The Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers rivalry is 104 years old. In all of that time, they had only met three times in the NFL playoffs. Saturday night's contest in the Wild Card round of the playoffs will not go down in history as one of the best-played games between the two bitter rivals, but it will be long remembered — by Bears fans, anyway — as the most magical.
The 1951 film Angels in the Outfield is the perfect parallel to last night's contest. Paul Douglas starred as Aloysius "Guffy" McGovern, the mercurial manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. A little orphan girl, Bridget White, sent prayers skyward for Guffy because he seemed "so sad." He had just been tossed out of a game for swearing up a blue streak at an umpire.
After the game, Guffy walked out onto the field, bemoaning to himself that his team was mired in last place. Suddenly, he heard a voice. It was an angel promising to help him win if he kept his temper in check.
What follows is a series of minor miracles that included a high pop-up disappearing and coming down only after the batter rounded the bases and scored; a fielder mysteriously elevating 15 feet to catch a home run; and various other assists from the "Heavenly Choir Nine," a team of dead ballplayers.
It all worked out, of course. In the end, Guffy got the girl (Janet Leigh), the Pirates won the pennant, and Guffy adopted Bridget.
The impossible plays made by the Pirates couldn't top what the Chicago Bears accomplished Saturday night.
The Bears are not a Super Bowl contender, largely because they've got one of the worst defenses in the NFL. However, they won 11 games by taking the ball away via fumble or interception more than any other team.
The Packers, led by their young star quarterback, Jordan Love, had thoroughly gashed the Bears' defense for 21 points in the first half. Meanwhile, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams failed to move the Bears' offense, managing only a first-quarter field goal.
Trailing at the start of the third quarter, 21-3, the Bears woke up and began to compete. Their porous defense stiffened, forcing three straight punts. But the Bears could only manage two field goals during that time. Williams' second interception of the game, while the offense was driving close to the Packers' goaline, only served to emphasize the team's apparent futility.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Bears trailed 21-6. They had managed to stop the bleeding but still couldn't break through the Packers' stout defense.
Another field goal following a short drive to start the 4th quarter made it 21-9. That's when the magic (and some stupidity by Green Bay's excellent coach, Matt LaFleur), started to turn the tide.
Incredibly, the Packers only ran the ball four times in the entire second half despite having that huge lead. A combination of luck, inaccuracy by Love, and a couple of drops by receivers forced the punts and gave the Bears a chance to get back in the game.
Williams, who had engineered an NFL record six 4th quarter comebacks while trailing with less than two minutes to go during the regular season, says he was made for these moments. He marched the Bears down the field in just over two minutes, capped by running back DJ Moore's six-yard run. The two-point try was successful, and the Bears drew closer at 21-17.
But Green Bay had an answer, taking three and a half minutes to drive 64 yards, ending with a 10-yard TD pass to the Packers' first round pick in 2025, Matthew Golden. Incredibly, the Packers' kicker, Brandon McManus, missed the extra point, making the score 26-17 with 6:37 to go.
It was magic time for Williams and the Bears.
The Bears' drive started fine with a 17-yard completion to the Bears' rookie tight end, Colston Loveland. But two incompletions, a penalty, and another incompletion brought up a fourth down and eight yards to go at the Chicago 48 with 5:37 to go.
After the game, several observers shook their heads in wonder at what Williams did next.
The USC product and first overall pick in the 2025 draft faded back to pass, rolled left, and, just before being slammed to the ground by the rush, launched an off-balance rainbow that dropped gently into the waiting hands of receiver Rome Odunze.
🗣️ ROOOOOOME ODUUUUUNZE
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 11, 2026
📺: @NFLonPrime pic.twitter.com/7hfM7AaUId
Another angle of the play, showing just how incredible that throw was:
This 4th down throw from Caleb Williams to Rome Odunze was special.
— Chicago State of Mind Sports (@ChiStateOfMind_) January 11, 2026
Huge win for Chicago tonight! #Bears pic.twitter.com/95x1gOkeCz
The Bears went on to score, making the game 27-24. Did the Bears have any magic left? Would the Elysium Eleven intervene and help the Bears to victory?
The Packers weren't done. They got off 10 plays in less than 1:30 to bring them into range for a 48-yard field goal. But McManus, who missed a 55-yard attempt just before half and a crucial extra point, missed right in the treacherous winds of Soldier Field, setting up the final drive for the Bears.
It almost seemed pre-ordained. Starting from their own 34-yard line, Williams completed a 12-yard pass to Loveland and then handed the ball to D’Andre Swift for six yards just before the two-minute warning.
After the break, Swift took a short Williams pass and scampered 23 yards to the Packers' 25-yard line. Then, after faking a screen pass that completely fooled the Packers' secondary, Williams lofted a pass to a streaking DJ Moore, who caught the perfect ball and waltzed into the end zone.
Love valiantly tried to rally the Packers, driving his team to the Chicago 23. Out of timeouts, Love made one last desperate heave into the end zone that was nearly intercepted.
If not for the missed extra point, Green Bay would have been set up to tie the game with a field goal. Instead, they were forced to go for six points and fell short.
The Bears had no business winning that game. The fact that they did, the way they won it, the incredible series of plays that had to go their way, and Green Bay's bewildering second-half strategy mean that the Bears are playing at home next weekend and Green Bay is going home.
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