The Chicago Bears earned an exciting last-second victory over the Green Bay Packers. They ended up victorious by a score of 22-16 in overtime! The matchup at Soldier Field offered up an electrifying display of phenomenal plays that turned the tide in favor of the home Bears. In the dramatic finish, starting rookie quarterback Caleb Williams threw the game-winning touchdown pass to DJ Moore.
With just 1:59 left in the fourth quarter, Cairo Santos converted a crucial 43-yard field goal attempt that tied the score at 16-16. That dramatic moment primed everything for a suspenseful, neck-and-neck final stretch. Fortunately, the Bears’ defense came up big and sacked Packers quarterback Malik Willis with 17 seconds remaining. This remarkable play brought the game into overtime.
As time wound down, the Bears were in a dangerous spot. Their post-game win probability had dropped to a dismal 0.5%. They responded with a bang by recovering an onside kick immediately following Santos’ game-tying field goal. This key slam dunk of a comeback quickly turned into one of the most improbable and unlikely victories of this burgeoning franchise history. It became the fifth-most improbable win since the NGS era began in 2016.
Kevin Byard, who has been instrumental in the team’s leadership, took charge of the coin toss and prepared his teammates for the overtime challenge. Before the game though, he spent time with Chicago’s director of research and analysis, Harrison Freid. They campaigned in tandem, one at the time—their joint enemy long-time opponent.
In overtime, Caleb Williams had his finest moment as he found DJ Moore on a beautiful 46-yard touchdown pass to win the game. The throw traveled an incredible 56.9 yards in the air – a dime past two defenders to the outside – NASTY. Moore displayed his elite craft on this play by generating only 0.6 yards of separation from defender Keisean Nixon. He succeeded in doing this immediately upon the pass arriving to him.
“I ain’t going to lie. I just believe in this team. Like, it’s crazy, like, how things fall our way and just, we living on the right side.” – Jackson
While Moore’s heroics were certainly the catalyst, the Bears’ offense showed an incredible sense of resilience over all four quarters. Williams had earlier hooked up with Colston Loveland on a 6-yard route that extended a drive during an explosive, decisive surge.
The Bears began the drive with the ball at their own 36-yard line and a strong win expectancy of 54.6%. With the clock winding down, Williams put together a championship caliber drive that would eventually end with an overtime touchdown.
Javon Bullard shared a thoughts on all of the team’s struggles after the game. “That’s a grown man taking responsibility. Of course we all could’ve done something better,” he stated, acknowledging the collective effort that led to their victory.
Bears’ coaching staff was impressed with the adjustments made by their defense as the game progressed, especially after going to their backup QB. Jackson rattled off examples of how pivotal defensive plays flipped the field, setting the stage for offensive success.
“We had to make adjustments with the change of quarterback. We knew he was more athletic than Jordan.” – Jackson
Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower made the difference in this high-stakes contest. He did an excellent job of keeping the players engaged and creatively prepared for every possible scenario. His game plan showed through as the team made multiple important plays that changed momentum in their favor.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur on what he liked about his team, and what needed to be better. He did acknowledge that a lack of clear communication contributed to their failure to jump ahead.
“Just a miscommunication between me and [center Sean Rhyan]. He wasn’t expecting me to change up the cadence,” Willis explained, reflecting on a moment that contributed to the Packers’ struggles during crucial drives.
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