The Green Bay Packers scored a touchdown on their opening possession and final possession of Sunday’s back-and-forth showdown with the Chicago Bears, but it still took a blocked field goal from Karl Brooks to secure a 20-19 win over their NFC North rivals at Soldier Field.
The dramatic finish — Brooks got a few fingers on Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired — sent the Packers to an 11th straight win over the Bears, a record streak in the rivalry.
Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly coming out of the Packers’ loss to the Lions:
The Good
Christian Watson and Josh Jacobs: The pair combined for 284 yards and five explosive plays. Watson produced a career-high 150 receiving yards, including catches of 27 yards and 60 yards setting up touchdowns. He also had a conversion on third-and-long and a contested catch downfield for 48 yards. Jacobs was once again productive, turning 21 touches into 134 total yards and a score. The veteran running back had a season-high 58 receiving yards, including two catches over 20 yards. Jacobs has six straight games with 90 or more total yards and three straight with 100 or more.
Karl Brooks: What a play to save the day. The 2023 sixth-round pick fired off the ball, beat his block and got just enough of the ball to kill the field goal attempt as time expired. It could be a season-changing play. The difference between 7-3 and 6-4 with a 0-3 mark in the NFC North is huge.
The Bad
Another Jordan Love interception: Make it eight games in a row with an interception for Love, who sailed a throw to Tucker Kraft on third down in the red zone. It was his worst throw of the day by a substantial margin, but it was a huge turning point in the game. Instead of the Packers taking a 10-3 or even 14-3 lead, Love threw a pick inside the 20-yard line, and the Bears proceeded to march down the field and take the lead before the half.
Red zone: While the Packers scored three touchdowns inside the 20, they also had two empty red-zone trips and a failed a two-point conversion. Love threw a pick inside the 20 in the first half, and the Packers also had a turnover on downs from the 6-yard line in the second half. The two-point attempt had no chance but got stuffed. The Packers are still leaving way too many points on the field each week.
The Ugly
Third and fourth down defense: The Packers could not get off the field. The Bears converted nine third downs and three fourth downs on their way to a commanding advantage in plays run (68-43) and time of possession (36:21-23:39). Caleb Williams twice scrambled for first downs on third-and-long, out-running Edgerrin Cooper to the corner each time. Quay Walker had a chance to end two different drives and failed on tackles in big spots. On every Bears scoring drive, the Packers allowed multiple third or fourth down conversions. And on the final drive, the Packers had the Bears backed up at 3rd-and-20 but allowed a conversion — opening the door for the late dramatics on the field goal. It should have never come down to a blocked field goal.
