You felt it. That collective gasp across Wisconsin when the clock hit zero at Soldier Field. Honestly, it wasn't just a loss; it was a gut punch delivered by the one team Packers fans love to beat the most. We’re talking about the NFC Wild Card matchup on January 10, 2026. If you’re looking for the final score of Green Bay game, here it is: Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27.
It’s a scoreline that looks a lot closer than the game felt for about three and a half quarters.
For most of the night, Jordan Love and the Packers seemed to have everything under control. They went into halftime leading 21-3. You could almost hear the grills starting up for the Divisional Round celebrations back in De Pere. But then, the fourth quarter happened. A 25-6 explosion by Chicago turned a potential blowout into one of the most improbable comebacks in the history of the North's oldest rivalry.
Breaking Down the Numbers: How the Lead Evaporated
The final score of Green Bay game tells a story of two very different halves. In the first half, the Packers' defense looked like an elite unit. They harassed Caleb Williams, forced punts, and allowed only a single field goal.
Jordan Love was surgical early on. He found his rhythm, and the offense moved the chains with ease. By the time the fourth quarter started, Green Bay led 21-6. Even after the Bears pulled within five points early in the fourth, rookie Matthew Golden seemed to put the game on ice. He broke three tackles and literally leapfrogged a defender on a 23-yard touchdown catch-and-run. That made it 27-16 with just over six minutes left.
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Then, the wheels came off.
Brandon McManus missed the extra point—a mistake that would loom massive later. Chicago marched 76 yards in a heartbeat. Williams found Olamide Zaccheaus for an 8-yard touchdown, then hit Colston Loveland for a two-point conversion. Suddenly, it was 27-24.
The momentum didn't just shift; it jumped off a cliff. With 1:43 remaining, Caleb Williams found DJ Moore for a 25-yard touchdown. That was the dagger. 31-27.
The Statistical Reality of the Collapse
Sometimes the "box score" doesn't capture the panic of a collapsing defense. If you look at the final yardage, both teams were neck-and-neck, but the efficiency in the "clutch" was where Green Bay failed.
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The Packers finished the regular season at 9-7-1. They weren't supposed to be world-beaters, but they were supposed to be "the team no one wanted to play" in January. Instead, they became the team that couldn't stop a rookie quarterback in his playoff debut. Matt LaFleur, usually stoic, admitted afterward, "I hurt for our team and our fans." He wasn't the only one.
The missed extra point by McManus is a focal point for many. Had he made it, the score would have been 28-16. That would have changed the entire math for Chicago's late-game drives. They would have needed two touchdowns and wouldn't have been able to tie or lead with a single field goal and touchdown combo.
What This Means for Green Bay's 2026 Offseason
The final score of Green Bay game on January 10th officially ended the Packers' season, and now the front office has some serious soul-searching to do.
The defense, led by Jeff Hafley, showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately surrendered 25 points in a single quarter. That’s a catastrophic failure when the season is on the line. You can't blame the offense for putting up 27 points on the road in a playoff environment. That should be enough to win.
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Looking forward, the 2026 schedule is already set. Because the Packers finished second in the NFC North, they are slated to face:
- Home Opponents: Minnesota, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, Carolina, Buffalo, Miami, Dallas, Houston.
- Road Opponents: Minnesota, Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, New England, NY Jets, LA Rams.
It's a tough slate. Facing the AFC East and the NFC South means a lot of travel and some high-powered offenses like Houston and Dallas coming to Lambeau.
Why This Loss Felt Different
Most Packers fans are used to playoff heartbreak—usually at the hands of the 49ers. But losing to Chicago? In a game you led by 18 points? That's a new kind of scar tissue. It marks the first time in 15 years the Bears have won a playoff game, and they did it by walking over the Packers' "rested" starters.
Wait, let's talk about that "rested" part. A week prior, on January 4th, Green Bay played a meaningless game against the Vikings. They lost that one 16-3 while resting most of their key players. Some critics are now asking if that "week off" for the starters led to the fourth-quarter rust we saw in Chicago. It’s a fair question.
Actionable Steps for the True Cheesehead
If you're still reeling from that 31-27 final score, there are a few things you can do to prep for the 2026 season:
- Monitor the Kicker Situation: Brandon McManus is a veteran, but that missed PAT was costly. Keep an eye on training camp battles for the kicking spot this summer.
- Scout the New Additions: Matthew Golden proved he belongs. He was one of the few bright spots in the Wild Card loss. Watch his tape from the University of Texas to see why he’s a YAC (yards after catch) monster.
- Check the Cap Space: The Packers have some tough decisions regarding veteran contracts this spring. Spotrac and OverTheCap will be your best friends for tracking how they clear room for free agent defensive help.
- Mark the Calendar: The NFL schedule release usually happens in May. Given how the season ended, the NFL will likely schedule the Packers-Bears rematch for a primetime slot early in the year.
The sting of the final score of Green Bay game will eventually fade, but the lessons from that fourth-quarter collapse will likely define the 2026 offseason. For now, the focus shifts from the field to the draft board.