Week 18 recap: Chicago Bears lose their season finale 17-9 to the Green Bay Packers, who clinch the final NFC playoff spot
GREEN BAY — With a 17-9 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers punched their ticket to the playoffs with first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love.
Meanwhile, the Bears headed back to Chicago with major decisions to make about their coaching staff and quarterback after finishing the season 7-10.
Love threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns with one turnover on a fumble to lead the Packers to their 10th straight win against the Bears. That ties their longest winning streak in the rivalry, set from 1994-98. The Bears last beat the Packers in 2018 and last won at Lambeau Field in 2015.
“It’s tough because you want to go out there and show what you can do on this stage and win out,” wide receiver DJ Moore said. “When you don’t and come up short like that, it’s heartbreaking, especially because of the rivalry and everything that was riding (on this game) for them on the season.
“To come up short-handed and not playing our best football at the end, it stinks.”
Bears quarterback Justin Fields, whose status will be evaluated as the team weighs what to do with the No. 1 draft pick, was harassed often by the Packers defensive line. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 148 yards and was sacked five times.
“I felt their pass rush, but I didn’t feel ours,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said.
The Bears didn’t score a touchdown, getting all nine of their points on Cairo Santos field goals. They managed just 75 yards on the ground, while Packers running back Aaron Jones rushed for 111.
After the Packers took a 7-6 lead into halftime, Love led a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on the opening possession of the second half.
The drive included a 17-yard pass to Bo Melton and Jones’ 17-yard run on back-to-back plays to get into Bears territory. On third-and-3 from the 12-yard line, Love hit Dontayvion Wicks up the middle for a touchdown and a 14-6 lead. It was their second touchdown connection of the game.
Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson forced Love to fumble late in the third quarter, and safety Jaquan Brisker recovered at the Bears 42-yard line.
The Bears got to the Packers 17 after Fields hit Moore with an 11-yard pass on third down and then Cole Kmet with a 27-yarder. But over the next three plays, Fields’ pass to Robert Tonyan in the end zone fell incomplete, Roschon Johnson was stopped for no gain and Fields’ pass to Kmet in the end zone was broken up by Carrington Valentine.
The Bears turned to Santos, who made a 35-yard field goal to cut the Packers lead to 14-9.
The Packers quickly responded when wide receiver Jayden Reed broke free from Stevenson for a 59-yard catch.
Three plays later, Love tried to hit Melton in the end zone for a 7-yard pass. Originally ruled a touchdown on the field, replay showed Melton didn’t have control of the ball. The Packers settled for a 25-yard Anders Carlson field goal and a 17-9 lead.
On the Packers’ final drive, the Bears got them to third down twice, and both times Love completed a 15-yard pass, first to Reed and then to Tucker Kraft on third-and-7 to seal the win.
“I feel like as a D-line we could have played a lot better,” Bears defensive tackle Justin Jones said. “We could have got more pressure. Obviously we had injuries in our secondary. That being said, we’ve got to step up. We’ve got to make more plays.”
Bears cornerback Terell Smith, who started in place of injured Pro Bowler Jaylon Johnson, left the game in the second half with a quadriceps injury, and Jaylon Jones filled in. Kmet left with a forearm injury in the second half.
The Bears also played most of the game without right guard Nate Davis, who left with a foot injury. Cody Whitehair filled in. The Bears were already down one offensive line starter because center Lucas Patrick went on injured reserve with a calf injury. Dan Feeney started in Patrick’s place.
Here’s how the game unfolded.
Inactives announced
Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson will miss Sunday’s game against the Packers with a shoulder injury.
Johnson, who was named to his first Pro Bowl team Wednesday, injured his shoulder against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17 and missed practice all week.
However, nickel back Kyler Gordon (calf), running back Khalil Herbert (back), tight end Cole Kmet (knee) and long snapper Patrick Scales (foot) will play for the Bears after they dealt with injuries during the week.
The Bears previously declared out wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who will miss his second straight game while in concussion protocol.
Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent, who was out with an illness during the week, is also inactive. Nathan Peterman will back up starter Justin Fields.
The Bears also will be without center Lucas Patrick, who went on injured reserve with a calf injury Saturday. Patrick was on the bench before Sunday’s game wearing a boot on his right leg.
Also inactive for the Bears are running back D’Onta Foreman, cornerback Greg Stroman, offensive lineman Ja’Tyre Carter and safety Quindell Johnson.
For the Packers, wide receivers Christian Watson and Grant DuBose, running back A.J. Dillon, linebackers Brenton Cox Jr. and Isaiah McDuffie and offensive lineman Caleb Jones are inactive.
Halftime: Time runs out on Packers as they try to expand lead
Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw for 158 yards in the first half to fuel a 7-6 halftime lead against the Bears on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Love completed 15 of 19 passes with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks. Love was trying to drive the Packers to another touchdown in the final seconds of the half.
But Bears cornerback Terell Smith broke up his pass to Malik Heath in the end zone with 11 seconds left. Love then hit Wicks for a 3-yard pass, and when an official ruled Wicks stayed inbounds after a hit from Tyrique Stevenson, the clock ran out.
The Packers defense sacked Justin Fields three times on three drives as the Bears managed only two Cairo Santos field goals.
Fields completed 8 of 9 passes for 94 yards with no turnovers. The Bears rushed for just 29 yards on 12 carries.
Santos made a 50-yard field goal on the opening drive to give the Bears a 3-0 lead. They moved quickly down the field to get to the Packers 26-yard line. But Fields was sacked for a loss of 6 yards, scrambled for 3 yards and hit Khalil Herbert with a pass that lost 3 yards before the Bears turned to Santos.
The Bears held on to their lead when Packers kicker Anders Carlson missed a 41-yard field-goal attempt wide left on the next drive. Defensive end DeMarcus Walker sacked Love for a loss of 8 yards on third down one play before the attempt.
The Packers went up 7-3 on their next drive when Love found Wicks for the 10-yard touchdown pass on third-and-1 with 7:20 to play in the second quarter. It was the second third down of the drive. Love hit Bo Melton with a 10-yard pass up the middle on third-and-5.
Santos made a 39-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-6 with 1:20 to play in the second quarter. Packers defensive end Kenny Clark sacked Fields on third-and-6 from the 13.
Bears right guard Nate Davis left in the second quarter with a foot injury and was listed as questionable to return. Cody Whitehair filled in for Davis.
The Bears were already down one starting offensive lineman because center Lucas Patrick went on injured reserve with a calf injury. Dan Feeney started in Patrick’s place.
Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs left in the first half with a chest injury.
Catch up on the rest of our coverage.
Decision 2024
When time runs out Sunday, the Bears will be on the clock to make major decisions in a crucial offseason. Here’s a look at the decisions ahead.
Week 18 predictions
The Bears close out the 2023 season the way they started it — with a game against the Packers.
Of course, the Bears hope for a different result at Lambeau Field after the Packers shocked them with a 38-20 win in the opener Sept. 10 at Soldier Field.
That was the Packers’ ninth straight victory in the rivalry. The Bears’ last win against the Packers was in 2018, and their last win at Lambeau Field was in 2015. Read more here.
Pro Bowl nods
Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson and defensive end Montez Sweat were named Pro Bowlers for the first time Wednesday.
Johnson’s selection comes amid a career season for the fourth-year Bears player. Johnson has four interceptions, including a pick-six, 10 passes defended, a forced fumble and 36 tackles in 14 games.
Sweat, the fifth-year defensive end acquired from the Commanders on Oct. 31, has a career-high 12 1/2 sacks this year. He also has 25 quarterback hits, four passes defended, three forced fumbles, 54 tackles and 13 tackles for a loss in 16 games between both teams. Read more here.
Kevin Warren’s $1M contribution
Kevin Warren received the phone call in the middle of the night while in his hotel room on the Minnesota Vikings’ trip to Green Bay in October 2014.
The Bears President and CEO, then with the Vikings, knew what the news would be. His older sister Carolyn Elaine Warren-Knox had died of brain cancer. Warren’s subsequent trips to Green Bay always have been emotional with the memory of a woman 16 years his senior who was like a second mother to him.
That’s part of the reason Warren and his wife, Greta, stood on the 18th floor at Lurie Children’s Hospital on Friday in the middle of a hectic Week 18 for the Bears. Read more here.
