There's more than a little something missing from the 2018 Green Bay Packers.
More than an MVP quarterback missing receivers.
More than the starting right side of the offensive line.
More than seven preferred starters on defense.
You know what else is missing? A playoff berth for the second consecutive year as the Chicago Bears go from worst to first in the NFC North by beating the Packers 24-17 on an unseasonably pretty December day at Soldier Field. The last time Green Bay watched the post-season in consecutive years was 2005, the final year of Mike Sherman followed by the 2006 rookie campaign of Mike McCarthy.
Even worse, the Packers will now have back to back losing seasons for the first time since 1990 and 1991, the final two years of the forgettable Lindy Infante era.
Like so many contests this year, the Pack, now under the watch of interim Head Coach Joe Philbin, put up a decent fight only to experience a calamity of failures in the fourth quarter.
The Bears grabbed the lead on a Jordan Howard nine yard run, untouched right through the middle of the defense in the first quarter.
Mason Crosby put the Packers on the board with a 41 yard field goal midway through the second. Green Bay got the ball back at their own two with just over two minutes left in the half but couldn't move the chains, giving Chicago a shot with 1:42 left.
Tarik Cohen ripped off a 22 yard run and then finished the drive catching a short pass and turning the corner to beat a late push from Kentrell Brice to the pylon for a 14-3 lead with :30 left in the half.
Aaron Rodgers nearly pulled off a hail mary that hit Davante Adams' hands but fell incomplete in the end zone. On that play, Rodgers said he felt a tightness in his groin that bothered him the rest of the day.
The Packers took the fight to the Bears in the third quarter, driving 50 yards in 11 plays before settling on Crosby's 43 yard field goal.
Rookie Head Coach Matt Nagy then gambled at midfield when on fourth and 2, called a fake punt with a direct snap to Benny Cunningham but recently signed free agent Fadal Brown smothered him short of the stick.
It took only five plays for the Packers to score with Jamaal Williams going right end for 10 yards to make it 14-12.
Rodgers then found Adams for the two point conversion to get the game even heading to the final period.
On the second snap of the 4th quarter, Mitchell Trubisky motioned to a wide receiver and the wild cat snap went to Cohen who lost the handoff to Hoard and Dean Lowry covered it up at the Packer 27.
Here's where you thought the Packers might find that good old Solider Field magic where they had won the last 8 meetings in the rivalry.
Not on this day, not this year.
Rodgers was sacked on first down and missed two open receivers on second and third to bring on a punt.
The Bears, behind an effective Trubisky (20 of 28, 235 yards, 120.4 rating), drove for the go ahead score as Josh Jones was late to the corner of the end zone with Trey Burton pulling in the 13 yard TD toss.
Still plenty of time but Rodgers again was sacked on the first play of the series by Khalil Mack who had two and a half of the five Chicago sacks.
Randall Cobb then dropped a wide open slant and a third down pass went incomplete.
J.K. Scott's low 39 yard punt was returned 44 yards by Cohen down to the 15.
The defense dug in, holding Chicago to a Cody Parkey 24 yard field goal but the lead swelled to 10.
The Packers drove to the Chicago 9 where on third down, Rodgers pass to the end zone glanced off Jimmy Graham and into the hands of safety Eddie Jackson. The interception ended Rodgers NFL record streak of 402 straight attempts without a pick.
The Pack got the ball back with 2:42 left, moved to nine again but Rodgers got sacked by Leonard Floyd for a loss of 18, forcing Crosby on for his third boot to make it a one score game with only :11 left but his onside kick was recovered by Chicago and Trubisky took a knee to claim the division crown.
The game was statistically even but Chicago made far more plays that mattered to keep Green Bay winless on the road for the year.
Rodgers finished 25 of 42 for a rating of 68.9. When a Super Bowl winning, 2 time MVP quarterback is getting outplayed by a second year novice, something's amiss.
Rodgers said after the game "it's a timing thing", but there were plenty of head scratching deliveries throughout the day.
The Packers were without Bryan Bulaga and Byron Bell, forcing Jason Spriggs and Lucas Patrick to start on the right side of the offensive line and the unit struggled with Chicago's extremely ferocious pass rush.
The defense had only four players start that would be considered preferred starters. Clay Matthews, Blake Martinez, Jaire Alexander and Tramon Williams.
Blame the departed McCarthy if you wish, the under performing Rodgers if you must but there's a glaring absence of play making talent on a team that now stands at 5-8-1 with two games left to play.
Adams is the only Pro Bowl worthy player. His 8 receptions for 119 yards gives him an even 100 catches on the year, for 1315 yards and 12 touchdowns. He needs 13 receptions and 205 yards to eclipse single season franchise records in both departments.
Now 0-7 on the road, one more trip awaits, to New Jersey to face the Jets before the home finale against the Detroit Lions. They can't happen soon enough to put a bad team, already out of the playoffs, out of their misery.
