CHICAGO -- The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears staged one of the most bizzare contests in their 63-year history and in the end, the Packers won the battle of third-string quarterbacks with a dramatic touchdown pass in the closing minute.
Rich Campbell, pressed into action late in the first half, threw two touchdown passes including a 43-yarder to Phillip Epps with 34 seconds left to rally Green Bay to a 20-140victory. The loss dropped NFC Central champion Chicago to 9-6 and reduced the Bears' hopes of clinching the homefield advantage for the playoffs.
The Packers improved to 7-8 with the win.
Campbell, under a strong rush by the Bears all game long, appeared to be going down on the third down play when he managed to hold on and hit Epps, who beat defensive back Terry Schmidt and went in for the touchdown.
'I thought it was going to hit Schmidt in the head,' said Campbell, who guided the Packers from their own 28 with 1:53 for the winning TD. 'Epps came back and got the ball.'
Epps said he knew he could beat Schmidt.
'I saw the ball coming and saw the ball was over his head,' Epps said. 'I knew I had to get into the end zone so I put a move on him.'
The Bears were forced to start third-stringer Rusty Lischat quarterback and for the final two minutes of the second quarter used Walter Payton as a quarterback for the first time in his career.
Payton, the NFL's all-time leading rusher, ran for 175 yards in 35 carries, scored a 7-yard TD that put the Bears ahead early in the fourth quarter and threw a 2-yard halfback option TD pass to tie the score in the third quarter.
'It's OK but I wouldn't want to make a living out of it,' Payton said of his QB debut.
Chicago Coach Mike Ditka made two critical decisions in the closing two minutes. At the Green Bay 29, he elected to go on 4th-and-1 for the first down but the Packers held. On the play before Campbell's TD, Green Bay was called for holding and Ditka elected to take the penalty, moving the Packers out of field goal raege.
'We took the penalty instead of letting them try to make a field goal because I didn't want to lose the game on that kind of a field goal,' said Ditka.
Gregg indicated he would have gone for what would have been a 50-yard attempt had the Bears not taken the penalty.
With 5:45 left in the third quarter, Payton threw a 2-yard option TD pass to Matt Suhey following an interception to tie the score with 5:45 left in the third quarter.
Green Bay answered with a 97-yard kickoff return by Del Rodgers early in the fourth quarter. However, the snap on the extra point was muffed, leaving the Packers with a 13-7 lead.
The Bears intercepted Rich Campbell for a second time and six plays later, Payton scored on a 7-yard TD with 12:22 remaining. Bob Thomas kicked the extra point to put the Bears ahead.
Payton's performance marked his 63rd 100-yard plus game in his career.
The Bears' defense had virtually shut down the Packers, who played without quarterback Lynn Dickey, nearly the entire contest before Campbell's game winning TD.
Green Bay's first score came after a turnover by Chicago starting quarterback Rusty Lisch. Campbell hit Ed West on a 3-yard TD with 1:55 left in the first half to give the Packers a 7-0 lead.
The Bears tied it on Payton's option pass to Suhey with 5:45 left in the third quarter. The touchdown pass came four plays after Gary Fencik intercepted a Campbell pass and returned it to the Packers' 14. It was the first TD by the Bears in nearly six quarters against the Packers this year.
But on the ensuing kickoff, Rodgers appeared caught at his own 15 but escaped and outran kicker Bob Thomas for the touchdown with 5:23 remaining. It was the Packers' first touchdown on a kickoff return since Audra Thompson's on Nov. 4, 1979 against the New York Jets.
Dave Duerson intercepted a pass by Campbell, who had replaced Randy Wright in the first half, and returned it to the Packers 34 with 21 seconds left in the third quarter.
Seven plays later, Payton broke loose around left end for the TD.
Payton came in a quarterback after Lisch fumbled four times early in the game. Lisch was yaeked after Campbell's touchdown pass to West.
Patyon ran for 12 yards on his first play at quarterback from the Bears' 21. His first pass was incomplete and Payton was intercepted later in the series by Tom Flynn.
