There have been plenty of playoff upsets in the NFL over the years, but two of the most improbable comebacks occurred in the past decade.
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots’ 28-3 Super Bowl victory over the Atlanta Falcons remains one of the most iconic rivalries in all of sports. This is also the first time in NFL history that the Super Bowl has gone into overtime, which is even more unprecedented.
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However, the Chicago Bears went into a battle with the Patriots on Saturday night, becoming just the second team in NFL playoff history to score at least 25 points after the third quarter and overcome a 15-plus point deficit.
The Bears looked doomed after losing 21-3 to the Green Bay Packers in the first half of Saturday’s wild-card round game. Their defense strengthened in the second half, but entered the fourth quarter still trailing 21-6.
That’s when Chicago’s offense finally came alive. Caleb Williams stepped up to the plate in his first career playoff start, shrugging off pressure and making several game-saving pitches with the Bears’ season on the line. The Packers defense ran out of steam and Brandon McManus missed two key plays, allowing Chicago to score 25 points in the fourth quarter and beat its NFC North rival 31-27 at Soldier Field.
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After earning their first playoff victory in 15 years, the Bears will embark on a historic comeback against their next opponent in Saturday’s divisional round.
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