Packers Lose to Bears in 2014 NFC Championship Rerun: Players Need to Make Plays When It Counts
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| Photo Credit: Madison Morris, packers.com The Packers lost to the Bears on Saturday night in a game where they did everything wrong to lose the game. From a botched onside kick to a deep bomb that sealed the game in overtime, it felt like déjà vu. Pretty similar to another classic Packers collapse, the 2014 NFC title game against the Seattle Seahawks.
On the bright side, this was just a regular season game. On the downside, it was against the Bears. There is some context to this loss, as Jordan Love left the game after 17 plays due to a concussion he sustained. Malik Willis came in and was completely serviceable until his fumble in overtime. Credit to the Bears though, the vibes around their team have completely turned around thanks to Ben Johnson. They have been clutch in the fourth quarter and play every game until the last whistle. The Packers’ defense was very good until it wasn’t. In their first game without Micah Parsons, they held the Bears offense to just three points until a disastrous fourth quarter where they allowed 13 points send the game to overtime. This is one of those games where you really miss your closer, Micah Parsons. That is why you pay that guy the big bucks.
The Packers’ offense struggled in the red zone, going 0 for 5. Their lone touchdown came on a 33-yard pass from Malik Willis to Romeo Doubs to close out the third quarter. Before that, Josh Jacobs had a crucial fumble on the Bears four-yard line. Another blow to the Packers offense came in the form of another tight end injury to John FitzPartrick. FitzPatrick suffered a torn achilles and his season is now over.
I know Packers fans are going to come for Jordan Love and say the offense looked better with Malik Willis in the game. To counter that argument, Love has proven to be better and more capable of making tight throws in the red zone. Although Willis was able to move the ball downfield, he still could not get anything going near the goal line. It should also be mentioned that the Bears have not beaten the Packers in a game that Jordan Love did not have to leave because of injury (this is a coping stat). Malik Willis also sustained a shoulder injury, joining Jordan Love on the injury report, who is currently in concussion protocol. This makes things very interesting for the Packers heading into their upcoming matchup against the Ravens, who may be without their starting quarterback, Lamar Jackson. This game is massive for Green Bay. Thanks to Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ win against the Lions on Sunday, the Packers need just one win in their last two games to clinch a playoff spot. On top of that week 18 becomes that more crucial whether the Packers want to rest their starters or have a shot at the division if the Bears lose to the 49ers next week.
The main takeaway from this game for Packers fans is simple. The players gotta make plays. Blame the coaches and injuries all you want, but this game was completely preventable if the execution was better. Romeo Doubs dropping the onside kick. Catch the ball. Josh Jacobs fumbling at the goal line. Hang onto the ball. Malik Willis fumbling the snap. You are the backup. Slow the game down and go through your progressions. Keisean Nixon. If you say you are CB1, play like it. The Packers cannot feel sorry for themselves after this one, even though it was a total disaster. They are still in the playoff race and still have a good football team. Injuries are brutal, and it is going to take a lot more to win games, especially if you are missing your starting quarterback and running back. The margin for error is thin and taking advantage of mistakes teams make going forward is going to decide whether or not the Packers do anything in the playoffs. If the Packers do end up winning out, or even just winning one more game, there is a real chance they see the Bears again in the playoffs. And honestly, what would be sweeter than sending the Bears home in their best season in years? Sign me up. Because this loss sucked. Real Packer Fans Know 🧀 |
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