- The Packers blew two massive chances offensively.
The Bears came into the game with the league’s top red-zone defense, with the Packers struggling offensively in that area, and two red-zone possessions that resulted in zero points had a huge impact on the game.
On the first, the Packers were looking to add to a 7-3 lead midway through the second quarter and had second-and-1 on the Chicago 5-yard line. A penalty on a pass play – LaFleur criticized himself for a “bad play call … should’ve ran the ball downhill” – preceded a tackle for loss, and then QB Jordan Love overthrew tight end Tucker Kraft on third down.
The overthrow was picked off near the goal line by Terrell Smith, and the Packers were turned away.
“I missed him on the throw,” Love said. “Sailed over his head, and the DB was there to make a play on it. Bad throw.”
Added LaFleur, regarding Love’s 11th INT of the season: “Good decision. That’s where the play was designed to go. The ball sailed on him. I’m not going to get bent out of shape about it. It happens sometimes.”
Then early in the fourth quarter, with the Packers trailing 19-14, they faced fourth-and-goal from the 6. LaFleur risked going for it rather than kick the field goal to get within two points, and a scrambling Love was stopped two yards short of the goal line with 11:19 left.
“Possessions were at a premium,” LaFleur said, explaining his rationale. “There weren’t a lot of possessions. I didn’t know when we were going to get the ball back.
“The hope (was) that worst-case scenario we’ll get a stop and get the ball back with pretty good field position.”
- That didn’t happen, but the Packers went the length of the field anyway to get the lead.
The Bears drove out from their own 2 all the way across midfield, but then stalled out and punted the Packers back to their own 22.
On the second play of that drive, receiver Christian Watson made a diving catch in the open field, got up and ran for 60 yards in all down to the Chicago 14-yard line. Just like that, the Packers were in business.
A scramble by Love took the ball to the 1, and then a sneak got the go-ahead TD.
The big play by Watson was one of several he made on the day, as he turned four targets into four receptions for 150 yards.
“Phenomenal play, phenomenal catch by Christian, the awareness to get up, not being touched, and put together a huge run,” Love said of the 60-yarder. “
“It was a focus for us coming into this week trying to get him the ball, get him some touches. Obviously when we do … all four of those catches were contested catches. They were not easy catches and he made those plays.”
Watson accounted for 150 of Love’s 261 passing yards (13-of-17, one TD, one INT, 113.0 rating), while running back Josh Jacobs posted 134 yards from scrimmage (76 rushing, 58 receiving).
“Obviously not everything has gone his way this year,” LaFleur said of Watson, “but he shows up to work every day with the right mentality and a great work ethic.
“I don’t even know how many pass attempts we had in the game. We were trying to run the football. You’ve just got to maximize your opportunities when they come and he certainly did that.”
