In Week 14, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears 28-21 at Lambeau Field to return to the top of the NFC North.
The Packers never trailed, but after leading 14-3 at halftime, things got tense when they allowed the Bears to tie the game at 21 in the fourth quarter. But Green Bay’s offense was ready to respond, orchestrating an eight-play, 65-yard drive over nearly four and a half minutes to regain the lead. The defense then sealed the deal, which they did after allowing Chicago to get into the red zone thanks to a game-winning interception by Kyson Nixon.
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With Sunday’s win, the Packers improved to 9-3-1 on the season and have won four straight, three of them against division opponents. Next week, they’ll take on the 11-2 Denver Broncos before a rematch with the Bears in Chicago.
Tougher games await, but for now, let’s celebrate the win by highlighting some of the standout players.
WR Christian Watson
If not for an injury that missed the first seven weeks, Watson would have had a career year. The fourth-year receiver has breathed new life into Green Bay’s offense with his steady playmaking. Watson caught all four passes against the Bears for a total of 89 yards and two touchdowns. He caught a pass behind Chicago’s secondary for 23 yards for his first touchdown of the game. His second score came at a critical moment on three-and-out, with a 41-yard slant rush to give the Packers a 10-point lead. Watson has already played his role this season, and his one-year contract extension worth $13.25 million keeps him with the team until 2026, which looks more and more like a bargain.
Running back Josh Jacobs
Nothing has come easy for Jacobs this season, and Sunday was no exception. Green Bay’s main back had little room to shine, but that didn’t stop him from turning in another solid performance. Jacobs rushed for 86 yards on 20 carries (4.3 average) and also scored the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. He scored a touchdown with the most impressive run of the day, a 21-yard gain on 3rd-and-2 that looked like he was going to be stopped in the backfield. Four plays later, he hit a punt from two yards out for a decisive 28-21 lead.
Edge Kingsley Nnagbar
In a quiet season, Nnagbal had two impactful games in Sunday’s victory. The Packers’ pass rush hit Bears quarterback Caleb Williams six times, but Enagbal’s biggest sack, a 9-yard sack, wiped out a scoring chance before halftime. He then made a crucial stop on Chicago’s final drive when he stopped Kyle Monangay but failed to get anything going on third-and-1. Green Bay won the game on the next play by forcing a turnover.
WR Beau Melton
The Packers’ wide receiver group was at full strength Sunday for the first time all season, yet Melton was the recipient of one of Jordan Love’s three touchdown passes. With less than 40 seconds left before halftime, Love hit a deep pass to Melton, who was already behind the secondary. Melton switched to corner in the offseason but has been getting more and more opportunities to catch the ball recently. He took full advantage of that in Week 14 with a 45-yard touchdown grab.
CB Keeson Nixon
Nixon shows us why having a short memory is important as an NFL corner. In the second quarter, he received a face penalty for giving the Bears a free first down on what should have been a third-and-8 with an illegal handball. Later, on a field goal attempt in Chicago, he was flagged for an unnecessary roughing penalty. He got another surprise when Nixon threw a touchdown pass to Olamide Zajos. However, Nixon bounced back. He forced DJ Moore to read an unfinished article that blew up the screen. Nixon saved the day by picking off Williams in the end zone on 4th-and-1 with less than 30 seconds left. Even though he was tied for third in the league in pass defense, it was his first interception of the season.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: 5 standout players from Packers’ Week 14 win over Bears