Packers win NFC North, earn playoff berth, beat Chicago 33-28
CHICAGO (WITI) -- This win or go home match up would have an odd start and first half. Chicago's Devon Hester returned the ball 39 yards putting the Bears at the Green Bay 42, but they would go three and out after that.
The Packers responded with a strong drive of 14 plays and 75 yards but an Aaron Rodgers' red zone interception caught by Bears' Chris Conte would give the possession back to Chicago.
The Bears scored on the very next drive -- a short touchdown pass from QB Jay Cutler to Chicago's Matt Forte. Chicago lead 7-0 with 2:07 left in the 1st quarter. On the Pack's very next drive Rodgers threw another pick, this time caught by Tim Jennings on a pass meant for Jordy Nelson. Nelson's tip of the ball landed in Jennings arms perfectly. That made for two interceptions by Rodgers in two drives.
However, the 2nd quarter is where the Pack would gain momentum. Mason Crosby would make it a four-point game when he struck a 33 yard field goal during a drive of 10 plays and 24 yards. The Bears went three and out on the next drive.
The Pack responded with another strong drive resulting in a very strange touchdown by Jarrett Boykin. The ball was fumbled coming out of Aaron Rodgers' hand and picked up by Boykin. Since no whistle was blown, he brought it into the end zone. The Pack led 10-7.
The Bears went three and out again, so on the Pack's next drive Crosby kicked a 27-yarder making the score 13-7, Packers at half time.
The 2nd half did not start out well for the Pack -- they went three and out on the 1st drive and the Bears responded with a Matt Forte touchdown, making it 14-13 Chicago.
But Packers' Randall Cobb, in his 1st return from injury, caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers with 7:27 left in the 3rd quarter, making it 20-14 Green Bay.
However, the Bears would respond on the very next drive with a Matt Forte 1-yard score. The Bears lead 21-20 with 5:04 left in the quarter. They did it again on their next drive, when Cutler found Brandon Marshall for a 5 yard touchdown extending the lead by 7 points.
The 4th quarter was a complete stomach flip. The Packers got back in the game with an Eddie Lacy 6-yard touchdown -- on the Packers' very nice drive after Marshall's score. The Bears' lead was then cut to just one point.
Chicago did nothing on their very next drive. It went for 8 plays and 29 yards.
The Pack came out hungry with 6:24 left in the game. The drive went for 15 plays and 86 yards, including "going for it" on 4th down. On 4th and 8 from the Chicago 48, Rodgers went deep to Cobb for a 48-yard touchdown. The Pack went for two but could not convert, leaving the lead at 33-28 with :38 seconds left in the game.
Cutler passed to M. Bennett for 15 yards, but the next two attempts after were incomplete passes. With time running out, Cutler threw a Hail Mary intended for Alshon Jeffery, but the Packers' Sam Shields intercepted it with the time running out. The Pack clinched the NFC North and a playoff berth beating Chicago 33-28 and moving to 8-7-1 on the year.
In his return, Aaron Rodgers threw for 318 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Jordy Nelson was huge with 161 yards receiving but no touchdowns. Receiver Randall Cobb finished with 55 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Eddie Lacy finished with 66 yards rushing and one touchdown. James Starks was solid with 88 yards rushing.
Bears' Cutler picked up 226 yards with two touchdowns and one pick. Running Back Matt Forte picked up his 20th 100 plus yard game finishing with 110 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
The Packers will next face the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field next Sunday, the 5th at 3:40 p.m. CT. You can see the game ONLY ON FOX6.