Chicago Bears Defeat Green Bay Packers 24-22 in Thrilling Finale as Packers Lose Jordan Love and Christian Watson to Injuries

Chicago Bears Defeat Green Bay Packers 24-22

The Green Bay Packers ended their regular season with a narrow 24-22 loss to the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. Chicago, snapping a 10-game losing streak, secured the victory with a last-second 51-yard field goal by Cairo Santos. The Packers, already assured a playoff spot, played their starters in hopes of improving their seeding but locked into the NFC’s No. 7 seed with the defeat.

The game was a dramatic back-and-forth affair. The Bears took an early 14-3 lead and seemed poised to run out the clock late in the fourth quarter, but a fumble by DJ Moore gave the Packers a chance to reclaim the lead. Green Bay capitalized with a 55-yard field goal by Brandon McManus to go ahead 22-21 with less than a minute remaining. However, Chicago responded with a decisive drive that set up Santos' game-winning kick as time expired.

In addition to the loss, the Packers suffered injuries to two key players. Quarterback Jordan Love exited in the first half with an elbow injury after taking a hit while throwing. Backup Malik Willis took over for the remainder of the game. Love later warmed up on the sideline and expressed confidence in his ability to play next week, though head coach Matt LaFleur held him out as a precaution.

Wide receiver Christian Watson sustained a non-contact knee injury earlier in the game. Watson, the Packers’ top deep threat and third-leading receiver, was carted off the field and ruled out at halftime. His status for the playoffs appears doubtful, with LaFleur uncertain about the severity of the injury. Losing Watson would be a significant blow to Green Bay’s offense heading into the postseason.

Despite the injuries, the Packers showed resilience, rallying from an early 14-3 deficit to nearly steal the game. The loss dropped them to 11-6, but their playoff berth was already secured. Meanwhile, the Bears ended their season on a high note at 5-12, breaking their losing streak and spoiling their division rival’s finale.

Next week, the Packers will travel to face the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round. While Love’s potential return offers hope for stability at quarterback, the absence of Watson looms large. Green Bay will need to adjust their game plan and address lingering questions about their lineup to overcome the challenges ahead in the postseason.