Packers Shock Bears on Karl Brooks’ Game-Winning Block

The Green Bay Packers improved to 7-3 by stunning the Chicago Bears on Karl Brooks’ game-saving blocked field goal.

Green Bay Packers defensive end Brenton Cox Jr. a tackle for loss at the Chicago Bears. / Mark Hoffman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CHICAGO – The Green Bay Packers, as usual, beat the Chicago Bears – a simple sentence that doesn’t tell half the story of a dramatic victory.

The Bears had a chance to pull off a stunning upset of the Packers, to finally earn a win in their ancient rivalry.

Instead, Karl Brooks blocked Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal as time expired. The Packers’ sideline sprinted onto the field to celebrate an improbable 20-19 victory.

“Just like you draw it up, right?” coach Matt LaFleur said.

The Packers have won 11 consecutive games over the Bears, including six in a row at Soldier Field. Jordan Love was 13-of-17 passing for 261 yards in improving to 3-0 vs. the Bears.

Green Bay has won six in a row and 14 of 15 at Soldier Field.

“It’s special,” Love said. “Obviously, anytime we play the Bears, we want to get that win and, obviously, we want to keep this win streak going. Obviously, ending the game on that final play and to come up huge with that field-goal block, it’s special.”

After the Packers took a 20-19 lead with 2:59 remaining, TJ Slaton and Rashan Gary had back-to-back sacks of Caleb Williams to make it third-and-19 at the 2-minute warning. Kingsley Enagbare had a chance to sack Williams but basically jumped over the top of Williams, who extended the play and hit Rome Odunze for 16. On fourth-and-3, Williams looped a fade to Odunze over Keisean Nixon for 21.

With the Bears on the outskirts of field-goal range, Williams fired a pass to Keenan Allen for 12 more to the 28.

That set the stage for Santos, who entered the game 12-of-14 on field goals this season after making 35-of-38 last year. Brooks got a good push, extended his arm and got the winning block.

“Yeah, you dream of that,” Brooks said. “It was just a great play, man. To block a kick to win the game is huge.

The Packers improved to 7-3. They are two games behind the Lions (9-1) and one game behind the Vikings (8-2) in the NFC North.

“Yeah, it’s relief,” LaFleur said. “It was a rollercoaster game but that’s this league and you have to be resilient. Not everything is always going to go your way and you got to keep battling, keep battling, keep battling, keep battling, try to block out the scoreboard, whatever has happened has no bearing on what’s going to happen and you got to just keep pushing forward.”

Trailing 19-14, Green Bay took possession at its 22-yard line with 4:17 remaining and in need of a touchdown. On the second play, Jordan Love fired a pass to the left to Christian Watson. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson fell and Watson made an incredible diving catch at the 45.

There was nobody in the vicinity of Watson when he got up and took off up the left sideline. He broke one tackle, cut back to the middle and was taken down at the 14. The Bears challenged the ruling of Watson’s catch but lost.

On the next play, Love scrambled right and almost scored with a dive toward the pylon – LaFleur lost the challenge – but scored on the sneak on the next play. Jacobs was stuffed on the 2-point run, so it was 20-19 with 2:59 remaining.

Just like everyone predicted, it was a back-and-forth matchup between the Packers, who have owned the Bears and were coming off their bye, and the Bears, who had lost three in a row and had fired their offensive coordinator earlier in the week.

Green Bay put together an excellent drive coming out of halftime to lead 14-10. Jacobs had a 21-yard catch early in the drive and capped the possession with a 7-yard touchdown.

The Bears retaliated. Having entered the game with 23 consecutive possessions without a touchdown, they scored their second of the game late in the third quarter on D’Andre Swift’s 39-yard touchdown run on a toss. The Bears, who overcame a first-and-20 on the possession, failed on the 2-point play so led 19-14 with 31 seconds left in the quarter.

The Packers were in position to recapture the lead at the start of the fourth quarter. Love’s ill-advised bomb into double coverage turned into a 48-yard gain when safety Elijah Hicks slipped and Christian Watson made a superb catch at the 8.

Green Bay got nothing out of it, though. On fourth-and-goal at the 6, LaFleur opted to keep the offense on the field. The Packers entered the game ranked 29th in red-zone offense; the Bears were No. 1 in red-zone defense.

The better unit won. Love was flushed out of the pocket and couldn’t get past linebacker T.J. Edwards for a huge stop with 11:19 remaining in the game.

On the ensuing possession, the Bears couldn’t land the knockout but they did consume 7 minutes by converting three times on third down.

The Packers trailed 10-7 at halftime.

The game couldn’t have started any better, with Green Bay rolling 70 yards in eight plays for the opening touchdown. After Emanuel Wilson ran over two defenders for a 13-yard run to the 15, the Packers hurried to the line to run their next play. Not only did Love catch the Bears with 12 men on the field, but he fired a laser to Jayden Reed for a touchdown.

The Packers led 7-3 when they marched into scoring position in the second quarter. However, the Packers turned a second-and-1 from the 5 into a third-and-11 from the 15 before Love’s high fastball went through Tucker Kraft’s fingers and was intercepted at the goal line.

Chicago drove 76 yards for the go-ahead touchdown to end the first half. New offensive coordinator Thomas Brown turned Williams into a dual-threat quarterback. Williams had runs of 13, 7 and 12 yards to set up Roschon Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run with 7 seconds left in the half.

Williams, who was sacked nine times last week, was sacked only once in the first half and ran six times for 60 yards. 

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Stock up? Stock down? @JacobWestendorf has the ups and downs following the #Packers' victory over the Bears. ⬇️https://t.co/SJVAk4H3nk

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) November 17, 2024

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