverage unit was caught completely off-guard as the Bears took a 7-0 lead. Chicago had its reason to believe it could pull off the upset.

Play of the Game: Carrington Valentine’s Forced Fumble

The play of the game for the Packers came immediately after the 2-minute warning in the fourth quarter, when cornerback Carrington Valentine forced a fumble on a pass to D.J. Moore. With the Bears in position to drain the rest of the clock with another first down, Valentine came up big by knocking the ball loose from Moore on a short reception.

Safety Javon Bullard was in the right place at the right time, scooping up the loose ball at the Bears’ 46-yard line. That turnover gave the Packers a golden opportunity to score the go-ahead points.

The Packers cashed in with Brandon McManus’ clutch 55-yard field goal, which gave them a 22-21 lead with 54 seconds to go.

Unfortunately for the Packers, coach Matt LaFleur’s ill-advised timeout gave Chicago time to drive to the winning field goal.

Player of the Game: Brandon McManus  

Kicker Brandon McManus was Green Bay’s player of the game.

His performance in the kicking game was critical throughout. He nailed all three of his field-goal attempts, including a massive 55-yard kick in the fourth quarter that briefly gave Green Bay a 22-21 lead. That kick was huge because it gave the Packers a chance to win after a series of setbacks.

McManus also hit his extra point attempt, totaling 10 points for the game.

The confidence he has shown in clutch moments since signing with the team was exactly what Green Bay needed after Brayden Narveson’s missed kicks early in the season – including one in the 34-29 loss to the Eagles to start the season.

Looking Ahead: Packers at Eagles in NFC Wild-Card Game

The seventh-seeded Packers are gearing up for a rematch with the second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card round on Sunday.

The Eagles beat the Packers 34-29 in Week 1, though the Packers showed flashes of potential that they’ll look to build on for this postseason matchup.

In their first meeting, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had 311 total yards and two touchdowns. Running back Saquon Barkley also had a standout game to kick off his Pro Bowl-caliber season as he ran for two touchdowns and caught a pass for a third.

On the flip side, Green Bay’s offense kept the game competitive, with Jordan Love throwing for 260 yards and two touchdowns, including a 70-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jayden Reed.

As became a theme all season, the Packers proved they could go toe-to-toe with a high-caliber team like the Eagles. They just couldn’t win.

Looking ahead, the Packers will need to tighten up defensively, particularly in stopping Barkley and pressuring Hurts. Hurts’ dual-threat ability means the Packers will have to keep him in the pocket while being wary of his ability to take off on the ground or throw to his elite duo of receivers, A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.

On offense, Love will need to get going after a couple dismal performances in the back-to-back losses to the Vikings and Bears to end the regular season. With Christian Watson not expected to play due to a knee injury, establishing a solid running game with Josh Jacobs will be critical to keeping the Eagles’ defense guessing. The offensive line will play a key role in giving Love the time and space he needs to execute, while also creating lanes for the running backs.

In a win-or-go-home situation, the Packers will need to execute across all three phases of the game. Special teams could be a deciding factor, considering Green Bay’s enormous mistake on the Bears’ punt-return touchdown.  

In the first matchup, the Packers showed they can hang with the Eagles. Now, it’s about putting together a complete performance to extend their season.

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Casey Hibbard
CASEY HIBBARD

I am a student at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, set to graduate in 2026 with a degree in communications, emphasizing sports communication and journalism. Growing up in the small town of Two Rivers, Wis., sports have always been a huge part of my life. I've been a three-sport athlete for as long as I can remember, and working in sports has been a lifelong goal. Last year, I joined the Green Bay Blizzard of the Indoor Football League as their color commenator while writing pregame and postgame reports.