Honestly, if you’re a Packers fan, you probably don’t even want to hear the numbers. It’s one of those games that feels like a bad dream you can’t quite shake. The final score on the Green Bay Packers game was Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27.
It happened on Saturday, January 10, 2026. This wasn't just some mid-season scuffle. This was the NFC Wild Card round. Soldier Field was freezing, the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, and for about thirty minutes of football, it looked like Green Bay was going to cruise into the Divisional Round without breaking a sweat. Then, the wheels didn't just come off—they basically disintegrated.
The Score on the Green Bay Packers: A Tale of Two Halves
You’ve got to look at how this game actually unfolded to understand why that 31-27 final is so deceptive. At halftime, the Packers were up 21-3. Jordan Love was playing out of his mind. He looked like the seasoned vet everyone expected him to be, carving up the Bears' secondary like it was a preseason walkthrough.
Jordan Love finished the night with some stellar individual stats, even if the result sucked:
- Passing: 24 of 46 for 323 yards.
- Touchdowns: 4 (yes, four).
- Interceptions: 0.
Seriously, how do you throw four touchdowns with zero picks and still lose a playoff game? It’s almost impressive in a tragic sort of way. Love connected with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Romeo Doubs early on. By the time the second quarter ended, Green Bay fans were already looking up flights for the next round.
But Chicago had Caleb Williams. And apparently, Caleb Williams doesn't care about 18-point deficits.
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The third quarter was a slog. The Bears' defense, led by whatever adjustments they made in the locker room, turned into a brick wall. They forced four straight punts. While Green Bay’s offense stalled, Chicago started chipping away. A couple of Cairo Santos field goals here, a D’Andre Swift touchdown there, and suddenly it was 21-16.
The Fourth Quarter Chaos
This is where it gets weird. The Packers actually stopped the bleeding for a second. Rookie Matthew Golden—the first-round pick who’s been teased as the next big thing—caught a 23-yard touchdown pass with about six and a half minutes left.
That put the Packers up 27-16.
Standard logic says you’ve won. But Brandon McManus missed the extra point. Wide left. That one point felt huge at the time, and it turned out to be the omen of a total collapse.
Chicago marched back. Williams hit Olamide Zaccheaus for a score, then found Colston Loveland for a two-point conversion. 27-24. Then came the moment that will haunt Green Bay’s special teams meetings all offseason: McManus missed a 44-yard field goal with under three minutes left.
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Why the Final Score Matters for 2026
When Caleb Williams hit D.J. Moore for a 25-yard touchdown with 1:43 remaining, the stadium basically exploded. It was the Bears' first lead of the entire game.
The final score on the Green Bay Packers—that 31-27 mark—represents the first time the Bears have won a playoff game in 15 years. For Green Bay, it’s a massive "what if." They had the ball at the Chicago 23-yard line with 13 seconds left. One play. One catch.
Instead, a false start penalty pushed them back, and Jordan Love’s final heave into the end zone was knocked away by Kyler Gordon. Game over. Season over.
Real-World Takeaways from the Scoreboard
If you're looking at the bigger picture, this game changed the landscape of the NFC North.
- The Micah Parsons Factor: Remember, the Packers traded for Parsons earlier in the season, but he wasn't on the field for this collapse due to that late-season ACL tear. His absence in the pass rush during the fourth quarter was painfully obvious.
- Special Teams Woes: You can't leave seven points on the board in a playoff game. Between the two missed field goals and the botched extra point, the Packers effectively beat themselves.
- The Draft Implications: Because of the loss, the Dallas Cowboys actually secured the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft (part of that Parsons trade).
It’s a bitter pill. Green Bay finished the regular season 9-7-1, which was enough to get them in, but not enough to overcome the "Cardiac Bears" in the postseason.
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Moving Forward: What the Packers Do Now
So, the score is settled. 31-27. What do you do with that information?
If you’re a bettor or a dynasty league manager, you have to look at Jordan Love's 103.8 passer rating in a losing effort. The kid is the real deal. The failure wasn't on the arm of the quarterback; it was a systemic failure of the defense and special teams to hold a massive lead.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch the Tape: If you missed the game, find the fourth-quarter highlights specifically. The 4th-and-8 conversion by Williams to Rome Odunze is the play that actually broke the Packers' back.
- Monitor the Kicking Game: Expect the Packers to be aggressive in the free-agent kicker market this spring. Brandon McManus is a veteran, but you don't survive a playoff performance like that in Green Bay.
- Check the Draft Board: Keep an eye on the 2026 draft prospects. The Packers need depth at linebacker and safety, especially with the uncertainty surrounding the defense's ability to close out games.
The 2025-2026 season for Green Bay will be remembered for the 40-40 tie against Dallas and this heart-wrenching loss in Chicago. It's a lot of "almosts" for a team that has the talent to be holding a trophy.