Wait, let's just get the awkward part out of the way first. If you’re waking up today, Sunday, January 18, 2026, and asking who won the Green Bay football game yesterday, the answer is actually "nobody."
The Green Bay Packers didn't play yesterday.
I know, I know. It's the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. You probably saw the Seattle Seahawks absolutely dismantle the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 or watched the Denver Broncos edge out the Buffalo Bills in that 33-30 overtime thriller. But the green and gold were noticeably absent from the field. Honestly, it’s a tough pill to swallow for fans who were hoping for another deep run, but the Packers' 2025-2026 season officially hit a wall exactly one week ago.
To understand why there wasn't a game to watch yesterday, we have to look back at the heartbreak that happened on January 10. That's when the real damage was done.
The Wild Card Heartbreak: Why the Packers Weren't Playing
Green Bay's season ended in the most "Packers vs. Bears" way possible, and not in the way Wisconsin fans are used to. They traveled to Soldier Field for the Wild Card round last Saturday and, for about 30 minutes, it looked like a total blowout.
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Jordan Love was dealing. He threw three first-half touchdowns, connecting with Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Christian Watson. At one point, the Packers held a 21-3 lead. It felt over. Even the most pessimistic Cheesehead was probably looking ahead to the Divisional Round matchups.
Then the second half happened.
Caleb Williams and the Bears orchestrated an 18-point comeback. It was the largest postseason comeback in Chicago’s franchise history. Green Bay’s defense, which had looked so stout under Jeff Hafley for most of the year, just couldn't get off the field. The Bears outscored Green Bay 25-6 in the fourth quarter alone. The dagger was a 25-yard touchdown pass from Williams to DJ Moore with just 1:43 left on the clock.
When Brandon McManus missed a 44-yard field goal shortly before that, the writing was on the wall. The final score was 31-27, Chicago. So, while other teams were battling it out yesterday, the Packers were already back in Green Bay, probably doing their exit interviews and wondering how it all slipped away.
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Looking Back: Was the Resting Policy to Blame?
One of the big debates right now—and you'll hear this at every sports bar from De Pere to Ashwaubenon—is whether Matt LaFleur’s decision to rest starters in the regular-season finale against Minnesota back on January 4 contributed to the Wild Card collapse.
The Packers went into that Week 18 game with the No. 7 seed already locked up. They played backup Clayton Tune instead of Jordan Love. They sat Josh Jacobs. The result was a boring 16-3 loss to the Vikings where the Packers' passing offense literally netted minus-7 yards.
Did they lose their "edge"?
Some analysts argue that the week of rest kept Jordan Love healthy, especially after that scary concussion scare he had in Week 16. Others say it killed the momentum. When you see a team give up a 21-3 halftime lead, you start searching for reasons. Is it rust? Is it conditioning? Or was it just a rookie phenom like Caleb Williams finally having his "coming out" party at the worst possible time for Green Bay?
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What’s Next for the Packers?
Since there was no game yesterday, the focus has shifted entirely to the 2026 off-season. The schedule for next year is already set, and it looks like a gauntlet.
Because the Packers finished second in the NFC North, they’re slated to face some heavy hitters. We’re talking about home games against the Cowboys and Texans, plus a tough road trip to face the Rams in Los Angeles. The NFC North is also matched up with the NFC South and AFC East for the 2026 rotation.
Here is what the front office is looking at right now:
- The Health of the O-Line: Zach Tom is currently weighing surgery for a partially torn patellar tendon. That’s a massive blow to a unit that needs to keep Love upright.
- Defensive Consistency: Despite the Wild Card collapse, the team seems to be sticking with the current coaching structure, though fans are definitely vocal about wanting more aggression in the fourth quarter.
- Draft Strategy: With the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, the consensus is that Green Bay needs to look at the secondary. Caleb Williams exposed some deep-ball vulnerabilities that need to be addressed if they want to reclaim the North from Chicago and Detroit.
Basically, if you were looking for who won the Green Bay football game yesterday, you missed the end of the road by seven days. It's a long wait until September, but the "Believe" era under Jordan Love still has plenty of legs, even if this particular January didn't go to plan.
Your Next Steps:
- Check the official NFL playoff bracket to see who Chicago (the team that beat Green Bay) plays next in the Divisional Round.
- Review the 2026 Packers home/away opponent list to start planning your travel for next season.
- Keep an eye on injury reports regarding Zach Tom’s surgery, as it will dictate the team's early draft needs.