ClutchPoints
The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers have spent more than a century trading blows. But the latest matchup felt like proof that the NFL’s oldest rivalry still has real teeth. After the game, even a Packers legend noticed.
“What a game. That throw! The hatred is real and the rivalry is alive!” former Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews posted on X after Chicago’s stunning 22-16 overtime win. Matthews added that the matchup deserved a playoff encore, a sentiment shared by fans on both sides of the NFC North divide.
Chicago forced overtime with a late rally. The Bears then ended it when quarterback Caleb Williams uncorked a 46-yard strike to DJ Moore for the walk-off touchdown. It was the kind of moment that has defined Bears-Packers games for generations, and it makes sense why Matthews wants a rematch in the playoffs between both squads.
Moore made sure the moment lingered. In a candid postgame interview, he celebrated the comeback with raw emotion, then carried the trolling into the locker room by dancing with the game ball while wearing a cheese grater on his head, a not-so-subtle jab at Green Bay’s iconic cheesehead tradition.
With this win, Chicago strengthened its playoff position and could clinch a postseason berth if the Detroit Lions lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers. For a Bears team fueled by young stars, the win felt like another step toward relevance in January. For Green Bay, it was a reminder that dominance in this rivalry is never permanent. Under coach Matt LaFleur, the Packers have largely controlled recent matchups, but Chicago’s resurgence has tightened the margins again.
Aside from two missed seasons in 1922 and 1982, the teams have met every year since 1921. Through 210 regular-season games and two playoff meetings, Green Bay holds a slim series edge, 109-97-6 and games like this latest battle are why. As Matthews put it, the hatred is real. More importantly for the NFL, the rivalry is very much alive.
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