GREEN BAY – After a back-and-forth second half, the Packers hung on for a 28-21 victory over the Bears on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Here are five takeaways from the Packers' fourth straight triumph:
- Green Bay is back in first place in a tight NFC North race.
With the win, the 9-3-1 Packers leapfrogged the 9-4 Bears to take a slim lead in first place in the division with four games remaining. One of those four is against these same Bears in 13 days in Chicago on a Saturday night, so while there's reason to celebrate a big win, everything's far from settled in the NFC North and playoff chase.
"It means nothing right now," Head Coach Matt LaFleur said. "I mean, it means a lot but there's four weeks left and you've got to take it day by day. You've got to really embrace that grind, embrace the challenge. It's not going to be easy from here on out."
- Keisean Nixon saved the day.
In the final half minute with the Bears in the red zone, they faced third-and-1 from the 14-yard line. Kingsley Enagbare stopped a run by Kyle Monangai to set up fourth-and-1.
After both teams called timeout, the Bears went with a play-action pass and QB Caleb Williams rolled to his left. He tried to loft one to tight end Cole Kmet in the back of the end zone, but Nixon leaped in front of him for the interception with 22 seconds left to preserve the win.
"Seeing Keisean go up in the air and get it, it was awesome," QB Jordan Love said. "To be able to end it on an interception and be able to get that turnover was huge."
It was certainly vindication for Nixon, who was flagged for two penalties that gave the Bears first downs on a second-quarter drive for a field goal – first an illegal hands to the face, and then unnecessary roughness when he retaliated against receiver Luther Burden after Burden appeared to grab him near the neck following a running play.
LaFleur acknowledged after the game Nixon was grabbed first, but in the moment he gave him an earful and took him out for a couple of plays.
"He knows what I said to him," LaFleur said, declining to divulge exactly what. "We had a quick conversation and you've got to be smart. You've got to keep your poise.
"I will say that I was proud of how he responded … and then to have that interception at the end of the game was, obviously, a critical moment."
- The Packers' offense put together a gotta-have-it drive.
Green Bay's offense went into feast-or-famine mode in the second half, sandwiching a pair of three-and-outs around a touchdown drive. That allowed the Bears to rally from deficits of 14-3 and 21-11 to tie the game at 21 with eight minutes left.
Chicago controlled the clock, pounded away with its ground game, and effectively mixed in the pass in scoring two TDs (plus a two-point conversion) and a field goal on three second-half drives.
But with the game tied at 21, the Packers answered when they had to, driving 65 yards in eight plays for the go-ahead touchdown with 3:32 left. Josh Jacobs finished it by plowing in on third-and-goal from the 2.
"Everybody in that huddle, nobody blinks," Love said of the clutch situation. "We know what we need to go accomplish."
The key play came on third-and-2 from the Chicago 28-yard line, as Jacobs took a pitch outside and looked to be strung out by multiple Bears defenders. But he somehow powered through them as he cut upfield and ripped off a 21-yard run to make it first-and-goal.
"That was a hell of an individual effort, because, I mean, we missed (the block)," LaFleur said. "All of a sudden, I just see a burst right in front of my face."
It was Jacobs' longest run on a 20-carry, 86-yard day.
- One of Love's three TD passes went to a surprise target.
That was receiver-turned-cornerback-but-still-playing-receiver Bo Melton, who got behind the Bears' defense in the final minute of the first half and hauled in a deep ball for a 45-yard score.
"In that progression, he's the big alert over the top," Love said of the play. "I got to my drop and saw that they just dropped him. It's a perfect kind of route for the coverage they were giving us."
Bears safety Jaquan Brisker came flying over at the last second and appeared to have a shot at deflecting the ball, but it fell into Melton's arms. The TD gave the Packers a 14-3 halftime lead.
"It was close," Love said of Brisker's attempt. "Yeah, it was close."
The Packers also got receiver Jayden Reed back from injury in this game, as the third-year receiver played for the first time since Week 2 and produced 53 yards from scrimmage (31 receiving, 22 rushing), including a big 18-yard reception to get into Chicago territory on the game-winning drive.
- Christian Watson had a very different home game against the Bears.
Love's other two TD tosses went to Watson, who 11 months ago in the regular-season finale vs. Chicago at Lambeau tore his ACL. He returned to the field in late October and has been the offense's most dangerous weapon, averaging 18 yards per catch with 452 yards and five TDs in seven games.
Both his TDs Sunday came on routes Love checked to at the line of scrimmage. The first beat an all-out blitz by the Bears on third-and-10 for a 23-yard score, and the second came on a quick slant on third-and-3 on which Watson used his breakneck speed to run away from the Bears defenders for a 41-yard TD.
Watson finished with four catches for 89 yards and the two scores, as Love overcame an early interception to post a 120.7 passer rating (17-of-25, 234 yards, three TDs, one INT).
"We talked in the locker room after," Love said of last year's Bears game. "This game meant a lot to him for that reason.
"He's making plays it feels like every time the ball's coming his way."
