Packed Away

Well that was exciting.

Taking an opportunity to stay alive in the NFC playoff hunt, the Bears closed their home season with a resounding exclamation point in overtime, 20-17, against Green Bay.

Robbie Gould hit it from the 38, the only Bears lead of the game.

Up until 18 seconds were left, the Packers had threatened to push their legendary rivals to the sidelines like so much slush on a frozen Chicago night.

“We knew we had to play two halves.” said Chicago quarterback Kyle Orton. “Defense had to stand up and we had to score some points. As an offense, we knew we weren’t playing well, weren’t running well, weren’t passing.

“But we knew we were still in it.

“We put in so much work. We want to get in the playoffs and make some noise. We have to take care of our business. We believe in ourselves.”

From the start to the finish, the Packers were clearly the better team, despite a 5-9 record coming in. The Bears’ win means the NFC North title is still in play with Minnesota. The Vikings have heir home finale this coming Sunday vs. the N.Y. Giants. The Bears go to Houston. Both teams play noon kickoffs.

The Bears could win a wild card spot if they win and Tampa Bay and Dallas both lose.

The Bears teased a late comeback but a crucial mind freeze penalty almost cost them the game.

Then Alex Brown blocked a field goal attempt with 18 seconds left and the overtime was on.

This one will be analyzed for quite awhile. Orton looked so very mortal and mediocre until the overtime, his second straight extra time win. He had thrown two second-half interceptions. The Packers looked so in control until the end.

“It is unbelievable,” said Bears running back Matt Forte. “Coach said we just had to believe. It sometimes comes back to you. We just had to keep pounding.”

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be forever linked to his past eight games, in which his team had the lead in the fourth quarter every time and lost them all.

The first quarter looked so much like two icebergs adrift in an NFL season of mediocrity. The Packers were establishing a tight throwing game while the Bears were establishing they didn’t belong in the playoff hunt. Neither team scored.

The Bears gained all of 50 yards in the first half, perhaps underline by Forte’s eight carries for 14 yards. The Bears were three-and-out three of their six possessions.

The biggest play was a kickoff return by Danieal Manning, of 70 yards. The Bears, still frozen in place, settled for a field goal and their only points of the half.

Green Bay scored touchdowns on their final two possessions. The killer was a 91-yard, 14-play drive. Aaron Rodgers hit Greg Jennings for a six-yard TD strike. A 17-yard TD catch and run by Ryan Grant completed the first-half scoring. Grant ran right through Craig Steltz, in for an injured Mike Brown on the play. Brown had been leading the Bears with six tackles.

Manning had two successful blitzes, one forcing a throwaway and the other in which he tipped a pass for an Alex Brown intercept. Nevertheless, Rodgers was 16-of-24 for 176 yards to eight different receivers and the tone seemed set.

The Bears took a gift touchdown in the third quarter by recovering a muffed punt at the Green Bay 27, the recovery by Jason Davis. The Bears used a 21-yard pass to Clark to set up the score. A three-yard TD toss to Greg Olsen. It was 17-10.

As the third quarter ended, the Bears had six first downs to the Packers’ 18.

The defense made an important stand which grew in significance as the clock wound down. The Packers had driven to the Chicago 5. But Tommie Harris hit a runner for a five yard loss inbetween two incomplete passes and the Packers had to settle for a field goal and their only points after intermission. It was 17-10.

The Bears started their next scoring drive with 7:14 left. Matt Forte ran five straight times, Devin Hester snatched a three-yard reception and then Forte made a crucial fourth-and-one good for a first by the nose of the football.

It was first down at the Packers’ 3 with 3:14 to go. Forte ran it in from there. He had accumulated 48 of the 49 yards on the drive.

“We knew if we kept running we’d be successful,” Smith said. “We just kept believing.”

he Packers took the kickoff back to midfield, then Adrian Peterson slammed the returner while he was out of bounds and the Packers had possession already in field goal range, at the 35. Playing for the winning field goal, Green Bay carefully moved the ball 15 yards.

Then came the blocked field goal and the fans roared in approval.

Even the coin toss for the crucial first possession of overtime seemed to have a Bears bounce, literally bouncing off the helmet of Brian Urlacher. “That’s the best thing ever to hit off Brian’s head,” said Orton.

Chicago started at its own 33. Orton caught a 17-yard pass to midfield. Then he was horse-collared to the ground and the 15-yard penalty set the Bears up at the Green Bay 35. Gould began warming up.

Forte handled the next five plays, including a 14-yard reception. The Bears were at the Green Bay 21. Gould came on for the game-winner.

Forte had 79 yards rushing and 49 receiving. Corey Graham had nine tackles and Kevin Payne eight.

“We didn’t play that great today but we played good enough to win,” said Urlacher. “We tightened it up in the second half. We had to do it and the guys did it. Good enough to win”