Santos clutch as Bears stun Packers in rivalry win |
GREEN BAY - Just like that, the nightmare of a 2024 season has ended as the Chicago Bears (5-12) will now gear up for what is expected to be an interesting offseason. Before they could reach that point, the Bears had one game remaining, and it came against their hated rivals from the north, the Green Bay Packers (11-6), at Lambeau Field.
Entering the game on a 10-game regular-season losing streak and an 11-game losing streak to the Packers, no one gave this team much of a chance, especially when Jordan Love and many of the Packers were expected to start. Instead, it was the Bears leading this game practically from start to finish, only to have a late Brandon McManus field goal give the Packers a 22-21 lead with less than a minute to go. With one last chance to score and come away with a massive upset, Caleb Williams again led his team down the field to set Santos up for a potential 51-yard game-winning field goal. The last time this happened against the Packers was when Carl Brooks got a hand on the ball and sealed the fate of the Bears. That wouldn't be the case in this one as Santos drilled his kick from 51 yards out to give the Bears an improbable 24-22 victory to close out the season. This was one of those games where the Bears offense again got off to a slow start, as has been the case far too often this season. In fact, Chicago was held to -4 yards of offense in the first quarter and became the first team since the 1994 Rams to hold the lead after one quarter of play despite having negative yards in the game. That was because of a beautiful fake punt return from DJ Moore, as it was Josh Blackwell taking the kick and going 94 yards down the far sideline to put the Bears in front 7-0. It was a lead they would hold practically the entire game as the Packers offense couldn't capitalize despite moving the ball well. Immediately following that punt return, it was the Packers offense again going to work as Jordan Love hooked up with Dontavion Wicks and Luke Musgrave for a pair of first downs to move the ball into Chicago territory. Love would eventually leave the game with a hand injury later in the first half, but with McManus banging home a 37-yarder, it was the Packers pulling within 7-3. With the Bears offense putting up a quick three-and-out and punting back to Green Bay, it was time for the defense to make a play as Jaylon Johnson stripped Jayden Reed from behind, resulting in a Jonathan Owens recovery and return that set the ball up at the 21-yard line. Two plays later, Moore picked up a first down off a screenplay, followed by the D'Andre Swift four-yard TD to extend the Chicago lead to 14-3. For Swift, he led the Bears with 65 yards on 20 carries and scored his first TD since week 11. It was at this point in the first half where the Packers offense started to settle in as Green Bay ended the first half with 10 unanswered points to pull within 14-13 at the half. Love continued to find Wicks for another first down before leaving with the said hand injury mentioned above. With Malik Willis taking over to finish things off, it was time for Josh Jacobs and the ground attack to take over, but once again, it was the passing attack setting things up, with Tucker Kraft hauling in a 20-yard completion to move the ball inside the 10. Jacobs finished things off from nine yards out, and just like that, it was a 14-10 game. Even with Swift picking up another first down on the Bears next possession, the offense was next to nonexistent throughout the first half as McManus knocked home a 30-yard field goal late in the half to make this a 14-13 game at the break. Hoping to start the second half with a bang, Williams went right to the air and found Keenan Allen for 13 of his 148 yards passing in the game. What looked to be another promising drive ended in tragedy as Chicago tried to go with trickery, only to have Allen picked off by Xavier McKinney to end the drive. Credit the Bears defense for stepping up throughout this game as a Kevin Byard strip sack on the Packers next possession gave the ball back to the Bears with a turnover on downs following on the Packers next possession. For the Bears to pick up an upset win, they needed to find a way to capitalize on these turnovers, which they did following the turnover on downs. What started as a pair of short passes to Moore and Cole Kmet, ended with the Bears final TD of the game as Moore took a short pass to the house for 32 yards to extend the Bears lead to 21-13. That is where things would stand until the midway point of the fourth quarter, as Willis and the Packers would once again mount another comeback attempt against the Bears. After putting the Packers in a third and long on their side of the field, it was Willis escaping the pressure and throwing one up for grabs on the far sideline. That is where Malik Heath was waiting to come down with the grab as his 41-yard reception moved the ball down to the 21. One play later, and this was a 21-19 game as Emmanuel Wilson got free on the sideline and outran the Bears defense to make this a two-point game. As is the case with many bad teams, they find ways to lose, and with Moore putting the ball on the ground on the Bears' next possession to give Green Bay the ball in Chicago territory, it was looking like another new way for this team to lose. Fortunately for Chicago, their defense was coming up huge again as the Packers had to settle for the 55-yard McManus field goal but still managed to take a 22-21 lead with less than a minute to go. Needing a field goal and having just one time out to work with, things wouldn't come easy, but with the Packers picking up a horsecollar tackle on Williams, they were gifted 15 massive yards. A tough 15-yard Rome Odunze reception followed that, and just like that, the Bears had the ball at midfield with time winding down. After what looked to be another first down to Moore, only to have a pre-snap penalty take the play away, Williams continued to look his way as Moore came down with an 18-yard reception to put the ball in field goal range. Moore had a strong game to close out the season, finishing with nine catches for 86 yards and a TD, as this would come down to another Santos field goal. Given the weather conditions and what happened the last time these teams met, you have to wonder how confident Thomas Brown was in his kicker. Regardless, it was going to come down to Santos to end the season on a high note, and he did what he had done so many times before as a 51-yard field goal gave the Bears a 24-22 win and ended not one, but two horrific losing streaks to end the season. “This year was challenging, and that’s awesome ... it’s a pleasure being able to be here with these guys.” “When it comes to creating change, conflict is necessary. It’s been good dialogue between us.” With a win today, the Bears ended these losing streaks 🫣 pic.twitter.com/oIqsZrg7ew
Caleb Williams reflects on the ups and downs of this season. pic.twitter.com/LgDcdPvJm5
Thomas Brown on the ‘intense conversations’ he’s had with Caleb Williams recently. pic.twitter.com/L9GA4Vpqgx
