Ben Johnson's halftime ire sparks Bears' historic 31-27 comeback over Packers
Chicago rallied from 21-3 to beat Green Bay 31-27; coach Ben Johnson's halftime speech spurred a franchise playoff comeback led by Caleb Williams' late heroics.
Overview
Coach Ben Johnson rallied the Chicago Bears at halftime at Soldier Field, urging emotional toughness and calling it 'a game we'll never forget,' sparking their comeback.
Chicago erased a 21-3 deficit to defeat the Green Bay Packers 31-27 in a wild-card game, marking the franchise's biggest postseason comeback and first playoff win in 15 years.
Caleb Williams led the rally, including a crucial fourth-and-eight 27-yard pass to Rome Odunze and fourth-quarter touchdown throws to Zaccheaus and D.J. Moore.
Chicago's defense tightened after halftime, Montez Sweat pressured Jordan Love, while Green Bay suffered missed kicks, a delay penalty and a botched snap late in the game.
The win advances the Bears to the NFC Divisional Round against the Eagles or Rams and intensifies scrutiny of Matt LaFleur and Green Bay's offseason direction.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the day as Bears' ascendance versus Packers' collapse, using evaluative language ('massive meltdown', 'devastating'), prioritizing narratives about Matt LaFleur's job security and Caleb Williams' heroism, and prominently featuring source material (e.g., McManus' self-critique, Rapoport extension report) that reinforces that narrative.
Sources (25)
![WATCH: Bears coach Ben Johnson says '[screw] the Packers' in postgame speech](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bffe694/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5616x3206+0+0/resize/1461x834!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F57%2F7a%2F60810a6141db82d111b8f3decff0%2Fpackers-bears-football-6.jpg)
FAQ
Players said Ben Johnson emphasized staying composed under pressure and reminded them that big comebacks have happened before, urging them to “be legendary,” execute, and keep fighting rather than panicking about the 21-3 deficit.
The 31-27 win over the Packers was the largest postseason comeback in Bears franchise history and also marked their first playoff victory in 15 years.
Caleb Williams led multiple fourth-quarter scoring drives, including a crucial fourth-and-long completion to Rome Odunze and late touchdown passes to receivers such as D.J. Moore that turned a 21-6 deficit into a 31-27 victory.
Chicago’s defense tightened after halftime with repeated stops and pressure from Montez Sweat, while Green Bay hurt itself with missed kicks, a delay-of-game penalty, and a late botched snap that derailed potential scoring chances.
The victory sends the Bears to the NFC Divisional Round, continuing a resurgent first season under Ben Johnson, while it increases scrutiny on Matt LaFleur and raises questions about the Packers’ roster and coaching direction in the upcoming offseason.
History
- 21 sources