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All season lengthy, the Chicago Bears discovered methods to win shut video games, typically engineered by quarterback Caleb Williams and his game-winning drives.
All that have paid off.
The Bears gained their first playoff recreation in 15 seasons Saturday, coming from behind to defeat their bitter rival, the Inexperienced Bay Packers, 31-27 within the largest postseason comeback in franchise historical past.
Chicago trailed the Packers 21-3 at halftime, however outscored them 28-6 within the second half, together with 25-6 within the fourth quarter. Williams led his seventh fourth-quarter comeback and game-winning drive of the season, main the Bears on a 6-play, 66-yard march to attain the go-ahead landing with one minute and 43 seconds remaining.
“We all know who we’re, and we perceive the state of affairs,” Williams stated on the printed postgame. “We’ve been probably the greatest, if not one of the best second-half workforce.”
Jordan Love had one ultimate possession to guide Inexperienced Bay to victory, however his ultimate go from Chicago’s 28-yard line fell incomplete in the long run zone as time expired.
The Bears gained regardless of beginning the sport 1 of 5 on fourth down, failing to recuperate three fumbles by the Packers, and changing solely 2 of 5 crimson zone alternatives for touchdowns.
The comeback started within the third quarter, when Chicago’s protection — after failing to power a punt within the first half — held Inexperienced Bay scoreless.
“We wouldn’t be 31 factors with out them, we wouldn’t have gained this recreation with out them,” Williams stated of the protection. “We wouldn’t have gained this recreation with out that mentality popping out of the second half…Kudos to our protection and what they had been capable of do for us.”
Chicago lastly minimize right into a lead with a area objective, however on its second possession of the third quarter, Williams threw an interception on fourth down after what had been a 76-yard drive.
The Bears’ protection held, nonetheless, and compelled a 3rd straight punt. Coming off the cease, the offense lastly scored its first landing of the sport on a brief run by D’Andre Swift.
The Swift rating seemingly woke the Packers up. Jordan Love led a 54-yard, quick-strike drive that however Inexperienced Bay again up by two scores on the following possession. Brandon McManus missed the additional level, although, a kick that proved to be pricey.
Following the Matthew Golden rating, Williams and Chicago held serve. The Bears acquired again in the long run zone lower than three minutes later, on a drive that included maybe the best throw of Williams’s profession — a drop-in-the-bucket sideline shot on 4th and eight.
Chicago scored 5 performs after the miracle conversion, including a two-point conversion to chop the deficit to 27-24.
The Packers acquired the ball again with beneath 5 minutes to go, and Love led the workforce into scoring place. However McManus missed one other kick — his second missed area objective of the sport — which set the Bears up with an opportunity to drive for the profitable rating.
And it took Williams solely six performs to provide Chicago its first lead for the reason that first quarter, discovering D.J. Moore streaking down the left sideline for a 25-yard rating.
Love had his personal probability to creator a storybook comeback, however Inexperienced Bay finally fell 25 yards brief because the clock hit zero.
Williams completed solely 24 of 48 for 361 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions for a 71.6 passer score. Extra importantly, he recorded the eighth game-winning drive of his profession and his first playoff win. It was additionally the Bears’ eighth win in a one-score recreation this season.
The victory additionally gave Chicago some long-overdue bragging rights over its rival from up north. Within the 15 years between Bears playoff wins, the Packers have gained 10. The Bears completed this season 2-1 towards Inexperienced Bay — the final two of which had been come-from-behind victories at house.
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