CHICAGO – Rich Bisaccia issued the challenge earlier this week and Karl Brooks was bound and determined to meet it.
Leading up to Sunday's game against Chicago, the Packers' special teams coordinator saw a potential gap in the Bears' field goal protection on film and relayed that to Brooks and the rest of Green Bay's blocking unit.
It turned out to be a game-saving revelation. With the game on the line, Brooks charged, raised his left hand and got his middle finger on Cairo Santos' attempt at a game-winning 46-yard field goal to preserve a 20-19 Packers victory as time expired.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the second time the Packers blocked a field goal on the final play of a game. The other was nearly 85 years ago during a 7-6 win over the Cleveland Rams on Nov. 26, 1939.
"Rich challenged us to get a block, so I took it personally," said Brooks. "I wanted to go out there and get that block. I wanted to do that for Coach Rich."
It also was the first time since the 1970 merger the Packers blocked a field goal with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter or later, per Elias.
An 11-year veteran, Santos had missed only one field goal and one extra point all season coming into Sunday, but the Packers saw some openings at the guard position in the field-goal protection.
Bisaccia made Brooks and fellow defensive lineman T.J. Slaton aware of that potential opportunity and challenged the two to seize it. Santos made two field goals, from 53 and 27 yards, and an extra point, but Green Bay kept grinding away at it.
Asked what was going through his mind when Santos lined up for the potential game-winner, defensive lineman Kenny Clark said simply: "That we were going to block it."
Why?
"We talked about T.J. or K.B. blocking the kick all week," Clark said. "They've got holes in their field goal protection and a couple of them they got close. So, we've been talking about that all week. It was a problem, so, Coach Rich has been telling them all week and we ended up getting one."
Brooks blocked a field goal against Minnesota last year but said he'd never had one on a potential game-winning play. A quick survey of the locker room revealed no one on the Packers' field goal unit had.
The block was more than just Brooks, too. Everyone had a part to play, beginning with Green Bay's front working to push the Bears' tackle and guard back two yards so Brooks could have a chance at the block.
Defensive end Lukas Van Ness was lined up next to Brooks and "pushed as hard as I could," as he penetrated the A-gap. Defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt did the same on the other side.
"Before I knew it, I saw his hand go up and I heard, 'Thunk,' and I heard everybody screaming," Van Ness said. "Super exciting. I was happy to be out there and do what I could to help this team win."
The play erased what could have been a regrettable finish for the Packers, who had the Bears in third-and-19 earlier in that series after back-to-back sacks by Slaton and Rashan Gary.
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams connected with rookie receiver Rome Odunze for 37 yards on back-to-back plays to continue the drive.
Keenan Allen then corralled a 12-yard pass to set up Santos' kick. Even when things looked bleak, Brooks was confident he could still win the game for his team.
"He made some great plays and set his team up really well, but there was no panic in my game," Brooks said. "I was telling myself the whole time the clock was winding, 'I'm just going to block this. I'm just going to block this.' The power of the tongue is powerful, so that's what I went out there and did."
According to running back Josh Jones, Bisaccia told players: "'This is the week. We gonna block one.' And he was like, if we don't block one, like I'm gonna be mad that it didn't happen."
Brooks came through for his coach. After making contact with Santos' kick, the second-year defensive lineman took a long pause to make sure the ball still didn't go through the uprights. The ball then fell to the ground and Brooks was bombarded by teammates.
Once the celebration subsided, Brooks made a beeline to Bisaccia.
"Everybody just surrounded me and grabbed me and then I saw Rich and I gave him a hug, so that was cool," Brooks said. "I'm visualizing myself blocking the kick. And like I said, I just wanted it more. I just fired off the ball and wanted to get a win."
