Here are some quick takeaways from Green Bay’s 22-16 overtime loss:
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With less than two minutes left and the Bears ready to go, the Packers only needed to recover an onside kick and get a first down to close out a famous and well-deserved victory. Then Romeo Doubs pulled a Brandon Bostick, couldn’t recover the onside kick attempt and allowed Chicago to march down and tie the game at 4th and 4, before finally winning it in overtime.
Special teams remains a house of horrors in Green Bay, and this latest example almost certainly costs them the NFC North and a home playoff game. They still have work to do to ensure they make the postseason after the crushing loss in Chicago.
Cause for concern
For the second week in a row, the Packers’ inability to convert red zone trips into touchdowns cost them dearly.
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They moved the ball on the Bears all night, whether it was Jordan Love or Malik Willis at quarterback, but they could have built an insurmountable lead if they had executed close to the end zone early in the game. In the end, it came back to bite them.
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Malik Willis once again showed why he has been such a valuable asset for the Packers as a backup quarterback. His ability to come in without warning and operate the offense at a high level, making good throws and creating magic with his legs, never ceases to stand out.
The effort Willis put forth tonight was worth a win and probably netted him some extra money in his upcoming free agency. Deserves the opportunity to compete to start sometime in 2026.
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Reason for optimism
Jeff Hafley’s defense responded to the loss of Micah Parsons by essentially shutting down one of the best and most explosive offenses in the NFL. It was an incredible effort by the defense, which like Willis and the offense, did more than enough to win the game.
The pass rush was effective, and Hafley’s willingness to blitz Caleb Williams had him on edge all night. If tonight is any indication, the signs are positive that this defense can hold its own in the postseason against high-powered offenses.
Injuries
The main injury is, of course, that Love left the game and was ruled out with a concussion after a hard hit by Bears defenseman Austin Booker. Green Bay’s starting quarterback will now face a race to advance through the protocol in time to play next Saturday against Baltimore.
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Tight end John FitzPatrick left the game with what appeared to be a serious non-contact injury and was quickly ruled out with an Achilles injury. It doesn’t take much guesswork to deduce that his season is most likely over.
Doubs injured his wrist on the missed onside kick and did not return to the game in overtime. Matt LaFleur didn’t have an update on Doubs or Love when asked after the game, but said Zach Tom and Evan Williams, who missed Saturday night’s game, were “not close” to playing.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Quick takeaways from Packers’ 22-16 loss to Bears: Red zone issues resurface