Although the Green Bay Packers already were eliminated from the postseason, the game with the Bears on Monday night gave them an opportunity to feel better heading into the offseason by knocking a bitter rival out of the playoffs.
Instead, the Packers (5-10) suffered another frustrating close defeat, this one 20-17 in overtime. That's seven games that Green Bay has lost by four points or fewer this season.
''We lost a game to the Chicago Bears , [and] it doesn't feel very good -- I'm not thinking about the other games right now,'' Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. ''It was a tough, hard-fought Football game, like they always are.
''We had a lot of opportunities. They made some key plays, especially on special teams, that affected the outcome.''
The players, though, were thinking about the other losses and how winning Monday and a few other times could have turned around their season.
''It's disappointing, it's tough, it's really frustrating,'' quarterback Aaron Rodgers said.
This was a game in which the Packers dominated just about everywhere except the final score. They had five more first downs than the Bears and had 325 yards of offense to the Bears' 210.
''Obviously, we didn't cash in on our opportunities,'' said Rodgers, who was 24-for-39 for 260 yards with two touchdowns. ''With the yards we put up and the efficiency with which we moved the ball, we have to get more points than 17.
''The defense did a great job and put us in a good situation. We just didn't score enough points on offense to win the game.''
After a 14-3 halftime lead, the Packers let the Bears back in the game with a special-teams miscue early in the third quarter that set up a touchdown to make it 14-10.
Green Bay answered later and had a first-and-goal at the 5-yard line early in the fourth quarter. But Rodgers didn't see a wide-open receiver in the left corner of the end zone on first down because of pressure, and the Packers couldn't convert on second and third downs and had to settle for a field goal for a 17-10 lead.
''We made enough plays offensively,'' Rodgers said. ''We just didn't convert in the red zone and finish those drives off with touchdowns. We need touchdowns when you get a first-and-goal. We got a field goal there.''
Even after the Bears tied the score, the Packers seemed in position for a game-winning field goal, but the 38-yard try was blocked. The Bears scored on their first drive in OT -- aided by a Green Bay penalty -- to stay alive.
''It's frustrating,'' Packers running back Ryan Grant said. ''That's been the theme all year.''
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