Bears and Rams Pull Off Shocking NFL Playoff Upsets in Last-Second Showdowns

Wow — talk about a game that had me on the edge of my seat! The Chicago Bears, after a long drought of 15 years without a playoff triumph, pulled off a jaw-dropping comeback against their archrivals, the Green Bay Packers, right in the heart of Chicago. These guys? They’ve got a knack for the dramatic, staging a record six comebacks during the regular season when the clock’s winding down — and they did it once more, outscoring the Packers 25 points in the final quarter to snatch a 31-27 victory. What a statement win to punch their ticket into the Divisional Round, especially with a rookie QB dubbed “the Iceman” leading the charge under pressure! The rivalry is legendary — the oldest and most storied in the NFL — and this latest chapter certainly added a fresh layer of excitement. Trust me, if you’re a Bears fan, this celebration’s been a long time coming. LEARN MORE

The Chicago Bears produced a stunning fightback to beat divisional rivals Green Bay and claim their first play-off win in 15 years.

The Bears managed a record six comebacks in the regular season having trailed inside the final two minutes and they pulled off another escape act to beat the Packers 31-27 in Chicago.

Green Bay led for most of Saturday’s Wildcard Weekend game but Chicago scored 25 points in the fourth quarter to recover from an 18-point deficit – a franchise record for the post-season.

The Bears follow the Los Angeles Rams into the Divisional Round after they avoided a huge upset at the Carolina Panthers, with Colby Parkinson’s touchdown giving them a 34-31 win with 38 seconds remaining.

The rivalry between Chicago and Green Bay is the oldest and most-played rivalry in the NFL, with this the 213th meeting between the divisional rivals – and just the third in the play-offs, the others coming in 1941 and 2011.

The Bears surpassed expectations this season to win the NFC North division in Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach and claim the NFC’s second seed.

Green Bay claimed the seventh so had to visit a snowy Chicago for the first play-off game at Soldier Field since 2019, and during the first half it seemed the occasion may be too much for the Bears.

Packers quarterback Jordan Love returned after two games out following a concussion and threw three touchdown passes as the visitors charged into a 21-3 lead by half-time.

But Chicago’s defence stepped up in the second half to stifle the Packers and a field goal made it 21-6 heading into the final quarter.

The Bears added another before second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, making his play-off debut, showed why he has been nicknamed ‘the Iceman’ by leading his team to touchdowns on three straight possessions.

D’Andre Swift got in from close range before Love made his fourth touchdown pass to halt Chicago’s momentum, again making it a two-score game at 27-16.

Yet Williams, the first overall draft pick in 2024, was undeterred, finding Olamide Zaccheaus and DJ Moore either side of a second missed field goal by Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus, to put the hosts in front with 1:43 remaining.

Chicago actually lost the turnover battle, with Williams throwing two interceptions along with two touchdown passes, but it was the 24-year-old’s composure when their season was on the line that allowed the long-suffering Bears fans to celebrate a famous victory.

Rams survive scare at Carolina

Colby Parkinson caught the winning touchdown with 38 seconds left — Colby Parkinson claimed the winning score for the Rams, whose most recent Super Bowl win came in 2022 [Getty Images]

The Rams were not only heavy favourites to beat Carolina but are one of the favourites to win Super Bowl 60 on 8 February.

Despite coming into the post-season with a losing 8-9 record, the Panthers had home advantage having stumbled to the NFC South title.

The Rams, who finished the regular season 12-5, looked on course for a straightforward passage to the Divisional Round after Puka Nacua scored the opening two touchdowns.

But the Panthers regrouped and cut the score to 17-14 at half-time, before tying the game in the third quarter.

The final quarter produced four touchdowns, with the Panthers twice going in front, only for the Rams to reply each time through Kyren Williams and Parkinson.

Both scores were from passes by Rams quarterback Matt Stafford, the favourite for this season’s Most Valuable Player award, who threw for 304 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Panthers quarterback Bryce Young threw for 264 yards on his play-off debut, plus one interception, while throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another.