Breaking down Packers' Week 16 loss to Bears: What went right, wrong

What went right

— In the first game of the season without Micah Parsons, the Packers held the Bears without a point in the first half and allowed just six total points through the first 58 minutes of action. In every sense of the word, this was a winning performance from Jeff Hafley’s defense. It took an unimaginable collapse for the Packers to be in a position to give up not only the game-tying touchdown in regulation but also the game-winning touchdown in overtime.

— Malik Willis took over for Jordan Love on the team’s first possession and played as well as anyone could have expected given the circumstances. He completed 9 of 11 passes, threw a 33-yard touchdown pass, hit two other explosive plays and consistently used his legs to either escape negative plays or create as a runner. Willis is an ideal backup quarterback — competent, but also a little unconventional. His legs gave the Packers a spark.

— Before his meltdown on the onside kick, Romeo Doubs was excellent, catching five of six targets for 84 yards and a touchdown.

— The Packers had eight different players run the ball and finished with a season-high 192 rushing yards. Emanuel Wilson rushed for 82 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry, while Malik Willis added 44, many as a scrambler. The Packers possessed the ball for almost 39 minutes of game time.

— Brandon McManus calmly made all three of his short field goals, and he connected on a long extra point after a taunting penalty. During a windy night at Soldier Field, McManus did not cost the Packers points.

What went wrong

— Just about everything from the 3:15 point on in the fourth quarter. It took a comedy of errors for the Packers to lose a game in which the Bears faced 3rd-and-20 down 10 points with 3:15 left in the fourth quarter.

— The Packers went 0-for-5 scoring touchdowns in the red zone, including a turnover on downs and a lost fumble on 1st-and-goal from the 4-yard line.

— Warren Brinson’s facemask penalty negated a sack on 3rd-and-20. Romeo Doubs dropped an onside kick recovery. Nate Hobbs and Keisean Nixon blew a coverage on 4th-and-4. Sean Rhyan and Malik Willis messed up the snap on 4th-and-1. And Nixon gave up a 46-yard touchdown pass in overtime.

— The Bears scored four times in the fourth quarter and overtime, outscoring the Packers 19-3.

— Josh Jacobs battled, but he rushed for only 36 yards and had a killer fumble inside the 5-yard line. Emanuel Wilson played the rest of the way.

— The Packers finished 1-for-3 on fourth down, including a failure in the red zone on the opening drive and the crucial failure on a botched snap in overtime.

— The Packers defense gave up explosive pass plays to D.J. Moore (46 yards), Kyle Monangai (34 yards) and Olamide Zaccheaus (27 yards). The Bears also averaged 5.8 yards per rush attempt, and the Packers didn’t have a sack or a takeaway.

What it means

The Packers threw away a golden chance to take control of the division with two games to play and now have a legitimate path to missing the playoffs altogether, although Matt LaFleur’s team is still in decent shape for the No. 7 seed at 9-5-1. This was another crushing loss in a season that is becoming defined by misfortune, both self-inflicted and otherwise. In a two-week span, the Packers blew a nine-point lead in Denver, lost Micah Parsons to a season-ending injury, lost Jordan Love to a concussion and then blew a 10-point lead in Chicago. Can the Packers rebound from this? There is still a path to winning the NFC North, and clinching a playoff spot is possible as soon as next Saturday, but the Packers are reeling. What could have and should have been a signature win without Parsons and Love on the road in a winner-take-first-place rivalry game quickly unraveled into another gut punch.

What’s next

A week of waiting for Jordan Love to clear concussion protocol, and then a visit from Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens next Saturday for another primetime game. Will Love be under center for the Packers? It’s certainly possible Malik Willis will need to start the final regular season home game. The Ravens face the New England Patriots on “Sunday Night Football,” so John Harbaugh’s team will be at a slight rest disadvantage next week. Depending on the results on Sunday, Week 17 might mean everything or nothing for the Ravens. If the Lions lose to the Steelers on Sunday, the Packers could clinch a playoff spot by beating the Ravens.