GREEN BAY – This time, there was no game-saving field goal block.
This time, Cairo Santos’ 51-yard attempt cleared the uprights as time expired in Chicago’s first victory over the Packers since 2018, a 24-22 win that snapped a 10-game losing streak for the Bears.
But that’s not what bothered Xavier McKinney.
Regardless of whether the Packers won or lost a regular-season finale that didn’t have any impact on next week’s NFC playoff field, McKinney wasn’t happy with how the team performed.
Because it wasn’t about just getting to the postseason. It’s what the Pro Bowl safety hopes to accomplish once Green Bay gets there – a road that’ll see the seventh-seeded Packers travel to Philadelphia next week for the NFC Wild Card round.
“Honestly, it don’t matter if we would’ve won or lost this game. We didn’t play good enough today,” McKinney said. “That’s just what it is. We all know that. We gotta watch this film and see what we can do.”
Santos exorcised some demons with his game-winning kick, reversing fortunes from the 43-yard attempt that Karl Brooks blocked during Green Bay’s 20-19 win in Week 11.
It was the final blow in a topsy-turvy rematch that saw the Packers give up an early punt return for a touchdown, a fumble off a strip sack of backup quarterback Malik Willis and an 18-yard pass to DJ Moore on third-and-11 that set up Santos’ field goal after Caleb Williams clocked the ball with two seconds left.
There were plenty of positives. McKinney caught his eighth interception off a double-reverse pass from receiver Keenan Allen, the most by a Packers defender since Charles Woodson had nine during his NFL Defensive Player of the Year campaign in 2009.
Carrington Valentine, who’s stepped up in Jaire Alexander‘s absence, generated his third takeaway in four weeks when he forced a fumble of Moore to set up a Brandon McManus 55-yard field goal that gave Green Bay 22-21 lead with 54 seconds left.
But it wasn’t enough. According to Head Coach Matt LaFleur, there were strong words said in the postgame locker room in a rallying cry to get things right before a hopeful playoff push.
“It was emotional. It’s win or go home now,” said Valentine of the postgame vibe. “We’re going into the postseason, and if we lose, we’re out. So we’ve got to get our (stuff) together and go to Philly and get it going.”
As disappointing as Sunday’s performance…
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