Bears snatch defeat from jaws of victory as Packers block field goal attempt
CHICAGO (AP) — Jordan Love ran for a go-ahead touchdown in the closing minutes, and the Green Bay Packers hung on to beat the Chicago Bears 20-19 on Sunday when Karl Brooks blocked Cairo Santos' 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
The Packers (7-3) made just enough plays to avoid falling farther behind Detroit and Minnesota in the NFC North and beat the last-place Bears (4-6) for the 11th straight time, the longest streak by either team in the storied rivalry.
Love put Green Bay on top 20-19 when he scored from the 1 with 2:59 left. That touchdown was set up by a 60-yard pass to Christian Watson, who got up after making a lunging catch and ran all the way to the 14. The 2-point conversion failed.
Green Bay then sacked Caleb Williams on the first two plays of the next possession. The Bears regrouped and drove all the way to the 28, only to end a chaotic week with their fourth straight loss when Brooks got through the center of the line and blocked Santos' kick.
The Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday and replaced him with passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, hoping to spark a unit that ranks among the worst in the NFL.
Love completed 13 of 17 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown. He also threw his league-leading 11th interception, matching his total from last year.
Josh Jacobs ran for 76 yards and a score for the Packers. Brenton Cox, active for the first time this season, had a sack, as did Rashan Gary and T.J. Slaton, helping Green Bay beat Chicago for the 26th time in 29 games.
Williams threw for 231 yards and ran for 70 after regressing in the previous three games.
Chicago's D'Andre Swift had 14 carries for 71 yards. His 39-yard score near the end of the third quarter gave the Bears a 19-14 lead.
The Packers made it look easy on the game's opening possession, going 70 yards for a touchdown capped by Love's 15-yarder to Chicago-area product Jayden Reed.
Santos answered with a 53-yard field goal. It was his seventh this season of 50 or more, tying his own franchise record.
The Packers were in position to add to their lead early in the second quarter. But Love, who's been intercepted at least once in every game, overthrew Tucker Kraft under pressure on third down at the 15 and Terrell Smith picked it off at the 1.
The Bears then scored their first touchdown since the final minute of a loss at Washington in Week 8. Roschon Johnson powered in from the 1 in the closing seconds of the half to cap a 13-play drive. The offense had gone 26 possessions without reaching the end zone.
Santos made it 13-7 with a 27-yard field goal on the opening drive of the third quarter. The Packers answered with a 70-yard drive, capped by Jacobs' 7-yard TD through a big hole in the line.
Swift put Chicago back on top 19-14 in the closing minute of the third when he got a nice lead block from Braxton Jones and turned up the left side for a 39-yard score. The 2-point conversion pass failed.
Injuries
Packers: CB Jaire Alexander, who's been dealing with a knee issue, sat out the second half. ... The Packers placed rookie G Jordan Morgan (shoulder) on injured reserve on Saturday. The first-round pick was splitting time with Sean Rhyan at right guard, with Rhyan getting the majority of snaps.
Bears: LG Ryan Bates was evaluated for a concussion in the first quarter.
Up Next
Packers: Host San Francisco on Sunday.
Bears: Host Minnesota on Sunday.
