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Malik Willis - Green Bay Packers
Malik Willis (Dec. 21, 2025)
The Bears were head-hunting for much of the first half of the game, and it paid major dividends when Chicago defensive lineman Austin Booker knocked Jordan Love from the game in the second quarter with a concussion. Booker lowered the crown of his helmet on the hit, and while Love made things worse by instinctively ducking into the shot, it would have caught him on the chin even in a best-case scenario. Love is now in the concussion protocol, and his status is uncertain for next week. It was also Booker’s second roughing penalty of the game, and the Bears third overall, not including a missed call on a third quarter forearm shot to Packer backup quarterback Malik Willis.
Without Love, the Packers turned to Willis, who remains one of the best backups in the league, and he played a brilliant game with 121 yards and a score through the air, and another 44 on the ground. Willis’ performance, along with a standout effort from Emanuel Wilson and Romeo Doubs, should have been enough to win the game as Green Bay led 16-9 with under two minutes remaining. Wilson’s efforts were especially important as Josh Jacobs struggled, clearly still feeling the impact of a recent foot injury. His goal line fumble in the third quarter kept the game within striking distance for Chicago. The Packer defense was phenomenal in holding Caleb Williams (19/34, 250 yards, 2 touchdowns) and the Bears to nine points for the first 58 minutes of the game. And then it all fell apart.
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Bears’ kicker Cairo Santos executed a near perfect onside kick that was botched by Doubs and recovered by Josh Blackwell. Chicago marched down to the Packers’ twelve-yard line on the strength of a 20-yard pass from Williams to DJ Moore, but the Packers defense stiffened, setting up a fourth and goal from the six. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley called a perfect blitz, and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper was unblocked up the middle, however Keisean Nixon completely blew his assignment leaving receiver Jahdae Walker wide open in the back of the end zone. Williams threw a desperation rainbow that found its target.
Picture Perfect Touchdown
The game would go to overtime where the Packers received the ball first, but after a four-minute drive, a botched snap on fourth and one gave the ball to the Bears in great field position. A few plays later, Caleb Williams hit DJ Moore with a picture perfect 46-yard touchdown pass to end the game and complete an unbelievable Bears’ comeback.
The victory put the Bears in control of the division, and moved their magic number to one, however the Packers are surprisingly still in a strong playoff position due to Aaron Rodgers’ and the Steelers beating the Lions on Sunday. The only team that can realistically catch Green Bay for the final playoff spot is the Lions, and to do so, they need to win out while the Packers lose out. The Lions finish up against the Vikings and Bears while the Packers take on the Ravens this Saturday, followed by the Vikings in the final game of the season.
While Jordan Love’s status is uncertain, the Ravens have injury issues of their own as starting quarterback Lamar Jackson was forced to leave Sunday’s game against New England with a back contusion. Baltimore is just barely alive for a playoff spot, and needs to win out, and have the Steelers lose out, to have any shot. If Jackson can’t go, backup quarterback Tyler Huntley will get the call. Huntley played well when forced into action behind Jackson and was actually the Raven’s quarterback the last time they faced the Packers in 2021, in a 31-30 Packer victory. Huntley was 28/40 for 215 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort.
Baltimore’s Running Game
Regardless of the quarterback, Ravens will likely lean more heavily into their powerful running game and running back Derrick Henry on Saturday, however the Baltimore running back situation is starting to get a bit strange. Henry was great against New England, rushing for 128 yards and two scores on Sunday night, however after his second touchdown run at the beginning of the fourth quarter, he never played again. He was apparently not injured, and the team has yet to offer a satisfactory explanation for his absence. Henry’s availability is crucial for Baltimore’s success, and this is a situation worth monitoring throughout the week.
Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy was also forced to leave the Vikings’ Sunday game against the Giants with an injured hand, and so it’s entirely possible that the Packers will finish the season facing two backups, though if Jordan Love cannot clear the concussion protocol, they may be going into battle with a backup of their own.
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