Week 14 recap: Chicago Bears can’t hold a halftime lead vs. the Green Bay Packers, getting dominated in the 2nd half of a 45-30 loss that drops them to 4-9

For one glorious quarter Sunday night at Lambeau Field, the Chicago Bears traded big plays with the Green Bay Packers.

Two offensive touchdowns of more than 45 yards and the longest punt return touchdown in franchise history made the Bears look every bit as exciting as the NFC North leaders in the second quarter.

Then, coming out of halftime, a turnover happened. And Aaron Rodgers happened. And, eventually, a sixth straight loss to the Packers happened.

By the end of the Packers’ 45-30 victory, the Bears had been put back in their place as the floundering 4-9 team that they are. The Packers have won 11 of the last 12 meetings with the Bears, their only loss in that stretch coming in 2018.

Punt returner/wide receiver Jakeem Grant, who joined the Bears in a trade with the Miami Dolphins in October, played a major role in the Bears taking a 27-21 lead into halftime. He scored on a 46-yard catch-and-run on the Bears’ third drive and later in the second quarter scored on a 97-yard punt return.

Wide receiver Damiere Byrd added a 54-yard touchdown on a short pass from rookie quarterback Justin Fields, who returned from a two-game absence from cracked ribs. And outside linebacker Robert Quinn had two sacks of Rodgers to lead the defense.

Those plays helped the Bears outduel — for one half — Rodgers and the Packers, who got their own boost from Rasul Douglas’ 55-yard pick-six against Fields.

The Bears couldn’t keep the momentum going after halftime.

Rodgers led an easy nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to give the Packers the lead to open the third quarter. On the Bears’ next drive, Packers linebacker Preston Smith ran around rookie left tackle Teven Jenkins to get a strip-sack of Fields.

Outside linebacker Rashan Gary recovered, and the Packers scored on the next play on Rodgers’ 23-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Aaron Jones.

The half slowly got worse, including a Bears penalty on a punt that Packers returner Amari Rodgers muffed. Bears running back Damien Williams recovered it, but Kindle Vildor was called for running out of bounds on his own on the play. And the Bears punted again.

Rodgers improved to 23-5 all-time in the rivalry. He completed 29 of 37 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns with no turnovers.

Fields and the Bears offense didn’t get in a groove again. Fields was 18 of 33 for 224 yards with two touchdowns, two interceptions and the fumble. He also ran for 74 yards on nine carries.

His second interception came after Khalil Herbert recovered Cairo Santos’ onside kick with 1 minute, 21 seconds to play. On fourth-and-13 on the desperate last-minute drive, Chandon Sullivan intercepted a pass meant for Darnell Mooney.

Jenkins, a 2021 second-round pick, was playing because left tackle Jason Peters suffered a right ankle injury in the first quarter. Jenkins was called for two false starts and two holding penalties, one of which was declined because it was on the strip-sack.

The Bears also lost inside linebacker Roquan Smith to a hamstring injury in the second half. Cornerback Xavier Crawford (concussion), safety DeAndre Houston-Carson (arm) and defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga (shoulder) also left with injuries.

More Week 14 coverage

• Chicago Bears erupt for 27 first-half points — but then watch their lead quickly disappear. Brad Biggs’ 10 thoughts on the 45-30 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
• Column: Fun while it lasted? For the Bears, an entertaining 1st half quickly turns into irritation during another lopsided big-stage loss to the Packers.
• A rough night for Teven Jenkins and more mixed results for Justin Fields. How the Bears’ top two 2021 draft picks fared against the Packers.
• Matt Nagy’s time with the Chicago Bears: A look back at the career highs — and lows — for the coach

<mark class="hl_orange">Here’s how the Week 14 game unfolded.</mark>

Inactives announced: Robinson in, Dalton out

While Justin Fields is starting, Nick Foles will be the Bears backup quarterback Sunday night against the Packers.

Andy Dalton is dealing with an injury on his left (non-throwing) hand and didn’t practice all week.

Wide receiver Allen Robinson is active after recovering from a hamstring injury that kept him out three games.

But defensive lineman Akiem Hicks was declared out Saturday as he deals with an ankle injury. He has missed four games. Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin is out with a foot injury, and defensive back Teez Tabor is inactive because of an illness.

Running back Ryan Nall and tight end Jesper Horsted also are inactive for the Bears.

For the Packers, left tackle David Bakhtiari, safety Vernon Scott, linebacker Isaiah McDuffie and defensive lineman Jack Heflin are inactive.

1st quarter: Jenkins replaces injured Peters at LT

Bears second-round pick Teven Jenkins saw his first action on offense this season after left tackle Jason Peters was injured on the Bears’ second drive.

Peters was injured on quarterback Justin Fields’ 1-yard run on first-and-goal at the 10-yard line. He walked off the field on his own and went to the locker room.

The Bears announced Peters has a right ankle injury and is questionable to return.

After having back surgery in August, Jenkins played in his first game of the season last week against the Arizona Cardinals, recording two snaps on extra points.

Jenkins was flagged for a false start on his third play, which set the Bears back to second-and-goal from the 8. The Bears failed to get in the end zone and settled for Cairo Santos’ 23-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Halftime: Bears score 3 long TDs en route to 27-21 lead

Bears punt returner/wide receiver Jakeem Grant scored on a 46-yard catch and run and a 97-yard punt return to fuel a 27-21 halftime lead against the Packers.

Late in the second quarter, Grant caught a punt at the 3-yard line and started to run to his right before breaking back to the left sideline. He then raced to the end zone untouched for a 24-14 Bears lead.

It was the longest punt return in Bears history, according to ESPN Stats and Info.

Earlier in the second quarter, Grant took a short toss from quarterback Justin Fields, broke to the left sideline and sped 46 yards for a touchdown, evading a tackle attempt by Rasul Douglas to get into the end zone.

Grant also had a 34-yard punt return to start the Bears’ second drive at the Packers 44-yard line. While the Bears couldn’t get in the end zone, they went ahead 3-0 on Cairo Santos’ 23-yard field goal.

The Bears traded a 2023 sixth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for Grant in October when they were in need of kickoff and punt return help.

Grant wasn’t the only player making big plays. Fields threw a short pass to wide receiver Damiere Byrd, who raced for a 54-yard touchdown and a 17-14 Bears lead.

That touchdown helped the Bears quickly answer after Fields threw a pick-six to Douglas. Late in the second quarter, Douglas jumped in front of a pass meant for Darnell Mooney and returned the interception 55 yards for a touchdown and a 14-10 Packers lead.

In his return from missing two games with cracked ribs, Fields completed 9 of 16 passes for 150 yards with the two touchdowns and the interception.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 15 of 21 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns in the half.

He had a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to Allen Lazard, who beat Xavier Crawford to get wide open in the end zone. And he hit Davante Adams for a 38-yard touchdown pass to cut the Bears’ lead to 24-21 with 44 seconds left.

Fields was able to get the Bears into range for Santos to kick a 44-yard field goal with five seconds to play.

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