When the Bears broke the huddle late in the fourth quarter, trailing the Packers by three and staring down a crucial first-and-10 from the Green Bay 25-yard line, something subtle but significant unfolded at the line of scrimmage. It wasn’t just another snap-it was a chess move disguised as a routine formation.
Right tackle Darnell Wright was lined up outside of left tackle Theo Benedet. That’s not a typo, and it wasn’t a miscommunication.
It was a calculated shift into an unbalanced formation, the kind of wrinkle that forces a defense to think on its feet-and sometimes overthink. Seconds later, Caleb Williams found DJ Moore wide open in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown that would ultimately seal a 31-27 Wild Card win over Green Bay.
This wasn’t just good execution-it was a masterclass in offensive misdirection, designed to manipulate defensive tendencies and capitalize on a moment of hesitation. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle broke it down after the game, explaining how the formation and motion worked in tandem to create the perfect storm.
“We were in an unbalanced look,” Doyle said. “The defense has to communicate how they’re going to adjust to that. That’s some eye candy right there.”
And that was just the beginning. Wright, lined up as an eligible receiver, released into the flat-selling the illusion of a screen pass.
That movement drew the defense’s attention toward the sideline, especially with rookie wideout Luther Burden nearby. But the real target was Moore, streaking behind the defense while their eyes were elsewhere.
“We really only needed to fool one guy,” Doyle added. “DJ did a great job.”
It’s the kind of play that rewards both preparation and patience. Earlier in the game, the Bears had run a similar screen concept-just enough to plant the seed in the defenders’ minds.
So when they saw the same motion again, the reaction was automatic: step up, trigger on the screen. That one false step was all Moore needed.
“We’ve been talking about that for a couple of weeks-getting DJ to threaten that outside player, get him to trigger,” Doyle said. “Once he stepped up, I think we all knew it was going to be a touchdown if we put a good ball on him.”
And that’s exactly what happened. Williams delivered a strike, Moore walked into the end zone, and the Bears walked away with a statement win over their longtime rivals.
It’s a reminder of what separates good play callers from great ones. The elite ones don’t just draw up plays-they set traps.
They use formations, motion, and tendencies to create hesitation, to manufacture space. And when you’ve got a quarterback like Caleb Williams and a weapon like DJ Moore, that space becomes six points in a hurry.
Head coach Ben Johnson deserves a nod here, too. His fingerprints were all over the design, and the trust he’s shown in his young quarterback and dynamic receiver is paying off in moments like this. The Bears didn’t just outplay the Packers-they outthought them when it mattered most.
Now, with the Rams coming to Soldier Field, Chicago will need more of that same creativity. The postseason is no place for predictability. But if this game-winning play is any indication, the Bears have the tools-and the imagination-to keep defenses guessing and fans on the edge of their seats.