CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- With a chance to move into a first-place tie in the NFC North on Sunday, the Bears were instead beaten once again by future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, 24-14. Here are the observations from Soldier Field.
Another familiar outcome
The Packers are again a Super Bowl contender, one of the best teams in the NFC and the clear divisional frontrunner.
Meanwhile, the Bears are what we've seen for the last few seasons – a middling team that's not good enough to pull through with a big win against the Packers.
With offensive coordinator Bill Lazor calling plays in recent weeks, the Bears have played competent, complementary football, with their offense running the ball consistently and sustaining a few more drives to ensure the defense isn't exhausted in the fourth quarter. That gave the Bears a chance against the Packers on Sunday, but that was it.
The Bears aren't yet at a point in which rookie quarterback Justin Fields can generate explosive plays to match Rodgers and the Packers. Chicago's defense is playing at a high level, but it failed to produce a single takeaway against Green Bay.
The Bears are playing well enough to compete but aren't at a level in which they can change the game on both sides of the football. That's what the Packers can do – and did again Sunday.
Don't blame the rookie
On a second-and-7 play from his own 35-yard line with about three minutes left in the second quarter Sunday, Fields rushed for seven yards after twice evading pressure from Packers defensive lineman Kenny Clark on a play-action rollout. Before he scrambled, Fields hesitated for a moment with a throw in mind as Bears receiver Allen Robinson streaked down the middle of the field wide open, but Fields instead chose to tuck the ball and run.
After the game, Fields refuted the notion that he lacked the confidence to make the throw. He instead pointed to the play design of a naked bootleg that didn't include Robinson in his initial progressions. On Monday, coach Matt Nagy agreed with Fields' assessment of that play and explained in detail why he wasn't to blame.
"That's a naked or a bootleg, right," Nagy said. "So, we faked it, he rolled to the left. As he comes back, what happens is their safety, (Adrian) Amos, double-teamed the swing route which was (Darnell) Mooney, and the corner didn't go on the post. So, A-Rob on that play ended up popping wide open. But as he's going through his progression, he's reading it, he also has a guy in his face. So, he makes one guy miss and now he starts to see downfield. Now, remember, when we're all watching on TV and it's a bird's-eye view, it looks really easy. But when you're down there and you got guys running at you different ways – and then there's a referee standing right next to A-Rob on that throw – you might not believe me but sometimes when you're down there, you can't tell, it's hard when you got other guys around you.
"He also felt the pressure from (Clark) the second time. So, he went to step up. You saw him go to load it and throw, but your sixth sense tells you (that) you might be getting hit from behind, so he just took off and ran and got positive yards. That's not where he starts within the progression, so what he told you is correct. They covered it, he went into scramble mode, was going to throw it and he didn't. So, that's not part of the progression."
Accountability?
The Bears often claim to block out the noise. It appears safety Eddie Jackson isn't doing so.
Jackson noticed former Bears star linebacker and current NBC Sports Chicago analyst Lance Briggs calling out his poor tackling – which included a bad effort that led to Packers star receiver Davante Adams gaining 41 yards on a reception in the fourth quarter. Late Sunday night, Jackson shot back with a dig at Briggs from a decade ago.
In the since-deleted tweet, Jackson pointed toward Briggs' missed tackles from 2011.
Extra points
-- Fields had two plays to regret that directly cost the Bears points. The first came late in the second quarter, when he took a sack from Packers defensive lineman Dean Lowry, who bull-rushed through Bears left guard Cody Whitehair. It took the Bears out of field-goal range as they trailed 10-7 just before halftime.
Late in the fourth quarter, Fields also took a sack from Clark that pushed the Bears back 11 yards to the Packers' 48-yard line. The Bears were planning to kick a field goal in that spot and make it a one-score game, Nagy said. The sack set up a fourth-and-26, and all Fields could do was heave the football as Chicago turned the ball over on downs.
-- Bears rookie running back Khalil Herbert looks like the real deal. A sixth-round pick, Herbert carried 19 times for 97 yards and a touchdown Sunday while carrying the load in the backfield. He has showcased vision, patience and burst in creating solid gains. He had an impressive all-around showing.
-- On Monday morning, Nagy issued a "no comment" when asked whether the Packers should've been penalized for an offsides call on what resulted in an interception for Fields. I'll say it for Nagy – that was a bad miss by the officiating crew.
-- The Bears drove eight plays and 80 yards for a touchdown on their first drive, punching it in with Herbert. Their offense reverted to its worst form after that.
-- Give it up for Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, who was clearly playing through the pain as he battles a groin injury. He recorded of sack of Rodgers during the third quarter, but you could tell he was hurting. Hicks is doing everything he can to stay on the field and make an impact.
-- Early in the fourth quarter, Herbert had a 16-yard touchdown run called back by what seemed to be a phantom holding penalty against Bears center Sam Mustipher. Credit goes to Fields for rallying the offense back and leading them to the end zone. Four plays later, he hit Mooney for a score and the Bears didn't live to regret the flag.
-- Aaron Rodgers owns the Bears.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
