Williams’ late TD pass lifts Bears over Packers in wild-card game

By Canadian Press on January 10, 2026.

CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams came through in his playoff debut, throwing a go-ahead, 25-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore with 1:43 remaining, and the Chicago Bears rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the rival Green Bay Packers 31-27 in a wild-card playoff game on Saturday night.

The NFC North champion Bears extended their resurgent first season under coach Ben Johnson with their seventh fourth-quarter comeback victory. They split two down-to-the-wire games with Green Bay in the regular season, and this one turned out to be a thriller when it looked like it would be a breeze for the Packers.

Chicago trailed 21-3 at halftime and 21-6 through three quarters, only to outscore Green Bay 25-6 in the fourth on the way to its first playoff win in 15 years.

Williams found a wide-open Moore along the left sideline to give Chicago a 31-27 lead with 1:43 remaining.

Jordan Love then led Green Bay into Chicago territory. But on third down at the 28, Jaquan Brisker broke up a pass in the end zone as time expired, setting off a wild celebration — and a curt handshake between Johnson and Packers coach Matt LaFleur.

The Bears will host a divisional-round game next weekend.

RAMS 34, PANTHERS 31

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Matthew Stafford threw a 19-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds to lift Los Angeles to a dramatic wild-card round win over Carolina in the opening game of the NFL playoffs.

Stafford finished 24 of 42 for 304 yards with three touchdown passes, while Puka Nacua had 10 receptions for 111 yards and two total touchdowns as the Rams (13-5), who were 10 1/2-point favorites, advanced to the divisional playoffs.

Bryce Young threw for 264 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score for Carolina (8-10), which finished the season losing four of its final five games. Jalen Coker had career highs with nine receptions for 134 yards with a touchdown and Chuba Hubbard ran for 46 yards and two touchdowns.

The Panthers fell behind 14-0 early, but stormed back to take a 24-20 lead on Hubbard’s second touchdown of the run game early in the fourth quarter.

Stafford, who was selected as an All-Pro earlier in the day, led the Rams back down on the field and found Kyren Williams for a 13-yard touchdown strike over the middle for a 27-24 lead.

Los Angeles appeared to be in charge after getting a stop on defense giving Stafford the ball back.

But a holding penalty put the Rams behind the sticks and forced a punt, which Isaiah Simmons blocked to set the Panthers up the Rams 30.

Four plays later, Young found Coker in the left corner of the end zone for a 7-yard scoring strike to give Carolina a 31-27 lead 2:39 left, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

But Stafford quickly moved the Rams 71 yards in seven plays with Panthers two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn on the sideline with a concussion, finishing it off with a perfectly placed pass to Parkinson near the right side of the goal line. Parkinson, who had two TDs last week, forced his way into the end zone for the score.

It was nearly the second time this season the Rams lost to the Panthers as a 10 1/2-point underdog. Carolina won 31-28 on Nov. 30.

Carolina’s last attempt to move into field-goal range ended when Jimmy Horn dropped a fourth down pass from Young.

The Associated Press

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