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- The Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers 31-27 in an unlikely come-from-behind victory.
- Chicago overcame an 18-point deficit and scored 28 points in the second half to advance to the NFC playoffs.
- The Bears will face the Philadelphia Eagles or Los Angeles Rams in the next round.
Maybe this really is the year of the Chicago Bears.
That’s the only way to explain it. With coach Ben Johnson getting too cute for his own good too many times and QB Caleb Williams losing to Jordan Love, the Bears looked like they were heading into the offseason, trailing their biggest rival by 18.
But for a group that believes they’re in every game until the clock hits zero, no opponent’s lead is safe.
And who’s going to tell them different, especially after this incident?
“We understand this is 60 minutes of football,” Williams said after the Bears’ improbable 31-27 victory, the largest postseason upset in franchise history. “We understand who we are. We understand what this means to the city, we understand what this means to the organization, and we understand what this means to us.
“We keep going, we keep fighting, we keep fighting,” he said. “And when the clock hits zero, look up and see who won.”
Williams threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers 28-3 in the second half to advance to the NFC divisional round. The country’s neighbor to the north was also hit for the second time in three weeks.
The Bears will play either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Los Angeles Rams next weekend.
Comeback Bears defy expectations again with 25 points in 4th quarter
The Bears lived a charmed life all season, converting six times in the fourth quarter during the regular season. That includes a Dec. 20 game against the Packers at Soldier Field, which they won in overtime from a 10-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation.
This time, their luck seemed to have run out, due in large part to Johnson’s questionable play calling.
The Bears converted early in the second quarter going for a 4-2 lead. Three plays later, Chicago was playing No. 4 and No. 6 at the Green Bay 40. Johnson aimed again, but was quickly burned as Williams was picked off by Carrington Valentine.
The Packers continued to score, taking a 14-3 lead.
On the next possession, the Bears found themselves in a fourth-down situation again. And Johnson tried again. And the Bears failed to convert again.
Green Bay scored on its next possession to take a 21-3 lead.
Chicago hasn’t been able to overcome a double-digit deficit this year. But the Bears, well, nothing fazes them.
The defense found a way to confuse Love, who received two delay penalties when he had only been penalized once previously. And Johnson and Williams made all the right plays, and the Bears scored on four of their five second-half possessions.
The fans at Soldier Field got into it, too, and seemed to rattle Brandon McManus on a key field goal attempt. McManus fumbled and the Packers needed a touchdown on their final possession.
They couldn’t do that, and the Bears were the winners again. They may not have the best player in the NFC. They may not even be the best team. But they believe in themselves and that’s all that matters.
Follow USA TODAY sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
