Jordan Love leads Green Bay Packers into NFC playoffs ESPN

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Welcome to the playoffs, Jordan Love.

What seemed like a long shot less than a month ago -- a 27% chance, to be exact, after the Week 15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- turned into a sure thing when the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 17-9 in Sunday's regular-season finale at Lambeau Field.

Love pulled off something that neither Brett Favre nor Aaron Rodgers could manage: He led the Packers to a playoff berth in his first season as the full-time starting quarterback. It wasn't until Year 2 as the starter that Favre and Rodgers led the Packers to the playoffs.

As a wild-card team, the Packers (9-8) will hit the road for their first playoff game.

This from a team that at one point had lost four straight to fall to 2-5. Green Bay was in this same position last year -- win in Week 18 and get in -- and lost at home to the Lions in what turned out to be Rodgers' final game with the Packers. The Packers finished 8-9 last season and missed the playoffs with Love watching from the sideline as Rodgers' backup.

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This team was essentially in playoff mode ever since that loss to the Buccaneers and won three straight to finish 9-8.

The Packers did it not just with a first-time starting quarterback but with the youngest team in the league.

Sunday's game epitomized what they did on offense. Rookie fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks caught two touchdown passes, which gave the Packers 31 receiving touchdowns by first- and second-year players, which is tied with the 1960 New York Titans for second-most such scores in NFL history, trailing only the 1961 Oilers (44), according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Joe Barry, the Packers' oft-criticized defensive coordinator, called some well-timed blitzes, and the Packers sacked Bears QB Justin Fields five times.

Sunday's game wasn't without its uncertain moments.

Rookie Anders Carlson missed a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter. The Packers then botched the last drive of the first half, running out of time deep in Bears territory before they could kick a field goal in what was a 7-6 game. Then, Love fumbled on a scramble near midfield late in the third quarter of a 14-6 game.

However, the Bears could manage only another field goal off that turnover to make it 14-9 with 13:03 remaining. Then, after a 59-yard catch-and-run by rookie Jayden Reed, the Packers had to settle for another field goal and a 17-9 lead with 10:54 left.

Love, who finished 27-of-32 passing for 316 yards and two touchdowns, and the offense ended it by running out the final 6 minutes and 8 seconds.

The Packers got into the postseason with running back Aaron Jones (22 carries for 111 yards) on a run of three straight 100-yard games.