Last time Bears played Packers in playoffs: Revisiting 2010 NFC championship game featuring Jay Cutler, B.J. Raji

Green Bay defensive tackle B.J. Raji might have made an appearance on your timeline this week. 

It's not a random occurrence. Raji made the game-defining play the last time the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers met in the NFL playoffs, and that game had a Super Bowl appearance on the line.

There will be many more replays of Raji's unexpected pick-six in the 2010 NFC championship game in the lead-up to the Bears and Packers 2026 playoff matchup at Soldier Field.

Before Green Bay and Chicago meet, let's take a look at that 2010 NFC championship game.

MORE: Ranking the greatest Packers player of all time 

When was the last time Bears played Packers in NFL playoffs?

The last time the Packers and Bears met in the postseason was the 2010 NFC championship game on Jan. 23, 2011. The Packers – the No. 6 seed – beat the Bears – the No. 2 seed – 21-14 at Soldier Field. 

How many times have Bears and Packers played each other in the playoffs?

That was just the second playoff meeting between the NFC North rivals. The other game was played on Dec. 14, 1941 – just one week after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Bears beat the Packers 33-14 at Wrigley Field to clinch the NFL Western Division championship. The game was a matchup between legendary coaches George Halas and Curly Lambeau. Chicago (10-1) avenged a 16-14 regular-season loss to the Packers (10-2) – whose only two losses were to the Bears. 

MORE: Ranking the greatest Bears players of all time

2010 NFC championship: Bears vs. Packers

The Packers opened the 2010 NFC championship game with a seven-play, 84-yard TD drive capped with a 1-yard TD run by Aaron Rodgers on a second-and-goal bootleg. The Packers maintained that momentum into the second quarter with a 4-yard TD run by James Starks, who had emerged as a breakout start in the postseason. Green Bay maintained that 14-0 lead at halftime. 

Jay Cutler injury controversy

Cutler – the Bears' star quarterback – suffered a left knee injury in the first half of the matchup. He had been ineffective up to that point. Cutler played the first series of the second – a three-and-out – before being replaced by Todd Collins, who was then replaced by third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie. 

Cutler took heavy criticism in the aftermath of the loss about whether or not he could have played through the injury in the second half. Brian Urlacher had an interception at the goal line in the third quarter, and the Bears did score on a 1-yard TD run by Chester Taylor with 12:02 left in the fourth quarter. The Packers punted on the next drive, which gave Hanie a chance. 

B.J. Raji interception return

On third-and-5, Hanie tried to sneak a pass over the middle to running back Matt Forte, but he did not see Raji, a 335-pound defensive tackle who had dropped back into coverage.

Raji made the interception and scored a TD which gave the Packers a commanding 21-7 lead with 6:04 remaining.

The last time the Packers played the Bears in the playoffs we got a big man B.J. Raji pick-6 😤

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The Bears scored on the next drive with a 35-yard TD pass from Hanie to Earl Bennett, and Chicago pushed to the Green Bay 29-yard line with 47 seconds left. Hanie, however, was intercepted by Sam Shields – the Packers' third interception in the game – which ended the come-back attempt. 

Green Bay went on to beat Pittsburgh 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV. 

2010 NFC championship box score

Here is a look at the scoring in the 2010 NFC championship game: 

FIRST QUARTER 

GB: Aaron Rodgers, 1-yard TD run, 10:50 (Mason Crosby kick), GB 7-0

SECOND QUARTER 

GB: James Starks 4-yard TD run, 11;13 (Crosby kick), GB 14-0 

FOURTH QUARTER 

CHI: Chester Taylor 1-yard TD run, (Robbie Gould kick), 12:02, GB 14-7 

GB: B.J. Raji 18-yard interception return TD (Crosby kick), 6:04, GB 21-7 

CHI: Caleb Hanie 35-yard TD pass to Earl Bennett, 4:43, GB 21-14

GREEN BAY LEADERS

Passing: Aaron Rodgers 17-30, 244, 0 TDs, 2 INTs

Rushing: James Starks 22-74, TD

Receiving: Greg Jennings 8-130 

CHICAGO LEADERS

Passing: Caleb Hanie 13-20, 153 yards, TD, 2 INTs; Jay Cutler 6-14, 80 yards, INTs

Rushing: Matt Forte 17-70

Receiving: Matt Forte 10-90

2010 Packers roster 

A look at the Packers' starters for the NFC championship game in 2010: 

Offense 

Defense 

Special teams 

How the Packers reached 2010 NFC championship

Green Bay lost several key players to injuries during the regular season, including tight end Jermichael Finley, Ryan Grant, Mark Tauscher, Nick Barnett and Morgan Burnett. Yet Rodgers helped the team get hot late in the season – a run that started with a 45-17 victory against the New York Giants in Week 16. The Packers beat the Bears the following week to clinch a playoff spot and beat Michael Vick-led Philadelphia 21-16 in the NFC Wild Card round before a 48-21 win at top-seed Atlanta in the NFC divisional playoffs.

The Packers had seven Pro Bowl selections, including receivers Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, tackle Chad Clifton, linebacker Clay Matthews, cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams and safety Nick Collins. 

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2010 Bears roster

A look at the Bears' starters for the NFC championship game in 2010: 

Offense 

Defense 

Special teams 

How the Bears reached 2010 NFC championship

The Bears finished 11-5 and won the NFC North under Lovie Smith – their best season since reaching Super Bowl XLI four years earlier. The defense has three Pro Bowl selections in Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers, who thrived under new defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli.

MORE: Why did Aaron Rodgers leave the Packers?

Returner Devin Hester also was a Pro Bowl selection, and Jay Cutler had led one of the hottest teams in the second half of the season. Chicago beat Seattle 35-24 in the NFC divisional playoffs and had home-field advantage in the NFC championship game.