Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers: Live updates from Sunday’s season finale at Lambeau Field

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Bears and Packers will finish out the NFL regular season on Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

Justin Fields, Matt Eberflus and the Bears will try to play spoiler for their NFC North division rival. With a win, the Packers will clinch a playoff spot. The Bears have a chance to spoil the fun for the cheeseheads.

Shaw Local Bears beat writer Sean Hammond is in Green Bay for Sunday’s game. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @sean_hammond, on Instagram at @bears_reporter and on Threads at @bears_reporter. Shaw Local Bears analyst Marc Silverman will provide his thoughts on X at @WaddleandSilvy.

Below is everything Bears fans need to know ahead of the game. Stay here all game long for live updates.

Packers win, 17-9

Needing to move the sticks, the Packers picked up a first down on a pass from Jordan Love to tight end Tucker Kraft with just over two minutes remaining in the game. The Bears had used two of their timeouts in order to stop the clock, but the first down all but sealed it for the Packers.

Green Bay closed out a victory, 17-9. The Bears ended the season at 7-10.

Bears punt back to Green Bay; Cole Kmet injured

The Bears had a chance to go down and score, trailing by eight points, but couldn’t. Justin Fields briefly left the game to be checked for a concussion. He ran toward his right and slid while taking a hard hit from a Packers defender. Yet again, it did not result in a flag being thrown against the defense.

Tight end Cole Kmet is questionable to return with a forearm injury.

All in all, the possession did not go well. The Bears were forced to punt back to Green Bay.

Packers move quick, but can’t find end zone

The Packers moved down field quickly following a Bears field goal, but couldn’t punch the ball into the end zone. Jordan Love connected with receiver Bo Melton up the middle of the field, or so it seemed. The refs initially ruled it an in complete pass, then changed the call. All scoring plays are reviewed, so the refs then reviewed the play and ruled it incomplete. Melton had corralled the ball with his legs, but the ball appeared to graze the grass at the end of his catch.

Instead of a touchdown, the Packers settled for an easy field goal. That was big for the Bears, though, because it kept it a one-possession game. The Packers lead, 17-9, with 10:54 remaining in the game.

Bears add field goal, pull within five

The Bears made it a one-possession game following a 35-yard field goal from kicker Cairo Santos. On the third down play prior, Justin Fields scrambled to his right and tried to connect with tight end Cole Kmet in the end zone. Instead, Packers cornerback Carrington Valentine recovered enough to get a hand on the ball and knock it away from Kmet.

The Bears were forced to kick a field goal. The Packers lead, 14-9, with 13:03 to go in the fourth quarter.

Bears force fumble

Jordan Love scrambled from the pocket late in the third quarter. Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson lowered his helmet and knocked the ball from Love’s hands. Safety Jaquan Brisker was there to pick up the loose football before it bounced out of bounds.

The turnover couldn’t have come at a better time for the Bears defense. Green Bay was trying to go make it a two-possession game. It was the first takeaway of the game for the Bears.

Love connects with Wicks again for a touchdown

Packers receiver Dontayvion Wicks scored his second touchdown of the game on a 12-yard pass from Jordan Love early in the third quarter. It capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive for the Packers.

Wicks ran a quick slant route, caught the ball and fought for a few extra yards before finding the goal line. The Packers extended their lead, 14-6, with 9:47 remaining in the third quarter. It was also Love’s second touchdown pass of the game.

Tyrique Stevenson’s tackle saves points

The Packers were driving into the red zone prior to halftime. On first-and-10 from the 22, Bears cornerback Terell Smith nearly had an interception in the end zone, but couldn’t hold onto the football. On the next play, with 11 seconds on the clock, Packers QB Jordan Love completed a pass to Dontayvion Wicks along the sideline, but Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson pushed Wicks backwards as he went out of bounds.

By rule, if a player is moving backward when he is pushed out of bounds, the clock still runs. The Packers were out of timeouts and the clock expired. Even though they were in field goal range, they didn’t get to attempt a kick.

At halftime, the Packers lead the Bears, 7-6.

Bears add field goal

Cairo Santos made another field goal, this time from 49 yards, to pull the Bears within a point. The Packers lead, 7-6, late in the second quarter.

Moments earlier, the Bears faced a third-and-6 at the Packers’ 13-yard line. The interior of the offensive line failed to block defensive lineman Kenny Clark, who sacked Justin Fields for a loss of eight yards. Fields has taken three sacks in the first half.

On the possession, Fields connected with DJ Moore for a 33-yard gain that pulled the offense within field goal range.

Packers score game’s first touchdown

The Bears went three-and-out on their second offensive possession of the afternoon. They also lost starting right guard Nate Davis to a foot injury. The Bears announced that Davis is questionable to return to the game.

The Packers began their next possession inside their own 10-yard line. A 32-yard completion from quarterback Jordan Love to receiver Jayden Reed helped flip the field for the Packers.

They drove into Bears territory and scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Love to receiver Dontayvion Wicks. The touchdown came on third-and-1 from the 10-yard line. The Packers ran play action and faked a hand off to the running back, but the Bears didn’t get pressure on Love quickly enough. Love’s pass to Wicks went right in between cornerback Terell Smith and safety Jaquan Brisker.

It was a 92-yard scoring drive for the Packers. The Packers lead, 7-3, midway through the second quarter.

Packers miss 41-yard field goal

On Green Bay’s first offensive possession of the game, the Bears defense came up with back-to-back key stops to force a field goal. On second down in the red zone, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson broke up a pass in the end zone after Packers QB Jordan Love made an impressive throw on the run. On third down, defensive end DeMarcus Walker sacked Love.

Kicker Anders Carlson missed a field goal from 41 yards. The Bears maintained their lead, 3-0, with 2:36 to go in the first quarter.

Cairo Santos makes 50-yard field goal

The Bears won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. They drove 37 yards on the opening possession and scored on a 50-yard field goal from kicker Cairo Santos. The Bears took an early lead, 3-0.

The kick marked Santos’ seventh made field goal from 50 yards or longer this season. That tied a Bears single-season record. Former Bears kicker Robbie Gould also made seven from 50 yards and beyond during the 2015 season. Santos is 7-for-7 on kick from 50 yards or longer this season.

Latest injury news

The Bears have already ruled out receiver Darnell Mooney, who is out with a concussion. Mooney, who is set to become a free agent in March, may have played his last snap as a member of the Bears.

Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson enters the day with a doubtful designation as he deals with a shoulder injury. Johnson injured his shoulder last week against Atlanta.

Running back Khalil Herbert (back/personal), cornerback Kyler Gordon (calf), tight end Cole Kmet (knee) and long snapper Patrick Scales (foot) are all listed as questionable.

On Saturday, the Bears placed center Lucas Patrick on injured reserve with a calf injury. They elevated center Doug Kramer and defensive back Christian Matthew to the active roster from the practice squad. They also signed cornerback Greg Stroman Jr. to the active roster from the practice squad.

Update: The Bears have released their list of inactive players. Mooney and Johnson are inactive and will not play. Additionally, running back D’Onta Foreman, cornerback Greg Stroman Jr., guard Ja’Tyre Carter, quarterback Tyson Bagent and safety Quindell Johnson are inactive.

With Bagent inactive, that means Nathan Peterman will serve as the backup quarterback. Bagent will be the emergency third quarterback if Fields and Peterman both suffer injuries in the game. Kmet, Gordon and Scales are active will dress for the game.

What to expect from the Packers

Silvy says that the Bears must make a statement on Sunday against the Packers. Read his full column here.

For your pregame listening needs, head over to the Bears Insider podcast. Bears reporter Sean Hammond and sports editor Kyle Nabors debated what the Bears will do next at quarterback.

Here are the top five storylines to watch during Sunday’s game.

Jordan Love has played significantly better during the second half of the season. Over his last seven games, he has thrown 16 touchdown passes and only one interception. That’s after throwing 10 interceptions over the first nine games of the year.

If the Bears do beat the Packers, Green Bay can still make the playoffs, but it needs the Lions to beat the Vikings, the Falcons to beat the Saints and the Cardinals to beat the Seahawks.

Is this it for Justin Fields?

That’s the question everybody is wondering: Is this Fields’ last game as the Bears’ starting quarterback. The Bears own the rights to the No. 1 overall draft pick in the spring. They will have the chance to select any rookie quarterback they want, if they so choose.

This has already been debated ad nauseam, and will continue to be debating throughout the offseason. In fact, with Fields and the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears have a chance to completely control the NFL conversation heading into the offseason. Whether they keep Fields or use the top pick, both assets could be highly sought-after on the trade market.

General manager Ryan Poles hasn’t said what he intends to do. Fields is coming off one of his best games as a pro. Trading him now could also be highly unpopular among some of the fan base.

It’s possible this is Fields’ last game as the starter, but nothing is guaranteed right now.

What else did I miss this week?

Here’s what else was happening at Halas Hall this week.

[ Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus surprises Jaylon Johnson, Montez Sweat with Pro Bowl honors ]

[ Chicago Bears believe they have grown ‘tremendously’ since Week 1 beatdown against Green Bay ]

[ Bear Down, Nerd Up: What’s at stake between Bears, Packers on Sunday? ]