Everyone will remember the blocked kick, but Matt Eberflus’ defense tripped in final minutes vs. Green Bay

CHICAGO – Just when fans think the Chicago Bears couldn’t possibly find a more gut-wrenching way to lose a football game, their team finds a way.

“It’s almost comical,” Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson said.

Nobody in the Bears locker room was laughing.

The Green Bay Packers blocked a 46-yard field goal try from Bears kicker Cairo Santos as time expired. The field goal could’ve snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Packers against the Bears. Packers defensive lineman Karl Brooks stormed through the middle to block the kick. The Packers held on to win 20-19 for their 11th win in a row against the Bears.

“I just hit the same ball I always did,” Santos said afterward. “I felt like it was right on target. The line that it took, and [Brooks] just made a great play and put his hand right in the trajectory where the ball started.”

In the past two seasons alone, the Bears have blown three separate double-digit, fourth-quarter leads. They’ve dropped a Hail Mary in the end zone, and they’ve watched their opponent connect on a 52-yard Hail Mary.

Now, their most hated rival found yet another way to kick them to the curb on an afternoon when it felt like this might finally be the day the Bears pull one out.

“It’s been a crazy year,” defensive end Montez Sweat said. “A couple of these things that have been happening this year have never happened to me in my career, and it’s happening multiple times in the year. It’s just kind of crazy.”

The Packers penetrated through the middle of the Bears line on the field goal try. The NFL has rules in place to protect the long snapper, but Bears long snapper Scott Daly said he wasn’t looking for a flag on the play.

I felt a lot of bodies on me, and that was about it. In that situation, they’re going to bring as much pressure as they can.”

—  Scott Daly, Bears long snapper

Much like the Hail Mary play against Washington, it’s another situation where the Bears probably can’t count on the refs to bail them out with a flag.

“I felt a lot of bodies on me, and that was about it,” Daly said. “In that situation, they’re going to bring as much pressure as they can.”

With so much focus on the Bears offense over the past several weeks, Caleb Williams and his unit played fairly well in their first game under new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. Williams did enough to get the offense into field goal range in the final seconds.

Head coach Matt Eberflus could’ve run one more play with about 30 seconds remaining to draw a little bit closer, but he elected to run the time down instead and kick on second down.

“You could do that, for sure, but you also risk fumbling,” Eberflus said after the game.

The reality is, Eberflus had this Packers team exactly where he wanted them just a few minutes earlier. The Bears held a five-point lead with four minutes remaining.

The defensive guru had his unit on the field against a quarterback in Jordan Love who had thrown 10 interceptions over his first seven starts, and who already threw one interception in the game. If the Bears were ever going to snap the Packers win streak, this was their chance.

For Eberflus’ defense, that final Green Bay possession could’ve been their moment.

“It’s on us,” Sweat said. “We’ve got to close the game. That was the message.”

Then the unthinkable happened. Their Pro Bowl cornerback – arguably the best defender on a defense full of good ones – fell down. Johnson’s feet tangled up with Packers receiver Christian Watson and Johnson found himself face down in the grass. Watson made a diving effort to catch a pass from Love, then he stood up and ran his way to a 60-yard gain.

Love punched in the go-ahead touchdown a few plays later. Watson racked up 150 yards on just four catches in the game.

This game will forever be known for the blocked kick at the end, but the defensive breakdown in the final minutes might say more about the state of the Eberflus era. This group has been built to Eberflus’ specifications, and it faltered in the final minutes of yet another close game.

After the Packers blocked the final kick, Johnson crouched on the Bears sideline for a long time looking out toward the middle of the field. The 25-year-old had a lot to contemplate.

“Hurt, especially for myself,” he said later. “I have no business tripping. I have to find a way to stay up. I know if I stay up I’m gonna make that play. So just for me, I’ve got to figure out a way to be better.”

Johnson prides himself on being one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He was a second-team All-Pro last year. He relishes matchups against the opposing team’s top wide receiver.

The reality is he didn’t come through Sunday.

“I feel like you really have no choice but to really just accept the cards you’re dealt,” Johnson said. “At the end of the day we came up short.”