Matt LaFleur’s standing with the Packers is a point of interest after Green Bay’s massive meltdown in the NFL playoffs.
Caleb Williams lifted the Bears to the biggest playoff comeback in franchise history.
The Rams survived the Panthers’ push, but Los Angeles’ secondary could be a problem.

Even in opening with a doubleheader of rematches, the NFL playoffs managed to open with a bit of the unexpected.

The Saturday afternoon slot of the wild-card round often produces a dud, but that was hardly the case this year. The Los Angeles Rams, who were a heavy favorite and a popular pick to be the NFC’s Super Bowl representative, found themselves with a legitimate challenge from the Carolina Panthers, needing to regroup in the final minutes to push ahead for a 34-31 win. But the biggest thrills would come from the Chicago Bears, who rallied from a 21-3 deficit to stun the rival Green Bay Packers with a 31-27 win. That outcome would not only give Chicago its first postseason win in 15 years but also go down as the largest playoff comeback in Bears franchise history.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from Saturday’s NFL playoff wild-card action:

Winners

Caleb Williams

After the first half, the second-year signal-caller seemed destined for an offseason of unfounded questions on whether he could deliver in crunch time. So much for that narrative. Williams engineered a turnaround that will go down as an all-timer for the franchise, further entrenching the notion that these are hardly the same old Bears. With a run game that usually paces the attack coming up empty and Chicago’s game plan thrown off by its substantial early deficit, Williams was often left to create on his own. He certainly rose to the occasion, with his stunning fourth-down heave demonstrating his singular status among passers, even if his consistency still isn’t all there. Capturing the lead with a 25-yard scoring strike was a fitting exclamation point for Williams, who threw for 195 yards and two scores in the fourth quarter alone. Regardless of how the season ends for Chicago, this is the kind of night that affirms the campaign as a resounding success, and one that makes anything feel possible under the current setup.

Ben Johnson

From the off-kilter offensive execution to some questionable game management in the early going, Johnson invited plenty of scrutiny with the Bears’ lackluster start out of the gate. He’s due for a reprieve, however, after authoring a historic breakthrough for the franchise. Johnson helped the Bears rediscover their explosive form late despite facing a difficult landscape that forced the attack to be one-dimensional, with the team scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter alone. There’s been a good deal of fortune involved with Chicago’s seven fourth-quarter comebacks this season, and Green Bay certainly opened the door with several missteps down the stretch. Still, Chicago has grown accustomed to living on the edge, and Johnson has helped a young and inexperienced core rapidly mature so as to navigate situations like this. And after raising eyebrows by saying in his introductory news conference that he ‘kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year,’ he’s now done that in his first year in the top job.

Colston Loveland

Forget Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Bears tight end is closing out his inaugural pro campaign as the league’s most lethal first-year weapon. Loveland finished with a game-high 137 yards on eight catches and a two-point conversion, repeatedly roasting Green Bay on out-breaking routes. The Michigan product became the first rookie tight end with 100-plus receiving yards in a playoff game since Keith Jackson in 1988, and he notched his third consecutive game with at least six catches and 90 yards. A rare matchup threat, he sizes up as one of the biggest breakout candidates in the entire league for 2026.

Romeo Doubs

The Packers receiver’s fumbling of an onside kick precipitated Green Bay’s collapse in the Week 16 overtime loss against Chicago. This time around, he can’t be blamed for the Packers folding. Doubs led Green Bay with 124 yards and a touchdown on eight catches. With the offense sputtering late, he stepped up on several occasions to snag critical first downs. Don’t be surprised if he pulls down a hefty sum in a couple of months, when he figures to be one of the most attractive options in a booming receiver market.

Matthew Golden

He shouldn’t have to hear about going without a touchdown as a rookie anymore. The Packers’ first-round receiver finally found the end zone on a dazzling 23-yard fourth-quarter catch-and-run, during which he slipped several defenders. Golden capped an underwhelming first year with 84 yards on four catches. Better things – and a bigger role – should be ahead in Year 2.

Matthew Stafford’s late heroics

The final stat line – 24-of-42, 304 yards with three touchdowns and an interception – sure was a lot prettier than the actual play for most of the day. After a sizzling start, Stafford spent a good chunk of his day misfiring or otherwise struggling to come up with answers for Carolina’s defense, with a finger injury late in the first half seemingly exacerbating the issues. But with the Rams facing a four-point deficit in the final three minutes, Stafford slung the offense 71 yards by completing six of seven throws, capping his effort with a sublime scoring strike to tight end Colby Parkinson. With things not clicking on the perimeter, Stafford did his most significant damage by shredding the Cover 3 looks that the Panthers opened with – and for some reason returned to late. It’s not the kind of effort that the quarterback or his team will want to reprise, especially considering how shaky things were when Carolina generated pressure. But only a select few signal-callers are capable of pulling out of a tailspin and delivering that result.

Jalen Coker

On a team that has spent first-round draft picks on wide receivers in successive years, it was a former undrafted free agent who powered a Panthers aerial attack that had at times looked lifeless this season. Coker’s 134 receiving yards were not only a career high but more than half of the Panthers’ total in that category (264). The second-year wideout also hauled in Bryce Young’s perfectly delivered go-ahead touchdown throw on a corner route late in the fourth quarter. Coker’s disconnect with Young in the first quarter led to an interception that deepened the Panthers’ early hole, so his day wasn’t without error. Still, he looks to be the perfect complement to Offensive Rookie of the Year front-runner Tetairoa McMillan for a Carolina passing game that will look to take off in earnest in 2026.

Losers

Matt LaFleur

Prior to the game, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that LaFleur and Packers brass planned to meet after the conclusion of the season to discuss a contract extension, with the coach’s deal currently set to expire after next season. Safe to say that the summit is bound to be a bit more awkward now. Given the injuries that crippled what looked to be a title-ready roster, Green Bay fading down the stretch is at least somewhat understandable. But capping a four-game losing streak to end the regular season with a multi-faceted meltdown against a rival is a devastating way to go out. Jordan Love roasted Chicago early with play-action, with the offense scoring touchdowns on each of its first three drives. From there on, Green Bay was out of sorts, at times barely able to move the ball. Yes, the defense and special teams also wilted after halftime. But LaFleur is ultimately responsible for those slip-ups, too. Though his standing as one of the NFL’s premier play-callers and offensive architects is unimpeachable, LaFleur has too often been at the center of these kind of setbacks. Maybe parting with a coach who is 76-40-1 and has reached the postseason in six of seven seasons will prove unpalatable for Packers president and CEO Ed Policy, who’s facing his first full offseason in the role. But as LaFleur said after the game, ‘This one is going to hurt for a really, really long time.’

Brandon McManus

It wouldn’t be a Packers implosion without special teams playing a prominent role. McManus missed both of his field-goal attempts as well as an extra point. It was a brutal outcome for a player signed to a three-year extension just 10 months ago.

Said McManus after the game: ‘An embarrassing performance … it’s the most disappointing part of my career right now.’

Rams’ secondary

There were myriad issues for a team that severely undermined its standing as a leading Super Bowl threat. But while the penalties and special teams meltdowns should be more readily fixable – despite how persistent a theme the latter has remained despite the late December firing of coordinator Chase Blackburn – the issues on the back end appear as pressing as ever. The return of standout safety Quentin Lake, who missed the regular-season tilt with Carolina, didn’t make a drastic difference for a group that unraveled down the stretch, particularly in giving up big plays. Even on a day when the Rams’ front frequently dictated terms and created havoc, the secondary couldn’t live up to its responsibilities and now looms as a major liability in the divisional round.

Ikem Ekwonu

Brutal outcome for the Panthers left tackle, who buckled after being bull-rushed by Rams rookie Josaiah Stewart. Ekwonu was carted off with what Panthers coach Dave Canales said after the game looked to be a ‘significant’ knee injury. The 2022 first-round pick already has had his fifth-year option, which is fully guaranteed, picked up for 2026. But the injury at least complicates his financial future beyond that.

In a battle of first-place teams Saturday night, the Boston Celtics suffered a difficult 100-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Frustrated by a lack of fouls called on the Spurs, Celtics forward Jaylen Brown blasted referee Curtis Blair and his crew after Boston shot a total of four free throws the entire game.

‘I’ll accept the fine at this point,’ Brown told reporters afterward, punctuating his comments with expletives. ‘I hope somebody can just pull up the clips, because it’s the same (stuff) every time we play a good team. I think they’re a good defensive team, but they ain’t that damn good … It’s like they refuse to make a call, then they call touch fouls on the other end. That’s just extremely frustrating, bro.’

The Spurs hit on 14-of-20 free throws for the game, compared to just 3-for-4 for the Celtics.

‘Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy,’ Brown continued. ‘Curtis, all them dudes was terrible tonight. I don’t care. They can fine me whatever they want. But it’s crazy. Every time we play a good team, it’s the same (crap). Somebody please pull up the clips.’

Brown finished with 27 points on 11-for-28 shooting from the field. Despite playing 43 minutes, he did not attempt a free throw.

‘I’m driving to the basket. I’m physical. I don’t flop. I don’t shy away from contact. I go up strong. I’m athletic. And nothing. Zero free throws tonight.’

‘It’s hard to win games like that,’ a despondent Brown said. ‘We shot four free throws and lost the game by four. I’d say that’s the whole game, the whole story.’

Brown struggled down the stretch of a game the Celtics actually lost by five points. He shot just 1-for-9 from the field and committed a pair of turnovers during the decisive fourth quarter, in which San Antonio outscored Boston 27-20.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford played every offensive snap of his team’s 34-31 wild-card win over the Carolina Panthers but wasn’t quite at 100% while doing so.

Stafford suffered an injury to his throwing hand while attempting a pass at the end of the first half. The 37-year-old quarterback banged his hand on D.J. Wonnum’s arm while trying to follow through.

Stafford immediately recoiled in pain after the play and doubled over on the ground, clutching his hand.

Stafford was able to stay in the game despite the injury and immediately flashed a thumbs-up to Sean McVay after the play. Nonetheless, the veteran quarterback endured some uncharacteristic struggles with his accuracy throughout the third quarter, leading many to wonder about the severity of his potential injury.

Here’s what to know about Stafford’s hand as the Rams start to look ahead toward the NFL’s divisional round.

Report: Matthew Stafford set for tests on injured finger

The Rams have not provided an update on Stafford’s condition as of Sunday morning.

Matthew Stafford comments on injury

Stafford was asked about his hand injury during a postgame news conference. He told reporters he ‘got a finger bent back’ on the play in question, which led to his reaction on the field.

‘They saw it on the TV on the sideline or whatever. I didn’t obviously know exactly what had happened,’ Stafford explained. ‘It wasn’t pleasant. It wasn’t great.’

Stafford didn’t seem overly worried about the injury being a long-term issue for him.

‘We’ll see what it is,’ Stafford said. ‘I was obviously able to finish the game and throw it decent. Once the ball’s snapped, the adrenaline’s pretty good. So we’ll hopefully just keep it going.’

Nonetheless, Stafford’s practice status will warrant monitoring as the Rams prepare for their divisional-round playoff game.

Who is the Rams backup QB?

If Stafford’s injury ends up being worse in severity than initially anticipated, Los Angeles would turn to Jimmy Garoppolo to lead it as the team chases a Super Bowl.

Garoppolo, 34, is in his second season with the Rams. He didn’t attempt a pass this season but went 0-1 as a starter for Sean McVay’s squad last year while completing 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Garoppolo has started 64 games across his 12 NFL seasons since being a second-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2014 NFL Draft. The Eastern Illinois product has a 43-21 career record across those starts and helped lead the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl 54. They lost that game 31-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs in what was Patrick Mahomes’ first career Super Bowl win.

Rams QB depth chart

The Rams have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. Below is a look at the pecking order within the group:

Matthew Stafford
Jimmy Garoppolo
Stetson Bennett IV

Bennett was a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He played collegiately at Georgia and helped lead the Bulldogs to two national championships.

Bennett has not yet played a snap at the NFL level but was designated the team’s emergency third quarterback for the team’s wild-card win over the Panthers.

ATHENS, GA ― LSU Tigers senior guard Flaujae Johnson won a national championship her freshman year. The goal is another before she graduates. As the only remaining member of the 2022-23 national title roster, LSU’s current title hopes start and end with Johnson.

‘Leadership is all intentional’, the LSU guard recently told USA TODAY Sports. ‘I just go to my mentors, my leaders and my coaches and my players, my teammates. We had a real conversation: ‘How can I be a better leader? How can I lead y’all better?’

‘I feel like it’s easy to follow somebody when you know that they’re genuine. I’ve just been working on being a better leader and a better learner, too.’

Whether on the hardwood, in the recording studio or in her daily life, Johnson’s authenticity is what has seemingly pushed her into the national spotlight. The Tigers senior describes herself as a ‘self-made millionaire,’ whose mind ‘moves a 1,000 miles a minute.’ Over the last four seasons, the Georgia native has earned 11 major basketball awards, including first-team All-SEC and third-team All-America in 2025, while simultaneously releasing three albums, gracing magazine covers and juggling brand deals.

Still, she finds things to keep her grounded in her genuineness, like only eating the marshmallows out of a bowl of Lucky Charms, scribbling in her journal and taking care of Champ, her bearded dragon. Johnson jokingly told USA TODAY Sports that caring for Champ, who is a ‘sweetheart with a little attitude,’ taught her what it’s like to put others before herself. That lesson applies to leadership at LSU. The Tigers guard shared she’s had to think of her teammates first and be more accountable.

‘When your energy is high, it’s contagious. When your energy is low, it’s contagious. We need you to be where we need you to be every day,’ Johnson reveals her team told her. ‘I had to look myself in the mirror and [say], ‘OK, when my energy is low, it does affect the team. It’s not just about me.”

Johnson knows LSU goes as she goes. Coach Kim Mulkey ripped the Tigers for not being ‘tough enough’ after losing to No. 7 Kentucky and No. 6 Vanderbilt to begin SEC conference play. The Tigers’ consecutive underwhelming performances did little to quell the chatter about the team having what the senior guard admits was a ‘cupcake schedule’ to start the season. (LSU didn’t play a single ranked team before New Year’s Day.) Johnson had 15 points and three steals against the Wildcats in a game that came down to the final shot, but, for the second time in her career, she was held scoreless as the Tigers lost a 65-61 matchup to the Commodores.

Following their back-to-back SEC losses, LSU secured a much-needed 80-59 win against Georgia. During the fourth quarter, the Tigers pulled away with a timely 15-3 run, firmly putting them in the driver’s seat.

‘This team doesn’t get down,’ Mulkey said postgame. ‘It’s not pointing fingers. It’s not dissension. It’s just a lot of new faces in a locker room that are gonna just learn how to compete and finish games and hang on to leads. We’re gonna be OK. The sky’s not falling.’

Johnson added another achievement to her LSU résumé ― 1,800 career points ― and finished with a game-high 25 points on 69% shooting and two blocks. She also had three crucial baskets and a pair of free throws during LSU’s late-game flurry, which helped push the lead to 20. Most importantly, the Tigers’ victory likely wouldn’t have happened without Johnson’s leadership. Mulkey shared that she thought Johnson and junior guard Mikaylah Williams were outstanding leaders against the Bulldogs. The Tigers coach said she doesn’t look at stats. What’s important to her is what they’re doing on the court, like defending and helping the team rebound, and what they’re saying to teammates.

Mulkey said the Georgia game was the best representation thus far of what she expects from her leaders. She also stressed that she wants Johnson to continue to lead. The senior guard won’t score 25 points every night. So, it has to be her leadership that prevails when the Tigers need someone to help them get over the hump. Johnson is aware of the expectations and took time to speak with her teammates in the huddle before tipoff.

‘I told them believe in each other, but most importantly, believe in themselves,’ Johnson said. ‘We’re so cohesive, and we’re so together that we can make each other believe. That’s the biggest team with this team. We are talented … I’m just trying to do small things to pour into them and let them know, like coach said, the sky is not falling. We’re going to be OK. It’s January. It’s the beginning of January.

‘I just felt like today, I really led. I put the team first, and I really led. I showed them that I believe in them, and in return, they gave me that energy back.’

The Los Angeles Chargers have a recent history of playoff collapses, including blowing a 27-point lead in 2022.
Quarterback Justin Herbert has excelled in the regular season but is 0-2 in his playoff career.
The Chargers’ offensive line has been a significant weakness, allowing an NFL-high number of pressures on Herbert.
Los Angeles will face the New England Patriots in an attempt to reverse their postseason fortunes.

Disastrous is an appropriate term to describe the Los Angeles Chargers’ recent playoff history.

A 27-point collapse to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2022 playoffs, the largest blown lead in franchise history. Justin Herbert tossed a career-worst four interceptions and had a career-low 43.8% completion percentage in the Chargers’ 2024 playoff loss to the Houston Texans – it was likely the worst performance of Herbert’s career.

“It was one of those things that you continue to think about. There are a lot of football games that you just remember. Whether they are good or whether they are bad, they stick with you. I think it’s a great learning experience. No one felt worse than I did after that game,” Herbert said recently about last year’s playoff loss. “I think it’s important to continue to move forward and realize that it’s what happened. It would be crazy of me to deny the truth of what happened. To live in this reality where if I tried to block it out, I don’t think that’s doing any good.”

Herbert’s been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks during the regular season, as the sixth-year Charger earned his second career Pro Bowl invitation. His 2,285 career completions are the most ever in a quarterback’s first six seasons, while his 24,820 career regular season passing yards are the second most in the same span.

The playoffs are a different story.

Chargers vs. Patriots: Herbert, Bolts look to exorcise playoff demons

Herbert is 0-2 in his playoff career. The Chargers’ last postseason win was in the 2018 playoffs when Philip Rivers was their starting quarterback.

When the Chargers face the New England Patriots on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium, they’ll try to write a different chapter in their playoff history.

“You definitely look back at where you been. But you don’t want to be focused or too locked in on what’s happened in the past because there is so much that’s happening that’s different this year versus last year. We have different players from last year,” Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley said. “We’re trying to do things a little differently. We obviously know what happened in the past. But we can care less because this first round is not last year’s first round.”

The Patriots are a 3.5-point favorite, according to BETMGM. But the Chargers have the confidence knowing they’ve won their two most recent meetings against New England, including a 40-7 victory last year. The Chargers are also 5-0 in primetime games this season.

One glaring issue: Can Chargers offensive line hold up to playoff pressure?

A glaring issue that hindered the Chargers during last year’s playoff loss and throughout this year, though, has been the team’s offensive line. The Chargers have been unable to fill the massive voids created by the season-ending injuries to tackles Rashawn Slater (patellar tendon) and Joe Alt (ankle).

The Chargers finished the regular season with an NFL-most 32 different offensive line combinations, according to Next Gen Stats. Herbert was pressured on an NFL-high 263 of his dropbacks, sacked a career-most 54 times and hit a career-high 74 times. The Chargers finished the regular season with the NFL’s worst pass block win rate and ranked second to last in run block win rate, per ESPN.

New England’s ability to exploit a leaky Chargers O-line is the preeminent key to the wild-card matchup.

“It’s just doing what were coached to do. Getting back to our fundamentals, taking good sets,” Chargers tackle Trey Pipkins III told reporters this week. “That’s really all you can do. You can set yourself up well, take a good set, beat them to the spot, you set yourself well up to win.”

A recent playoff history marred in disappointment. Herbert and the Chargers have a chance to create some positive postseason memories. But their playoff success this season in large part hinges on their patchwork offensive line.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

After a tumultuous spell at Arsenal, U.S. women’s national team fullback Jenna Nighswonger has joined Aston Villa on loan.

The loan will run through the end of the season, with the Birmingham club also having an option to buy the 25-year-old.

Nighswonger has made just six appearances for the Gunners after arriving from Gotham FC in January 2025, playing only once this season.

Despite the lack of minutes since joining the reigning Women’s Champions League winners, Aston Villa is excited about the prospect of Nighswonger joining its project.

‘Everyone at Aston Villa is extremely excited to welcome Jenna to the club,’ said Director of Women’s Football Marisa Ewers.

‘We have been tracking her for some time and are delighted that she has bought into our exciting project.

‘This signing forms part of our growing ambitions as we continue to build an exciting and competitive squad, and we believe Jenna will add real quality to the group and support our goals moving forward.’

Currently, the Villans sit in sixth place in the WSL standings, accumulating 16 points across 12 matches.

For Nighswonger, this move could help her potentially return to the USWNT squad, where she has not featured since February 2025.

The Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers 31-27 in an improbable comeback victory.
Chicago overcame an 18-point deficit, scoring 28 points in the second half to advance in the NFC playoffs.
The Bears will face either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Los Angeles Rams in the next round.

Maybe this really is the Chicago Bears’ year.

It’s about the only way to explain it. Trailing their archrivals by 18, with coach Ben Johnson repeatedly getting too cute for his own good and QB Caleb Williams getting outplayed by Jordan Love, it sure looked as if the Bears were headed for the offseason.

But no opponent’s lead is safe with this group, which believes it’s in every game until the clock hits zero.

And who’s to tell the Bears differently, especially after this one?

‘The only option we had was to go out there and be legendary,’ Williams said after the Bears’ improbable 31-27 wild-card win, their first playoff win in almost 15 years and their largest postseason comeback in franchise history.

The Bears will play either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Los Angeles Rams next weekend.

The Bears might not be the best team left in the playoffs. They might not have the best players. They certainly don’t have the experience, with Johnson in his first year as a head coach and Williams in his second NFL season.

But chemistry, and karma, cannot be discounted. This is a Chicago team that believes in each other, and that faith has been borne out time and time again.

This was the seventh game in which the Bears had come back to win in the fourth quarter, and second time in three weeks they’d rallied to beat their neighbors to the North.

At first, the cardiac comebacks were written off as the Bears getting lucky. Or their opponents falling apart at an inopportune time and Chicago being the beneficiary.

But you don’t do this week after week after week without being good. Or being battle-tested, at least.

If a Bears team that is new to the playoffs can score 25 points in the final 15 minutes, with Williams throwing for two touchdowns (and a two-point conversion) in the last 4:18, maybe it’s simply meant to be. Maybe the stars are aligning or the universe has decided a team that’s been so woeful for so long is due its turn.

(Now is a good time to point out that Pope Leo XIV, appointed in May, is a Chicago native and a Bears fan.)

‘To be in those situations and to come out victorious, it’s no fluke. It’s no, ‘Oh, this happened. We’re lucky,” Williams said, a bit of an edge in his voice. ‘We’ve done it multiple times this year. It’s been proven for us to be a great second-half team.’

But the Bears had to be better than great. They had to be near-perfect. They had to be, as Williams said, legendary.

Comeback Bears defy odds again with 25 fourth-quarter points

The Bears’ trailed by 18 at the half, a hole largely of their own making. Johnson got cute with his play calling, converting on one fourth down early in the second quarter and thinking that meant a green light to keep doing it.

But Williams got picked on one fourth-down attempt and couldn’t convert on another, and both failures led to Packers touchdowns that gave them a 21-3 lead.

‘It’s our identity here at this point,’ Johnson said. ‘And some people say it’s not sustainable. I don’t know. … As a team, it’s just resiliency and knowing that late in the fourth quarter, that’s really when we’re at our best as a football team.’

The Bears had not overcome a double-figure deficit this year, but there was no fiery speech in the locker room, no panic. Just a reminder to keep plugging away. To do the things the Bears have done all year long.

And with two players on the Bears roster who were on the field for New England’s epic comeback over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51, a reminder that it could be done.

‘That was my message to the group, just reminding them that this has been done before. And rather than saying, ‘Whoa is me and oh crap, we’re in a hole,’ it’s more, this is a great opportunity for us to turn this thing around into a game that we’ll never forget,’ Johnson said.

The defense, which had been so porous in the first half, settled in and flustered the normally unflappable Love. He was called for two delay-of-game penalties, and the Packers also had a false start during their final drive.

Cairo Santos kick-started the offensive revival with a pair of field goals and then, in the fourth quarter, Williams was at his best. As he’s been so many times this season.

Williams and Colston Loveland connected for 20-plus yards twice to set up D’Andre Swift’s 6-yard TD run that cut Green Bay’s lead to 21-16. The Packers would score, but Brandon McManus missed the extra point.

Williams hit Rome Odunze and Kyle Monangai for 20-yard-plus completions — with Odunze’s coming on fourth down, no less. (See? Karma.) — before finding Olamide Zaccheaus for the 8-yard score. Williams and Loveland connected on the 2-point conversion, and Green Bay’s lead was now 27-24.

After McManus missed a field goal on Green Bay’s next possession, Williams wasted no time in getting the lead. He took the Bears 66 yards in a little over a minute, capping the drive with a 25-yard TD pass to D.J. Moore.

‘Pure belief. Belief. That’s all you need,’ Williams said. ‘All I said to the guys was, you don’t need to be Superman. You don’t need to go and do anything crazy. You’ve just got to go out there and focus and do your job. And those guys looked me in my eyes and said, ‘We’re going to make it happen.”

‘So the belief was there, the trust was there and they went out there and made the plays when it counted.’

The McManus field goal miss meant the Packers had to score a touchdown. But they couldn’t do it, only able to get to the Chicago 43 before time ran out on them. The Bears had won. Improbably, or maybe predictably, they had defied the odds once again.

‘This year has been a special year,’ Williams said. ‘The guys that we have in this building are unmatched. The brotherhood, the bond that we have is unmatched. And so we want to keep this going.’

Some teams are just charmed, and it sure feels as if these Bears are one of them.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

Simply, it was the greatest sports evening in Chicago since 2016.

While the Chicago Bears were making arguably the greatest comeback in franchise history against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night in the playoffs, the Chicago Cubs were making their biggest free-agent splash in a decade with a five-year, $175 million agreement with infielder Alex Bregman.

“Big night for Chicago,’’ Scott Boras, Bregman’s agent, said in a text to USA TODAY Sports.

So, while the Bears were coming back from a 21-3 halftime deficit to win 31-27, Boras and the Cubs were actually in the middle of negotiations?

“Bears game?’’ Boras texted USA TODAY Sports. “I was packing the green in for Breggy with the Cubs.’’

Oh, did he ever.

The Cubs, who tried to sign Bregman a year ago to a four-year, $115 million deal, got their man and stole him away from the Boston Red Sox with the richest salary in Cubs’ history.

And after listening to critics all winter, saying that they haven’t made enough moves or spent enough money to make themselves World Series contenders − or at least better than the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central − they shelled out the big cash after acquiring Miami Marlins starter Edward Cabrera just three days ago.

Just like that, the Cubs have got folks in Chicago believing it could be 2016 all over again, the year they won their first World Series since 1908.

Certainly, Bregman, 31, is a huge winner. He opted out of the $80 million owed to him the next two years by the Boston Red Sox, and spun it into a franchise-record $35-million-a-year deal with a full no-trade clause and no opt-outs. The only Cubs’ contracts bigger in total value is Jason Heyward’s eight-year, $184 million contract and shortstop Dansby Swanson’s seven-year, $177 million contract.

Bregman, who turns 32 in March, will now earn $215 million over six years.

Just like that, the Cubs could be a giant in the NL. They now have a wealth of depth in their infield in which they could either slide Matt Shaw to second base and trade Nico Hoerner or make Shaw a super utility player and keep Hoerner for one more year before he hits free agency.

No matter, the Cubs feel as if they’re set, and love Bregman’s leadership skills, as he has been in the playoffs every full year of his 10-year career.

This is why the Red Sox badly wanted to bring him back and were runner-up in the negotiations. The Arizona Diamondbacks also had interest in Bregman, but once they decided to retain All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte, they dropped out of the Bregman sweepstakes, leaving the Cubs and Red Sox as the two finalists.

Bregman, who hit .273 with an .821 OPS with 18 homers and 28 doubles last season, is the biggest free agent to sign this winter. Considering he’s two years older than Cody Bellinger, it perhaps illustrates why Bellinger has not accepted the Yankees’ five-year offer in excess of $150 million.

Bregman’s signing now leaves the Red Sox badly needing Bo Bichette, who also is being courted by the Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays. Bichette has a zoom call meeting Monday with the Phillies.

The Cubs couldn’t care less what happens next. They believe they’re set now. They’re convinced they can win their first NL Central title in a full season since 2017.

And, hey, with the Cubs’ convention scheduled this upcoming weekend, they not only plan to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their World Series, but believe it could be a prelude to an October to remember in 2026.

What a night in Chicago, with the Bears winning at Solider Fielder and the Cubs celebrating in their offices at Wrigley Field.

Who would have imagined a brutally cold, blustery evening in Chicago could feel so beautiful?

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

The Buffalo Bills are hoping to go on a long playoff run as they face an AFC field that is without the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time since 2014.

It won’t be an easy task, especially as the Bills start the playoffs on the road against one of the NFL’s hottest teams.

The Jacksonville Jaguars enter the 2025 NFL playoffs winners of eight consecutive games. The AFC South champions posted a 13-4 record in Liam Coen’s first season as head coach and Trevor Lawrence has enjoyed his best season to date under the young, offensive-minded coach’s tutelage.

Jacksonville figures to be a tough matchup for Buffalo. The Jaguars have the NFL’s top-ranked run defense and may be able to render NFL rushing leader James Cook less effective than usual. That could put a lot of pressure on Josh Allen to carry his team to victory in what may be a high-scoring game.

Follow along as USA TODAY Sports provides live score updates, highlights and more for the first AFC game of the NFL postseason:

What TV channel is the Jaguars vs. Bills game?

TV channel: CBS

CBS will broadcast the Jan. 11 wild-card round game between the Jaguars and Bills. Jim Nantz (play-by-play) and Tony Romo (game analyst) will man the booth while Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter) will also be on the call for the postseason clash.

What time is the Jaguars vs. Bills game?

Start time: 1 p.m. ET

The Jaguars vs. Bills playoff game will kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 11. It will be the first AFC playoff game of the 2025 postseason and it will also kick off an NFL Sunday tripleheader.

Josh Allen injury update

The Bills quarterback has been dealing with a bone issue on the side of his foot, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Allen faces no further risk of injury, however, and it’s simply a pain tolerance question.

NFL schedule today: Sunday playoff games

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4) vs. 6. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) vs. 6. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
2. New England Patriots (14-3) vs. 7. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)

Jaguars vs. Bills live stream

Live stream: Paramount+ | Fubo

Cord cutters can tune into the wild-card matchup with Paramount+, CBS’ proprietary streaming service, or with a subscription to Fubo, which also offers a free trial.

Watch NFL playoffs with Fubo (free trial)

Jaguars vs. Bills predictions, picks

Jarrett Bell:  Jaguars, 27-24
Nick Brinkerhoff: Jaguars, 31-24
Chris Bumbaca: Jaguars, 25-22
Nate Davis: Jaguars, 31-27
Tyler Dragon: Jaguars, 26-22
Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Jaguars, 31-27

Jaguars vs. Bills odds, moneyline, O/U

Against the spread (ATS): Jaguars -1 (-110) | Bills +1 (-110)
Moneyline (ML): Jaguars -115 (Bet $115 to win $100) | Bills -105 (Bet $105 to win $100)
Over/Under (O/U): 51.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

NFL playoffs remaining schedule

All times Eastern.

Wild-card round

Sunday, Jan. 11

Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX
Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots, 8 p.m. ET, NBC

Monday, Jan. 12

Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC

Stream the NFL playoffs with a Fubo subscription

Divisional round

Saturday, Jan. 17

AFC/NFC divisional game: 4:30 p.m.
AFC/NFC divisional game: 8:15 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 18

AFC/NFC divisional game: 3 p.m.
AFC/NFC divisional game: 6:30 p.m.

NFL conference championship round

Sunday, Jan. 25

AFC championship game: 3 p.m.
NFC championship game: 6:30 p.m.

Super Bowl 60

TV: NBC
Date: Feb. 8, 2026
Location: Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California)
Time: 6:30 p.m.