CHICAGO _ The Bears' playoff drought has ended.
With a 24-17 victory over the Packers on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field, the Bears clinched their first NFC North title and their first playoff berth since 2010. They had finished last in the division each of the last four seasons.
The Bears defense forced only one turnover _ Eddie Jackson's fourth-quarter interception in the end zone _ but they flustered quarterback Aaron Rodgers much of the day to pull off a victory over a Packers team that had won eight straight at Soldier Field.
Bears outside linebacker Khalil Mack had 2 { of the Bears' five sacks of Rodgers.
With the Packers threatening at the Bears' 9-yard line. Jackson became just the second player to intercept Aaron Rodgers this season when he picked him off with 3:14 to play. But the play came at a cost as Jackson was injured on the return.
Meanwhile, the Bears offense did more than enough to secure the victory and most importantly turned the ball over just once.
Quarterback Mitch Trubisky completed 20 of 28 passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions and was sacked only once.
Packers kicker Mason Crosby made a 45-yard field goal with 11 seconds to play to cut the Bears' lead to 24-17. But Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson recovered the Packers' onside kick attempt after the field goal.
The Bears scored first after Jordan Howard scored on a 9-yard touchdown run giving the Bears a 7-0 lead against with 2 minutes, 8 seconds to play in the first quarter.
Howard opened the drive with a 15-yard catch from Trubisky, and he added 22 rushing yards on the drive. After gaining 2 yards on a third-and-1 play at the 11, he charged through a big hole to score his sixth touchdown of the year.
The Packers would cut that lead to four after a Crosby field goal but the Bears extended their lead to 14-3 at halftime after Tarik Cohen scored on a 12-yard pass play. Cohen used his speed on a short pass to get to the 3-yard line and then leaped from there, extending the ball over the right corner of the end zone for the touchdown with 30 seconds to play.
In the second half, after the Bears failed to convert a fake punt on fourth down, Packers running back Jamaal Williams ran for a 10-yard touchdown with 4:10 to play in the third quarter, and Rodgers found Davante Adams for the two-point conversion to tie the game 14.
The Bears would respond with a Trey Burton touchdown and never gave up the lead the rest of the game.
