Williams threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore in overtime, and Chicago overcame a 10-point deficit late in the fourth quarter on Saturday night for a 22-16 win over the Green Bay Packers, who lost quarterback Jordan Love to a concussion.
“I knew it was good,” Williams said. “You’ve got that belief. You’ve got that confidence. You’ve got that swagger as an offence. You’ve practised well. You’ve hit plays like that in practice. It was pretty identical to practice. When the play gets called and the moment comes up like that, it’s time to go hit it. It’s time to go win the game.”
The Bears (11-4) extended their lead in the NFC North to 1 1/2 games over the Packers (9-5-1) with two to play and got some payback for a loss at Lambeau Field two weeks earlier.
It was Chicago’s sixth win this season after trailing in the final two minutes and its most incredible: Green Bay had a win probability of 99 percent.
Chicago moved closer to its first postseason trip since 2020 with a rare victory in the NFL’s longest-running rivalry.
“It should hurt because these guys, all of us, we put a lot into this thing and we had opportunities,” Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur said. “You’re up two scores late in the game and unfortunately, it flipped pretty quick.”
Cairo Santos kicked a 43-yard field goal that got Chicago within 16-9 with 1:59 remaining. The Bears had no choice but to try an onside kick, and Josh Blackwell recovered it.
The Bears tied it with 24 seconds left when Williams beat an all-out blitz on fourth down and lofted a pass to a wide-open Jahdae Walker in the right corner of the end zone for a six-yard touchdown.
In overtime, the Packers had fourth-and-one at the Chicago 36 when backup quarterback Malik Willis fumbled the snap. Chicago took over at the 36 and, four plays later, Moore hauled in the winning TD from Williams with Keisean Nixon draped all over him, setting off a wild celebration.
In another game, the Philadelphia Eagles clinched a second consecutive NFC East title by beating the Washington Commanders 29-18.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 22 of 30 throws, with 15 of those caught by AJ Brown or DeVonta Smith, for 185 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers
The game included a late brawl after running back Saquon Barkley tacked on a two-point conversion to increase Philadelphia’s lead to 19 points. (AP)