Caleb Williams and the Bears celebrated a playoff victory. © APA / PATRICK MCDERMOTT
The Chicago Bears won a playoff game for the first time in 15 years, prevailing in a thrilling matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
January 11, 2026
By: cst
At Soldier Field, the Bears earned a 31-27 victory, turning the tide after being down 3-21 early in the game and sparking euphoria among their fans. The Bears hadn’t made the playoffs in five years, and their last victory was even further back. Second in the NFC, the Bears had had a significantly better regular season than the Packers, but were still considered slight underdogs before the meeting.
At the start of the final quarter, Chicago trailed 6-21. According to American media, the Bears had never overcome an 18-point deficit in the playoffs. A missed extra point and a missed field goal by the Packers gave the home team a chance to win – and Caleb Williams’ men took it. “We know that each match lasts 60 minutes and we know what that means for Chicago. So we keep fighting until the end,” Williams said. Amazon Prime. He rushed for 361 yards and threw two touchdown passes. His two interceptions ultimately had no impact. Jordan Love’s 323 yards and four touchdown passes were not enough for the Packers.
The Rams narrowly win against the Panthers.
Earlier in the day, the Los Angeles Rams, favorites of the match, won against the Carolina Panthers, not without difficulty. A touchdown 38 seconds from the end assured them the victory (34-31), after the Panthers had led the score twice in the last quarter, taking advantage of the Rams’ errors. “We made mistakes, but we found a way to win. The defense said, ‘We’re going to make it,’ and they did it,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford told the television station. Fox.
The Rams, led by Matthew Stafford, defeated the Carolina Panthers. © APA / JARED C. TILTON
The Rams’ opponent in the next round will depend on other results. Unsurprisingly, they are scheduled to face the Seattle Seahawks, who, as the NFC’s best team, were granted a first-round bye.
Stafford performs well when he needs to.
Stafford, author of three touchdown passes and 304 passing yards, got the Rams off to an excellent start. The visitors quickly led 14-0, and the Panthers struggled to find their feet. After halftime, however, the home team galvanized the Charlotte crowd and kept the suspense going until the final whistle. An interception by Frankfort native Mike Jackson gave the Panthers the lead for the first time, and a blocked punt then gave them another 31-27 lead.
But Stafford then threw a perfect pass to Colby Parkinson, and the 27-year-old scored the decisive touchdown from close range. In the final seconds, the Los Angeles defense prevented the Panthers from gaining any yards, thus ending their season.
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