CHICAGO – The Packers' winless season on the road continued on Sunday at Soldier Field, as the Bears took command in the fourth quarter for a 24-17 triumph that clinched Chicago's first NFC North title since 2010.
It was also the Bears' first win over the Packers at Soldier Field since that same season. Green Bay fell to 0-7 on the road in 2018 and 5-8-1 overall. With the loss, the Packers are officially eliminated from playoff contention after Minnesota's 41-17 victory over Miami.
Chicago improved to 10-4 and will be in the postseason for the first time in eight years.
For the Packers, QB Aaron Rodgers saw his NFL-record interception-free streak end at 402 passes with a pick in the fourth quarter. Rodgers finished 25-of-42 for 274 yards and a 68.9 passer rating.
WR Davante Adams had eight catches for 119 yards, and RB Jamaal Williams – who took over for an injured Aaron Jones (knee) – carried 12 times for 55 yards and a score.
For the Bears, QB Mitch Trubisky was 20-of-28 for 235 yards with two TDs for a 120.4 rating. WR Allen Robinson was the Bears' only receiver over 50 yards, with three grabs for 54. RB Jordan Howard rushed 19 times for 60 yards and a TD.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Bears lead Packers 7-0 after one
The Bears got the ball first and gained 30 yards on a catch-and-run by WR Allen Robinson to get across midfield, but the Packers stopped the drive there. Chicago's punt pinned Green Bay at its own 4-yard line when Packers CB Will Redmond got in WR Randall Cobb's way on the fair catch near the 10, and Cobb had to back away and let the ball bounce.
The Packers got one first down on a third-down conversion to WR Randall Cobb, but on third-and-2 from the 25, Bears LB Khalil Mack sacked QB Aaron Rodgers, and the Packers punted.
A checkdown pass from QB Mitchell Trubisky to RB Jordan Howard picked up 15 yards and got the Bears across midfield again. Three runs by Howard for 11 yards were sprinkled within an offside penalty on the Packers and a 9-yard pass to TE Trey Burton. A false start made it first-and-15 from the Green Bay 25, but passes of 9 yards to RB Taquan Mizzell and 5 yards to RB Tarik Cohen set up third-and-1. Howard powered through for 2 yards to make it first-and-goal on the 9.
Howard then ran through a huge hole right up the middle for the touchdown, and the Bears had the early lead.
Back-to-back completions to RB Jamaal Williams covered 13 and 21 yards for the Packers got the ball inside the Chicago 40 as the first quarter expired.
Bears take 14-3 lead into halftime
The Packers' drive quickly stalled, as Rodgers was sacked on third-and-10 from the Chicago 39 by Mack and DT Bilal Nichols. P JK Scott's punt was fair-caught at the Chicago 9.
Green Bay's defense got the three-and-out, as LB Reggie Gilbert tipped Trubisky's swing pass on third-and-2.
The Packers, with Williams in for RB Aaron Jones (knee, questionable to return) overcame a false start and converted on third-and-6 with a 13-yard completion to WR Davante Adams. A 16-yard connection to TE Lance Kendricks moved the chains again to the Chicago 24.
But the Packers stalled there, with Williams losing 4 yards on a second-and-5 run when FB Danny Vitale whiffed on a block on the edge. K Mason Crosby was good from 41 yards out to get the Packers within 7-3 with 7:24 left in the half.
A holding call on the Bears set up second-and-17 from their own 14, but Chicago got the first down anyway when Packers CB Josh Jackson missed a tackle on Robinson, who gained 19 yards on a short catch. On third-and-7 from the Chicago 36, Packers S Eddie Pleasant missed a free run at Trubisky for a sack, and he escaped to complete a 23-yard pass to TE Adam Shaheen.
Pleasant rebounded with a tackle for loss on Cohen on first down, and it helped the defense get the stop. Chicago's punt was downed at the Green Bay 2.
The Packers went three-and-out, with the Bears using their second timeout with 1:48 left after tackling Williams for a 2-yard gain on third-and-3. Scott's 50-yard punt was fair-caught at the Chicago 39.
A 9-yard pass to Burton and 22-yard run by Cohen put the Bears on the Green Bay 30. An 18-yard pass to WR Joshua Bellamy made it first down on the 12, and Chicago used its last timeout with 38 seconds left. Cohen finished the drive with a reception and dive for the pylon, and the touchdown gave Chicago a 14-3 lead.
A 7-yard scramble by Rodgers and 20-yard run by Williams got the ball to the Chicago 48 with 5 seconds left in the half. Rodgers' Hail Mary was almost snagged in the end zone by Adams, but Bears S Eddie Jackson broke it up.
Packers rally to tie Bears at 14 after three
The Packers got going in the second half with an 11-yard pass to Adams. A 6-yard pass to Kendricks, a short run by Williams, and an 11-yard pass to TE Jimmy Graham moved the chains three more times. But the Packers stalled at the Chicago 25, and Crosby made a 43-yard field goal to make it 14-6 with 9:26 left in the third.
The Bears got a 13-yard reception by Cohen and a 7-yard run from Howard to get to midfield. But DL Fadol Brown stopped RB Tarik Cohen on third-and-3, and then the Packers snuffed out a fake punt, as the Bears snapped to up-back RB Benny Cunningham. Green Bay made the tackle at the 50 and the Packers took over.
On third-and-8 from the 48, Rodgers hit Adams for 28 yards down the sideline, with the veteran receiver making an impressive leaping grab. A 10-yard pass to Adams immediately followed to make it first-and-goal on the 10. Williams ran right and cut up through a huge hole for the TD run, and Rodgers' pass to Adams was good for two points to tie the game at 14.
Trubisky converted on third-and-10 with a 14-yard scramble, and then he hit WR Taylor Gabriel for 15 yards on second-and-14 after a sack. A 16-yard pass to Shaheen gave the Bears a first down at the Green Bay 32. A 5-yard run by Cohen ended the quarter.
Packers fall to Bears, 24-17
Two plays into the fourth quarter, the Bears faced third-and-1 from the Green Bay 23 and went with a wildcat formation, putting two running backs alongside Cohen in the shotgun. But Cohen fumbled the handoff exchange with Howard, and DL Dean Lowry recovered for the Packers at the Green Bay 26.
But the Packers did nothing with it, as Rodgers was sacked on first down, and two deep shots for Cobb and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling were overthrown. A holding penalty on the Packers on Chicago's punt return put the ball at the Green Bay 45 to start the Bears' next possession.
A 4-yard run by Howard, 8-yard pass to Gabriel, and defensive pass interference penalty on CB Jaire Alexander gave the Bears a first down at the 25. A defensive hold on CB Bashaud Breeland made it first down again at the 15. Two plays later, Trubisky found Burton wide open in the end zone for the score, and the Bears were back in front, 21-14, with 10:16 to go.
The Packers followed with another three-and-out, as Mack sacked Rodgers on first down, Cobb dropped a pass in the seam on second down, and Bears DT Akiem Hicks deflected an attempted screen pass for Williams.
Scott's poor 39-yard punt was returned 44 yards by Cohen to the Green Bay 15, and the Bears were right back in scoring position. The Packers' defense got the stop, but K Cody Parkey's 24-yard field goal put the Bears up two scores, 24-14, with 6:43 left.
Passes of 13 yards to Graham, 6 yards to Williams, 23 yards to Adams and 5 yards to WR Jake Kumerow were completed in succession to put the Packers on the Chicago 28. On third-and-2 from the 25, Rodgers hit Cobb for 16 yards to make it first-and-goal to the 9.
Three plays later, Rodgers' throw to the end zone for Graham was deflected and intercepted by Bears S Eddie Jackson, ending Rodgers' NFL-record interception-free streak at 402 pass attempts. It was just Rodgers' second interception of the season, first since Week 4 vs. Buffalo.
The Bears went three-and-out and punted the ball back to the Packers with 2:42 left.
A 23-yard pass to Adams got the Packers into scoring territory again, and eventually into goal-to-go, but a sack pushed the offense back to the 27, and Crosby made a 45-yard field goal with 11 seconds left.
Robinson recovered the onside kick for the Bears.
