Who knows how Sunday night's game might have turned out for the Packers had wide receiver Greg Jennings not lined up in the wrong spot on the original play call of a critical 3rd-and-1 late in the game, but you won't hear anyone complaining about the end result of Jennings' game-winning 50-yard touchdown catch.
After quarterback Aaron Rodgers picked up 9 yards to set up a 3rd-and-1 at midfield with the Packers trailing 15-13, he was forced to call a timeout after Jennings lined up on the wrong side of the field in a formation that had fullbacks John Kuhn and Korey Hall in the backfield to block for a Ryan Grant run.
"Greg must not have heard the whole call," Rodgers said. "I was teasing him after the game that he lined up on the wrong side on purpose, but I had to call timeout and then we changed the play and called the play with Donald Lee running down the sidelines and Greg running to the post."
Grant was still involved in the play, but not carrying the ball like the original call. Instead, his job was to sell the play-action fake on a play where the first option was Lee.
"In practice we'd hit Donald just about every time down the sidelines running kind of an out-and-up," Rodgers said. "The good thing though was because I started with him, the safety was not a factor. I just came back to Greg and he ran a great route.
"(Bears cornerback) Charles Tillman, who was to (Lee's) side, they were playing like a 1-high coverage, didn't buy the fake. He just backpedaled so I was off of Donald Lee, and just sat on, just a little tick, just to hold that safety a little more, knowing I was going to give Greg a ball."
The play-action fake did what it was supposed to do, as Bears safety Al Afalava charged to the line of scrimmage toward Grant. Rodgers took care of the other safety, Kevin Payne, by keeping his eyes on Lee, and that set up Jennings on the left side one-on-one with cornerback Nathan Vasher to run a skinny post.
"I know Vasher jumped outside on me and I kind of helped him outside some more," Jennings said. "It gave me a clear path. The safety was in the middle of the field going the other way because A-Rod was selling it with his eyes. Shoot, it couldn't have been any better."
As Jennings went to the inside of Vasher down the field, the Bears cornerback lost his footing a little bit, giving Jennings the slight opening he needed to get in the clear to catch a perfectly thrown deep ball from Rodgers for the score.
"Once I turned, I was going to find Vasher and see what kind of ball to throw Greg," Rodgers said. "The pre-snap was he was pressed, and I think he kind of pressed and bailed a little bit, and Greg got inside. Right at the top as I was about to throw it, Vasher kind of stumbled, and the ball was in a good spot and Greg made a nice play."
The play was also helped by good protection from the offensive line, which had some struggles Sunday night against a Chicago defense that was credited with four sacks and nine quarterback hurries.
"It was a huge play, a huge play," Jennings said. "We kept our poise, we stayed confident in one another and when it came down to it, we made the play. The line protected and that was a big thing.
"We hadn't protected well all night, but when it counted, when it came down to it, and we needed them the most, they showed up. That's what it's all about, finishing the game strong."
