Jordan Love guides Packers to win over Bears, playoff bid

Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes and the host Green Bay Packers jumped into the NFC playoffs with a 17-9 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Entering the regular-season finale needing a win to earn a wild-card berth, the Packers (9-8) punched their ticket as the No. 7 seed and will travel to Dallas to meet the No. 2 Cowboys next weekend.

Love went over 300 yards with his 26th completion of the game with 3:08 to play, and running back Aaron Jones clicked over 100 yards rushing for the third consecutive game on the game-sealing possession. He finished with 111 yards on 22 carries. Bears quarterback Justin Fields left the game for one play in the fourth quarter to be checked for a concussion, but returned and finished the game. He completed 11 of 16 passes for 148 yards and rushed for 27 yards on eight carries. Late in the third quarter, Green Bay almost watched it all slip away.

After calling an audible out of a trips left formation, Love tried to make a play on his own due to a communication breakdown. Instead, Love fumbled scrambling right for the first down and the Bears (7-10) recovered, trailing 14-6. Fields, who didn’t attempt a pass in the third quarter, had his third-down pass to Cole Kmet knocked down at the goal line before Cairo Santos connected on his third field goal to narrow the lead to 14-9 with 13:03 to go. But Love struck right back.

He opened the next drive by hitting rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed in stride on the Packers’ first play from scrimmage for a 59-yard gain. Love’s third-and-4 rocket to wide receiver Bo Melton from the Chicago 7 was perfectly placed, but too hot to handle. Following a replay review, officials ruled Melton never fully gained control of the ball while going to his back before touching out of bounds.

Love’s would-be third TD pass of the game was wiped out, but the Packers nudged their lead back to eight (17-9) on Anders Carlson’s 25-yard field goal. Packers rookie defensive end Karl Brooks wrapped up Fields for the Packers’ fifth sack of the game to help force a punt on Chicago’s ensuing drive. Chicago was held to 192 total yards and allowed 432. The loss dropped Fields to 0-6 against the Packers since he was drafted in 2021. –Field Level Media