CLEVELAND (AP) — The Chiefs have their regular kicker back. The Browns have temporarily booted theirs.
Harrison Butker will handle kicking duties for Kansas City on Sunday after missing four games following knee surgery while Cleveland has benched struggling kicker Dustin Hopkins for at least this week.
Butker was activated from the injured list on Saturday by the Chiefs (12-1), who also waived Matthew Wright after playing him the past two weeks. Wright made eight of nine kicks, including a game-winning 31-yarder that he banked off the left upright to beat the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday.
The Browns will also be without tight end David Njoku, who didn’t practice all week with an injured hamstring. He leads the team with five receiving touchdowns.
Cleveland left guard Joel Bitonio is playing after missing two days of practice with a back injury.
Chiefs starting left tackle D.J. Humphries is out with a hamstring injury.
The 29-year-old Butker has been one of the NFL's steadiest kickers in eight seasons for the defending Super Bowl champions. He made 18 of 20 field goals and 21 of 22 extra points before having surgery on his left, non-kicking knee.
Hopkins is in a troubling slump and will be replaced by Riley Patterson, who was signed to the practice squad earlier this week.
Hopkins has missed 6 of 9 field goals in his last five games. The 34-year-old failed on both attempts last week in a loss to Pittsburgh.
The Browns signed Hopkins to a three-year, $15.9 million contract extension this summer after he went 33 of 36 on field goals to help Cleveland make the playoffs last season.
Patterson finished last season with the Browns after Hopkins hurt his hamstring. He made one field goal and went 6 of 7 on PATS.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
FILE - Kansas City Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butker talks to teammates on the sidelines near the end of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs defeated the Saints, 26-13. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)
Cleveland Browns place kicker Dustin Hopkins, right, misses a field goal attempt in the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) is at left. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Cleveland Browns place kicker Dustin Hopkins (7) walks off the field after missing a field goal in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Caleb Williams drove Chicago to Cairo Santos' 51-yard field goal as time expired and the Bears snapped a 10-game skid with a 24-22 victory over the playoff-bound Green Bay Packers, who lost quarterback Jordan Love and wide receiver Christian Watson to injuries on Sunday.
The Bears (5-12) beat the Packers for the first time since 2018 and ended an 11-game losing streak in this rivalry. It was redemption for Santos, who had a 46-yard field goal blocked by Karl Brooks on the final play of a 20-19 loss to the Packers on Nov. 17.
Brandon McManus had put Green Bay ahead by making a 55-yard field goal with 54 seconds left. Williams got the Bears into field-goal range by throwing an 18-yard completion to DJ Moore, whose fumble had set up the McManus kick.
Green Bay (11-6) is the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs and will play at Philadelphia in the wild-card round.
Now the Packers wait on the status of Watson and Love. Watson was carted off the field with a knee injury in the second quarter and Love departed with an elbow issue later in that same series.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said Love was held out as a precaution. The QB had some practice tosses on the sideline late in the game.
The Packers had opted to play their starters rather than rest them for the postseason even though they already had clinched a playoff berth with their Dec. 23 victory over New Orleans. Sunday’s results still could have impacted their seeding.
That plan proved costly when Watson and Love both got hurt in the same second-quarter series with the Packers trailing 14-3.
Watson, who missed a loss at Minnesota last weekend with a hurt left knee, clutched his right knee after going down while running a pattern in a non-contact injury. Watson walked to the sideline and later was carted into the locker room.
Later in that series, Love flipped a pass to Josh Jacobs while facing heavy pressure, then started to shake his throwing hand. Love eventually left with an elbow injury as Malik Willis took over for the rest of the drive, which ended with a Jacobs 8-yard touchdown run.
Willis ended up going 10 of 13 for 136 yards with a fumble.
Chicago took an early lead because of its defense and special teams. Williams was 21 of 29 for 148 yards with a touchdown pass to Moore, who had nine catches for 86 yards.
The Bears took their first lead since the opening quarter of a 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 24 by utilizing some trickery on a punt return.
As Moore acted as though he was preparing to catch a punt near Green Bay’s sideline, Josh Blackwell actually got the ball while his back was toward the line of scrimmage way over near Chicago’s sideline.
Most of the Packers in coverage converged on Moore and other Bears, creating a clear lane for Blackwell. He made it into the end zone untouched for a 94-yard touchdown.
That play enabled Chicago to end the first quarter ahead 7-3 despite getting outgained 87-(minus-4). It was the first time since Sept. 4, 1994, that a team led a game after the first quarter despite having less than zero total yards.
A fumble by Jayden Reed led to a D’Andre Swift 4-yard run that put Chicago ahead 14-3 early in the second quarter.
Along with the injuries to Watson and Love, Bears S Jaylon Johnson hurt his quadriceps. Packers WR Romeo Doubs missed the game due to an illness.
Bears: Decide on a coach as they begin the offseason.
Packers: Open the playoffs as
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, middle, scrambles against Green Bay Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, bottom, and safety Kitan Oladapo (27) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards (53) reacts after recovering a fumble by Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) with defensive tackle Chris Williams (91) and defensive end Austin Booker (94) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III (31) forces Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis to fumble the ball, which was recovered by the Bears, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III, middle, forces Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis to fumble the ball, which was recovered by the Bears, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore (2) runs against Green Bay Packers safety Javon Bullard, bottom, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens (36) celebrates after recovering a fumble against the Green Bay Packers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs against Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard III, left, defensive tackle Chris Williams (91) and defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (99) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs celebrates with fans after scoring against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) reacts as wide receiver Christian Watson, bottom, is checked on during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
