There are some things you just have to see to believe.
And even after seeing what happened last night, some fans probably still can’t believe it.
On Dec. 20, in utterly insane fashion, the Chicago Bears knocked off their most hated rival, the Green Bay Packers, 22-16, to extend their division lead.
If you told a Bears fan, a Packers fan, or any NFL fan that the game would’ve ended the way it did, they probably wouldn’t have believed you. They especially wouldn’t have believed you if you said that when the Packers took a ten-point lead with five minutes remaining.
THE FINAL MINUTES
Let’s set the scene. It’s a Saturday night in Soldier Field. Another windy one in the Windy City, with temperatures in the mid-20s and gusts of wind in the low 30s. Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus has just squeaked in a field goal to give his team a 16-6 lead on the road.
The crowd is deflated. The 60,000 fans who had been whipping white towels through the air for most of the game were now timidly holding those towels at their side. Their cold breaths were deep and heavy.
Fans likely had one, cohesive thought:
“This team is breaking our hearts again.”
Chicago’s young quarterback Caleb Williams led his offense out onto the field, but his unit had done little to inspire confidence to this point. The offense had scored just six points through 55 minutes of action against a defense missing its star pass rusher and losing even more starters to injury.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) prepares to throw a pass against the Green Bay Packers in the first quarter during the game on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Mike Dinovo / Imagn-Images).
The Bears were missing some playmakers of their own; receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III were both out due to injury, but this was still no excuse to lay an egg in the team’s biggest game all season. They simply had to play better.
Williams began to march his team down the field, completing passes and scrambling for first downs, but a couple of incompletions and a holding penalty left them facing a 3rd and 20 at Green Bay’s 46. They weren’t even in field goal range.
Williams dropped back to pass and bounced around in the pocket, looking for some kind of answer, but couldn’t find one. He was dumped into the beaten-down Soldier Field grass for a sack by rookie defensive tackle Warren Brinson, a likely death blow to Chicago’s chance.
Or perhaps not.
Brinson grabbed Williams’ facemask. 15-yard penalty. Automatic first down.
Chicago still had life, but didn’t do much with it right away. They failed to get another first down, partially because receiver D.J. Moore was so exhausted that he couldn’t get set in time for a crucial 3rd down snap. Can’t blame him too much. With all the receiver injuries, Moore was doing more heavy lifting than a bodybuilder during their winter bulk.
The Bears were forced to settle for a 43-yard field goal from Cairo Santos, not easy in the bustling wind, but he still put boot to leather and nailed it for his third make of the day. 16-9. 1:59 to go.
Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos kicks a field goal against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter in the game on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (Patrick McDermott / Getty Images).
With little time remaining, Chicago needed to get an onside kick. Before this, all NFL teams were 4-for-47 on onside kicks during the season, so about an 8% chance. Not great odds, but still worth a shot.
Santos pooched the ball into the dirt and bounced toward Green Bay receiver Romeo Doubs, the man tasked with securing the kick. His eyes were on the ball, laser-focused on it. The ball bounced off his chest, and he scrambled for it. So did the Bears.
A rugby scrum ensued as everyone on the field fought for it.
Everyone held their breath.
The referee pointed.
Pandemonium.
The crowd is back in it. By God, this team has a chance.
Williams and the offense came back onto the field. They sliced and diced their way deep into the red zone, but the drive got stuck. A few incompletions meant a 4th and 4 at the Packers’ 6. This was the game.
It was all too similar to when these two teams faced off in Lambeau less than two weeks ago. The Packers up by seven in the final seconds, and the Bears deep in their territory with a chance to tie.
Last time, Williams threw a game-sealing interception. Would he do the same again?
No.
This time, with pressure in his face from hungry Packers defenders, he threw up a prayer to the back corner in the endzone, where a wide-open Jahdae Walker leaped into the air for the game-tying score.
Bears fans erupted in celebration. Walker, an undrafted free agent from Texas A&M, who hadn’t caught a single pass since the preseason, just scored the biggest touchdown of his life.
But the game wasn’t done. Overtime awaited.
OVERTIME
The Bears won the coin toss, and the Packers would get the ball first. They were led onto the field by their backup, Malik Willis. Packers starter, Jordan Love, had been knocked out with a concussion in the second quarter, but the Packers’ offense didn’t skip a beat.
Willis played like he was the main man, making timely throws for 84 passing yards and killing the Bears’ defense with his legs when needed for 44 yards. His white jersey was still clean.
He was also aided by backup running back Emmanuel Wilson, who went for 79 yards, replacing starter Josh Jacobs, who also left the game with a knee injury.
Willis started the overtime period with a big 31-yard pass to receiver Jayden Reed, leaving the Bears’ secondary reeling and Packers fans thinking they still had a win in the bag.
Facing a 3rd and 1, Willis tried once again to scramble for a first down, but this time, linebacker T.J. Edwards met him at the line and held him back. It was their turn to convert a 4th down.
Willis lined up under center to take the snap, eyeing up the Bears’ defense. He should’ve kept his eye on the ball.
In a nightmare play for Green Bay fans, Willis dropped the snap, turning the play into a complete mess. Wilson tried to pick up the ball to make something out of nothing, but couldn’t get back to the line. Chicago’s defense made a stand, and the offense got to trot back onto the field, with a chance to steal a win.
A scamper from running back Kyle Monangai gave his team the ball at the Packers’ 46—closer to field goal range to give Santos a chance for the win. That wasn’t good enough, though. Chicago wanted to win right now.
Williams extended the ball to Monangai, but didn’t let it go. He set his feet in the middle of the “C” at midfield. He reached back and launched a missile toward the endzone. He was going for it all.
Moore, exhausted, was running toward it. He was tracking the ball with his eyes, Packers defensive back Keisean Nixon draped all over him.
But as legendary quarterback Dan Marino once said, and as fellow legendary quarterback Tom Brady quoted while commentating the game, “There’s no defense against a perfect throw.”
Williams put his hands in his warm pockets with the ball still in the air. Moore made the catch and scored the game-winning touchdown.
Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore celebrates a game-winning touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in overtime with his teammates during the game on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois (David Banks / Imagn-Images).
By a score of 22-16, the Bears had done it: for the first time in over seven years, they had beaten the Packers at home. In a season full of big wins, this was by far the biggest. The monkey was off their back.
They defeated Green Bay, the team that “owns” them, the team that had won twelve out of the last thirteen meetings, the team that always seems to break their heart at the last second, but not this night. It was Chicago’s turn to break hearts.
GAME BALLS
After the game, head coach Ben Johnson gave out four game balls, two more than he usually does, but it’s fitting given how massive a win this was.
Cairo Santos: This was his third game ball of the season. Santos made all three of his field goal attempts to keep the Bears in the game.
Jahdae Walker: This was his first of the season, earned for stepping up to the plate and catching 2 passes for 21 yards, including the touchdown that sent the Bears to overtime.
Josh Blackwell: He secured his second game ball of the season for recovering the onside kick that allowed Chicago the opportunity to tie the game.
D.J. Moore: Earned a game ball for racking up 109 scrimmage yards and hauling in the game-winning touchdown. He got a game ball for the second week in a row.
NEXT WEEK
Chicago returns to action next Sunday on the road against the San Francisco 49ers. This will be another primetime showdown on Sunday Night Football against a strong playoff team.
The Bears will be tested again, but whatever the result of this test will be, one thing is clear. These are not the same old Bears.
