The Chicago Bears gave the Green Bay Packers all they could handle, but the Packers pulled out another miracle in the 207th edition to seal a 20-19 road win in Week 11. Green Bay has now won a rivalry record 11 games in a row against Chicago.
The host Bears drove down to line up a game-winning, 46-yard field goal for stellar kicker Cairo Santos, who hit on kicks of 53 and 27 yards, but Packers second-year defensive lineman Karl Brooks blocked the kick to preserve a Green Bay win and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love's connection with wide receiver Christian Watson made the difference for Green Bay on an afternoon in which the offense struggled with bouts of inconsistency. Watson caught all four of his targets for a career-high 150 yards. Almost each catch led to a Green Bay score. His 25-yard catch set up running back Josh Jacobs' seven-yard touchdown that put the Packers back on top 14-13 in the third quarter. Jacobs totaled 76 yards rushing and a score on 18 carries. Watson hauled in a 48-yard catch through double coverage that set up Green Bay with a first and goal from the eight. That was the only time they didn't score off a Watson big play as they turned the ball over on downs.
His 60-yard catch-and-run on a diving grab in which he then got up and sprinted down to the Bears 14 put Green Bay in position to take the final lead of the day, 20-19, on a one-yard quarterback sneak score by Love. The Packers quarterback threw for 261 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 13 of 17 passing while rushing for another 18 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams grew up on Sunday as it appeared that he was going to be the QB to power his team to victory with a game-winning drive. He clawed Chicago out of a third-and-19 on his own 21 thanks to consecutive sacks with just two minutes left to play. Williams connected with Rome Odunze for 16 yards on third and 19 and then Keenan Allen for 21 yards on fourth and three. He hit a diving Allen out to the left for 12 yards, which set up Santos' game-winning field goal attempt. Williams ran for a career-high 70 yards on 14 carries, consistently picking up first downs with his legs, while throwing for 231 yards on 23 of 31 passing. Running back D'Andre Swift added 71 yards rushing on 14 carries, including a 39-yard rushing score.
The Packers (7-3) return home to Lambeau Field to host the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12. The Bears (4-6) have now lost four in a row after their Week 7 bye, and they will host the 8-2 Minnesota VIkings in Week 12.
Stay tuned for takeaways.
Green Bay's defense came alive at the right time trying to protect a one-point lead. The Packers recorded consecutive sacks by T.J. Slaton and Rashan Gary that pushed Chicago back a combined nine yards on first and second down. The Packers lead 20-19 with two minutes left and the Bears facing a third and 19 from their own 21.
The Packers are back on top, 20-19, following Jordan Love's one-yard, quarterback sneak touchdown that was set up by Christian Watson's 60-yard catch-and-run. Their run up the middle with running back Josh Jacobs on the ensuing two-point conversion got stuffed, so their lead remains one point. The Packers need their defense to step up with just over two minutes left to play.
Christian Watson changed this game. He secures a diving catch and then had the awareness to hop up and hit the gas, which led to the Packers getting inside the red zone to the Bears 14 down five, 19-14. He has a career-high 150 receiving yards today.
Green Bay surrendered three first downs, but they put an end to the drive with consecutive blitz calls from defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley that sped up Caleb Williams. His last two throws were a rushed incompletion toward Keenan Allen and a checkdown to Rome Odunze for five yards on third and eight. Following the punt, Jordan Love and the Packers start their next drive on their own 22 down five, 19-14, with 4:17 left to play.
Green Bay had two pass plays dialed up on third and fourth and goal, but Jordan Love didn't throw a pass on either play. He opted to scramble both times: he ran out of bounds for loss of one on third down and then came up just short with a five-yard rush on fourth and goal from the six. The Bears take over at their own one up five, 19-14, with 11:19 left in the game.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love dropped a dime into wide receiver Christian Watson's chest for a 48-yard gain down to the Bears for a 48-yard gain. Love let it rip to Watson threw double coverage, and Watson rewarded his quarterback's faith.
Chicago Bears left tackle Braxton Jones absolutely leveled Packers safety Evan Williams to spring Bears running back D'Andre Swift for a 39-yard, go-ahead touchdown. Caleb Williams threw an incompletion on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, so their lead is just five, 19-14, with 31 seconds left in the third quarter.
He missed Green Bay's last game in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions with a knee injury and had a bye week to rest up. After playing just a few snaps today, Alexander's day is now officially done.
Green Bay leaned on the run in their first drive out of halftime, and it paid dividends. They wore out the Bears defense as running back Josh Jacobs erupted through the middle of the line of scrimmage for a seven-yard, go-ahead rushing touchdown. The Packers are back on top 14-13 with 6:34 left in the third quarter.
The Bears moved the football down the field, but their drive stalled out just prior to reaching first and goal after the Packers stuff a Roschon Johnson run and forced third down incompletion. Green Bay will take the field for their first possession of the second down six, 13-7, with 10:17 left in the third quarter.
Fox Sports reported that Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said he didn't know if Alexander would play angymore snaps today vs. the Bears.
It appeared as though Love had an open receiver in tight end Tucker Kraft on third and 11 just 15 yards out from the end zone, but he either overthrew Kraft. Regardless, Chicago defensive back Terrell Smith intercepted Love with a diving grab at the one. He returned it 23 yards, and Chicago takes over at his own 24. The Packers lead 7-3 with 5:49 left to play.
Green Bay faced a fourth down and three from midfield, but Love's hard count gets a Bears defensive lineman to jump for a neutral zone infraction. Another Aaron Rodgers-like move from Love.
Second-year Green Bay edge rusher Brenton Cox is making his presence felt. He had a key run stuff on Chicago's opening drive, and he registered a 10-yard sack of Caleb Williams that killed their second drive. The Packers will start their next drive on their own 24 following the punt. Green Bay leads 7-3 with 13:28 left in the second quarter.
Fourth-year NFL vet Jake Curhan subs in for an injured Bates.
Green Bay went backwards a yard on first and second down, so a six-yard checkdown to Josh Jacobs wasn't enough to move the chains. Packers punter Daniel Whelan hit a beautiful punt that went 47 yards and was downed at the Bears five. Green Bay leads 7-3 with 4:54 left in the first quarter.
Chicago picked up two first downs on their opening drive -- a 16-yard scramble by Caleb Williams and a 16-yard pass to DJ Moore -- and that was enough to get them in kicker Cairo Santos field goal range from 53 yards out. A three-yard run stuff of running back D'Andre Swift on second and seven derailed the Bears drive. The Packers lead 7-3 with 7:49 left in the opening quarter.
The Packers picked up right where they left off against the Bears with a smooth eight-play, 70-yard touchdown drive on the game's opening possession. Quarterback Jordan Love noticed Chicago substituting, so he quick-snapped and hit a wide open Jayden Reed for a 15-yard touchdown pass. A move like that is quite reminiscent of the way Rodgers used to toy with the Bears. Green Bay leads 7-0 with 11:15 left in the first quarter.
The Packers start with the football first. Jordan Love and Co. start the game with the football fresh off their bye week.
Chicago's No. 1 wide receiver DJ Moore has been unable to get on the same page with first overall pick quarterback Caleb Williams thus far this season. He is on pace for career-lows in receiving yards per game (44.2) and yards per catch (10.0) this season.
Bears running back D'Andre Swift has started to come around for Chicago after some early season struggles. He is averaging 82.7 rushing yards per game across their last six games after averaging just 22.7 in the team's first three games. Swift is on a six-game streak of 50 or more rushing yards after not having any such games in the first three weeks of the season. He is also averaging a career-low 4.0 yards per carry in Year 1 as a Bear.
First overall pick quarterback Caleb Williams has been a rollercoaster this season. He hasn't thrown a touchdown in three consecutive games following a four-touchdown game in Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. Williams has thrown for 4.9 yards per pass attempt and no touchdowns in the last three games after letting it rip for 8.5 yards per attempt and seven touchdowns during the team's three-game winning streak from Weeks 4-6.
Caleb Williams This Season
W-L Yds/Att TD-INT
1st 3 games 1-2 5.3 2-4
Next 3 games 3-0 8.5 7-1
Last 3 games 0-3 4.9 0-0
After firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday in the midst of his first year as Chicago's OC, they promoted passing game coordinator Thomas Brown to be their new offensive play caller. Brown spent last season as the Panthers OC in quarterback Bryce Young's rookie season.
Chicago has 23 consecutive offensive drives without a touchdown, which is the longest active streak in the NFL. They have not scored a touchdown of any kind -- offense, defense or special teams -- in back-to-back games. Their 23 consecutive offensive drives without a touchdown is their most since 2017 (24 consecutive drives). The Bears went 5-11 in 2017.
Most Consecutive Offensive Drives Without a TDBears since 2000
Drives
2000 41
2004 39
2005 30
2004 29
2017 24
2024 23 <<
<< tied with 2 others
The Bears have averaged nine points per game during their three-game losing streak, and Williams hasn't recorded any touchdowns during the stretch. He is also the NFL's most sacked quarterback (38 times). All of that led to the Bears firing offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday, marking the first time they have changed offensive coordinators in the middle of the season since 1970 when Perry Moss became Chicago's first designated offensive coordinator, per CBS Sports Research. They also rank second-worst in the NFL in yards per play (4.3) and third down conversion rate (28.7%) this season. Chicago is barely ahead of the Cleveland Browns in both categories.
New Packers safety Xavier McKinney leads the NFL with seven takeaways, and he co-leads the NFL with six interceptions. McKinney's six interceptions are tied for the most in the first nine games of a season by a Packers player since 2000.
New Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs has been the Packers most consistent offensive performer thus far in 2024. His 87.7 rushing yards per game are the fifth-most in the NFL, and his 762 rushing yards are the most in the first nine games of a season by a Packers player in 20 seasons.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love possesses a seven-game interception streak at the moment, the longest streak by a Packers quarterback since Brett Favre's 12-game streak that stretched across the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
Love's 15 touchdown passes are tied for the eighth-most in the NFL this season with Rodgers and his 10 interceptions are tied for the the most in the league this season with Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith and Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. Love is also the first player since former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck in 2015 to have at least 15 touchdown passes and at least 10 interceptions in the first seven games of a season, per CBS Sports Research.
