Honestly, if you’re looking for the Green Bay Packers score yesterday, you might be feeling a bit of that post-season whiplash. The reality is a little bit of a gut punch for the cheesehead faithful.
The Packers didn't play yesterday, Saturday, January 17, 2026. While the Seattle Seahawks were busy dismantling the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 and the Denver Broncos were edges out the Buffalo Bills in a 33-30 thriller, Green Bay was watching from home.
Their season ended just a week ago. And man, it was a heartbreaker.
The Final Score That Still Stings
The last time the Packers took the field was Saturday, January 10, 2026, in the NFC Wild Card round. They faced their oldest rivals, the Chicago Bears, at Soldier Field. For the first thirty minutes, it looked like a classic Green Bay blowout.
The halftime score? Packers 21, Bears 3. Jordan Love was absolutely on fire. He threw three touchdown passes in the first half—one each to Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed. It felt like the Packers were finally clicking at the right time. But then the second half happened. The Bears, led by Caleb Williams and a revitalized defense under Ben Johnson, mounted an 18-point comeback.
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The final score was Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27.
Why the Second Half Fell Apart
So, what actually happened? If you look at the stats, Jordan Love finished with 323 yards and 4 touchdowns. On paper, that’s a winning performance.
But the offense went completely stagnant.
Between the third quarter and midway through the fourth, Green Bay’s first four possessions resulted in exactly one first down. Coach Matt LaFleur later admitted that Chicago started throwing edge blitzes they simply weren't prepared for.
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- The Turning Point: With 6:36 left in the game, Love hit rookie Matthew Golden for a 23-yard touchdown to put the Packers up 27-16. It felt like the dagger.
- The Missed Kick: Brandon McManus missed the extra point. Then, after the Bears scored to make it 27-24, McManus missed a 44-yard field goal with 2:51 left.
- The Final Drive: Caleb Williams found DJ Moore for a 25-yard touchdown with 1:43 remaining.
The Packers had one last shot. They drove down to the Chicago 23-yard line. With 13 seconds left, a false start penalty on Rasheed Walker pushed them back. On the final play, Love fumbled the snap, recovered it, scrambled, and heaved a "Hail Mary" that was batted down by Jaquan Brisker. Game over. Season over.
What This Means for the 2026 Offseason
The Packers finished the year at 9-8-1. It’s a weird record.
They started the season with massive Super Bowl expectations but ended it on a five-game losing streak. That is some serious momentum loss. You’ve got to wonder what the locker room vibe is like right now. Love proved he’s the guy—he played through injury and still put up elite numbers—but the supporting cast and the special teams units have some explaining to do.
Missing an extra point and a short field goal in a four-point playoff loss is the kind of thing that leads to roster overhauls.
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What Really Happened With the Defense?
Jeff Hafley’s defense was a tale of two halves. They stopped three fourth-down attempts in the first half. They looked fast. Then, they just ran out of gas. Caleb Williams threw for a Bears playoff-record 361 yards.
The "Dark Side" defense that the Seahawks used yesterday to crush the Niners? That’s what Green Bay wanted to be. Instead, they got carved up by a rookie in the clutch.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're wondering what's next for Green Bay now that the playoff dust is settling:
- Watch the Divisional Round: Since the Bears won, they are moving on to face the Los Angeles Rams. It’s worth watching to see if the team that knocked out the Packers is actually a Super Bowl contender or if Green Bay just choked.
- Monitor the Kicking Game: Expect news regarding Brandon McManus. After those misses, the Packers will almost certainly be scouting kickers in the upcoming draft or free agency.
- Check Injury Reports: Jordan Love was clearly battling through the effects of that Week 16 helmet-to-helmet hit. His health is the most important factor for 2026.
- Draft Prep: Start looking at edge rushers and offensive line depth. The late-game collapse showed that when the starters get tired, the depth isn't there to hold the line.
The Packers didn't lose yesterday, but the sting of last week's loss is going to linger all the way through the summer.