The Bears-Packers rivalry delivered another classic, and this time, it was Chicago walking away with the bragging rights-and the win-thanks to a gutsy overtime strike from Caleb Williams to D.J. Moore. The Bears outlasted the Packers 22-16 in a game that had just about everything: injuries, turnovers, and a walk-off touchdown that will be replayed all offseason.
Let’s rewind a bit. The Packers’ afternoon started to unravel early, and the cracks began to show when Jordan Love exited in the first half.
That forced Malik Willis into action, and to his credit, he handled the moment better than many might’ve expected. But the Packers couldn’t get out of their own way.
A costly fumble by Josh Jacobs inside the five-yard line and a muffed onside kick recovery by Romeo Doubs left Green Bay chasing momentum they never quite regained.
In overtime, the Packers got the ball first and started to build a promising drive-until it stalled on the Bears' side of the field. A miscue between Willis and center Sean Rhyan on a quarterback-center exchange set up a fourth down they couldn’t convert. That gave the Bears solid field position and put the weight of the game squarely on the shoulders of the Packers' defense.
That’s when Bears head coach Ben Johnson made the call that sealed it.
After crossing midfield, Johnson dialed up a play-action shot play the Bears had been holding onto all week. It was installed during practice, but they hadn’t found the right moment-until now.
The Bears came out in 13 personnel (that’s one running back, three tight ends), a heavy look they’d used to run the ball several times earlier in the game. That formation triggered a predictable response from the Packers defense, who were loading up to stop the run with safeties creeping up to around eight or nine yards off the line.
Pre-snap, Caleb Williams motioned tight end Cole Kmet from left to right. The Packers’ linebackers shifted accordingly, and that was the cue: the Bears had the look they wanted.
The play was designed to beat quarters coverage-a defensive scheme that can be vulnerable to well-timed deep shots if you know how to attack the safeties. The concept featured a deep post as the primary read and a deep sit route with an option to break outside as the secondary. It’s a classic play-action shot out of heavy personnel, and it worked to perfection.
At the snap, Williams faked the handoff, drawing the safeties down just enough. Javon Bullard, the safety to the top of the screen, was responsible for the No. 2 receiver on his side-Kmet. When Kmet stayed in to block, Bullard bit on the run fake and took a few downhill steps, freezing him in place.
Meanwhile, Colston Loveland ran a deep over-the-ball route targeting safety Xavier McKinney. McKinney, reading the inside break, stayed tight to the middle of the field.
That opened up room outside, where Loveland broke toward Carrington Valentine. With the safeties and backside corner effectively neutralized, it left Keisean Nixon one-on-one with D.J.
Moore.
That’s a matchup the Bears will take every time.
The play-action had pulled the Packers’ defense laterally, and with seven blockers selling the run, Williams had the time he needed. He stepped up and let it fly-a 55-yard bomb in the air that hit Moore in stride for the walk-off score.
It was a play that showcased everything the Bears are hoping to build with Caleb Williams at the helm: smart pre-snap recognition, poise under pressure, and the arm talent to make defenses pay deep. And it was the kind of play that could be a turning point-not just in a single game, but in the trajectory of a franchise looking to climb back into contention.
For the Packers, it’s a bitter pill. Despite some gritty moments and a defense that had been holding the line, one misread and a perfectly timed call flipped the script.
But for the Bears? It was a statement. A rivalry win, a big-time throw, and a glimpse of what the future could look like with No. 13 under center.