Packers' mistakes vs. Bears: How Green Bay's miscues led to damaging loss to division rival

Dan Treacy

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Packers' mistakes vs. Bears: How Green Bay's miscues led to damaging loss to division rival image

The Chicago Bears' failure to get a field goal attempt off before the two-minute warning was supposed to be the death knell for Ben Johnson's team on Saturday night. Instead, it directly preceded a massive momentum shift that turned the game Chicago's way.

A successful onside kick, which couldn't be handled by the Green Bay Packers, suddenly breathed life into the Bears and set the stage for a miraculous 22-16 overtime win that could very well have decided the NFC North.

The Packers' inability to bring in the onside kick was the most glaring mistake of the night for Matt LaFleur's squad, but it wasn't the only miscue that changed the complexion of the game.

Here's a look at how the Packers' mistakes may have decided the NFC North. 

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Packers mistakes vs. Bears

After the game, LaFleur said there were "too many errors in critical moments that got us beat," naming three in particular and giving credit to the Bears for taking advantage.

Fumble at 2-yard line

It won't receive as much attention as the Packers' later mistakes, but Josh Jacobs' fumble at the two-yard line in the third quarter proved to be costly for Green Bay. The Packers wasted a scoring opportunity with a chance to stretch a three-point lead to 10, giving the Bears some life after nearly quieting the crowd.

To be fair, the Packers did force a punt on the ensuing drive and score a touchdown before the end of the quarter to push their lead to 13-3. Had Green Bay added another score on the drive that ended in a fumble, even if only a field goal, the entire game could have ended differently. Then again, there is no way to blame the loss solely on Jacobs' fumble when the Packers still couldn't protect a 13-3 lead later on.

MORE: NFC North standings and playoff picture

Botched onside kick recovery

In a moment that undoubtedly brought back a painful memory for Packers fans, Green Bay gave the Bears new life when Romeo Doubs failed to bring in an onside kick with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.

Because Chicago failed to get a field goal attempt off before the two-minute warning, recovering an onside kick was effectively the Bears' only chance to put the ball back in Caleb Williams' hands while trailing by a touchdown. Onside kicks are even harder to recover now than they were 11 years ago, when Brandon Bostick whiffed on the Seattle Seahawks' attempt—making Saturday's moment even more painful for the Packers.

The Bears then drove down the field and tied the game on a touchdown pass to Jahdae Walker, despite not having scored a touchdown in the first 59 minutes.

Speaking to reporters after the game, LaFleur said he has to watch the play again to determine whether there was a blocking issue, but he admitted Doubs "had the opportunity to field the ball" and should have been able to bring it in.

Fumbled overtime snap

When the Packers were one yard away from a fresh set of downs to move into more comfortable field goal range in overtime, another mistake derailed their plans. The snap to Malik Willis ended up on the ground almost instantly, and the Bears quickly swarmed toward the ball to prevent Green Bay from advancing it for a first down. 

Had the Packers picked up a first down, they could have attempted a field goal without moving the chains again. Instead, Matt LaFleur's best fourth down play never saw the light of day, and the Bears took over on downs and took advantage of the solid field position to set up a quick game-winning touchdown drive.

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NFC north playoff picture

Here's a look at the updated NFC North standings after Chicago's win:

RankTeamRecordGB
1Bears11-4 
2Packers9-5-11.5
3Lions8-62.5
4Vikings6-84.5 (elim.)

The Bears haven't yet clinched a playoff berth, as they need a Detroit Lions loss to do so in Week 16, but their path to a division title is simple: win and in.

One more win would give Chicago its first NFC North title since 2018 and cap an improbable first season under coach Ben Johnson, potentially setting the stage for a top-two seed in the NFC.

The Packers, meanwhile, are one loss or Bears win away from being eliminated from NFC North contention, though they remain in a playoff spot as the NFC's No. 7 seed.

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Editorial Team