Green Bay Loss In Chicago Felt Like Reliving the 2014 NFC Championship Game

If you are a Green Bay Packers fan who witnessed the collapse against the Chicago Bears on Saturday night, I genuinely feel sorry for your mental health.

The Packers had the Bears beaten. They were up 16–6 with less than 2:10 left in the fourth quarter. Somehow, they still lost 22-16 in overtime. It was a complete choke job from everyone except Jeff Hafley’s defense, which played its butt off. They held Chicago to zero points in the first half — without Micah Parsons.

So, what exactly happened?

Let’s be clear: The Bears didn’t beat the Packers. The Packers beat themselves. They went zero for five in the red zone. Josh Jacobs then fumbled inside Chicago’s five-yard line. Later in regulation, what should have been a game-ending sack by Warren Brinson instead turned into a 15-yard facemask penalty, extending the drive.

Even Chicago’s time mismanagement played in Green Bay’s favor at first, as the Bears only kicked the field goal after the two-minute warning despite being down two scores. That lack of urgency should have cost them, but instead it worked in their favor by allowing them to kick and set up the onside attempt.

Romeo Doubs then muffed the onside kick when all he had to do was fall on the football. Finally, in overtime, Malik Willis and Sean Rhyan botched the snap on fourth-and-one, turning the ball over on downs.

It was a total meltdown across the board, the kind Green Bay hasn’t had since the NFC Championship game loss to the Seattle Seahawks in 2015. And the most unbelievable part is just how similar the two losses are when you think more about it.

Against the Seahawks, Green Bay reached the one-yard line twice in the opening quarter and only came away with field goals both times. On Saturday, the Packers couldn’t find their way into the end zone at all.

Then, just like in Seattle, they went up two scores in the fourth quarter and somehow gave it away. An onside kick was muffed, echoing Brandon Bostick’s mistake when all he had to do was block for Jordy Nelson. From there, both the Seahawks and the Bears capitalized, scored late, and pushed the game into overtime.

Then, in overtime, both Chicago and Seattle won the game with a deep throw across the middle, with Green Bay’s defensive back — first Tramon Williams, now Keisean Nixon — trailing the receiver from behind.

It’s bizarre how closely the stories of those losses line up. Chicago and Seattle’s offenses did almost nothing for three-and-a-half quarters. Green Bay’s offense failed to capitalize on its opportunities, the defense played good football, and special teams still found a way to ruin it. It would be poetic if it weren’t so tragic.

We went from what would have been a signature win for Matt LaFleur, especially considering the injuries, to one of the worst losses Green Bay has suffered in the 21st century.

In Seattle, the swing was just as brutal. The Packers went from a dream Super Bowl matchup between Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, and possibly a second Super Bowl ring for Rodgers  – remember, they had already beaten the Patriots in the regular season that year – to Jermaine Kearse breaking the hearts of Packers fans in overtime. In both instances, Green Bay played well enough to win for nearly 57 minutes, only to lose in heartbreaking fashion at the very end.

Both losses are hard pills to swallow. The good news for the Packers is that they can still win the division. To do so, they would need to beat the Baltimore Ravens and the Minnesota Vikings, while the Bears would have to lose to the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions — all realistic outcomes.

However, Jordan Love suffered a concussion on Austin Booker’s dirty hit. Love’s availability for the game against Baltimore will likely be in question. Green Bay is already without Tucker Kraft, Devonte Wyatt, Parsons, Evan Williams, and Elgton Jenkins, and it may not have Evan Williams or Zach Tom for who knows how long.

It’s a hard loss to swallow, one that essentially eliminates any chance for the Packers to rest starters until Week 18 at the earliest.

The PTSD from those memories in Seattle kicked in immediately. Every narrative matched perfectly with what unfolded on that tragic afternoon, and the onside kick was the cherry on top.

Green Bay’s toughness will be tested over the next two weeks. Will they respond and firm up, or will they allow this collapse to define the rest of their season? It’s time to separate the men from the boys.