The Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers, 22-16, in overtime on Saturday night. They were losing for most of the game, but they once again mounted some late-game heroics to find a way to pull out the improbable win. They recovered an onside kick, scored when it mattered most, and made the necessary plays in OT to get it done.
The Bears did not have a perfect game. They are dealing with some injuries, but they found a way to win a football game that was incredibly difficult against their arch-rival.
The offense was stag in the first half. They scored zero points in the first 30 minutes and were trailing 6-0 at halftime. The defense was playing its brand of “bend-don’t-break,” and it was enough. But the offense wasn’t living up to its end of the bargain.
In the second half, things didn’t get off to a strong start during a miserable third quarter that totaled just three points for Chicago. But the fourth quarter was once again the turning point as the Bears rattled off three straight scoring drives, including two field goals and the game-tying touchdown from quarterback Caleb Williams to rookie receiver Jahdae Walker to force overtime.
In overtime, once the Packers turned the ball over on downs, the Bears just needed one big play. After some short yard gains, Williams made a big throw to receiver DJ Moore down the field, which ended in the walk-off score.
The Bears were in danger of being swept by the Packers. That would have put their playoff hopes in jeopardy, but they found a way to get it done. Losing would have proved that they are not worthy of being a playoff team with the elites in the NFC. Instead, they remain in first of the NFC North, which is a great division, and they will stick in the second seed of the NFC overall.
Once again, the Bears squeaked out a win in a game that things didn’t totally go their way. Head coach Ben Johnson deserves a lot of credit for the way he’s coached this football team. They respond to the schemes that he comes up with on offense; they never quit on the game, no matter how bleak things look, and winning follows him.
Under center, Williams completed 19-of-34 passes for 250 yards and two touchdown passes. He did a great job of spreading the ball all over the field, down his top receivers in Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, throughout the fourth quarter and overtime, including the big winner to Moore.
In the rushing game, Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift combined to get over 100 yards. They were not responsible for any of the touchdowns, but they played a role in the team moving the ball down the field when the game was on the line.
Injuries played a role in this game. The Packers were without Micah Parsons, who may be the best non-QB in the NFL. That affected their pass rush a lot, but they still managed to have a good defensive game without him.
Packers running back Josh Jacobs was active, but his role decreased as the game went on. He is still dealing with his injury issues. The big story in this regard is quarterback Jordan Love. He was knocked out of the game with a concussion on a hit from defensive end Austin Booker. Backup Malik Willis came into the game and played as well as anyone would have expected, but the Bears found a way to beat him in the end.
Now the Bears have wins over the Packers and Philadelphia Eagles in the last handful of weeks. They have another big test with the San Francisco 49ers coming up in prime time next week. It’s been a while since they have had 11 wins in a season, but there is still more work to do.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Packers: Instant analysis from Chicago’s improbable win
