Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears Match Player Stats On Dec 29, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 29, 2013

Packers 33, Bears 28: Aaron Rodgers and Randall Cobb returned from injuries and hooked up for a 48-yard touchdown with 38 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter as visiting Green Bay rallied to claim the NFC North title.

Rodgers came back from a broken collarbone and completed 25-of-39 passes for 318 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Packers (8-7-1), who captured their third straight division crown and the No. 4 seed in the NFC to set up a first-round matchup with San Francisco. Cobb returned from a broken leg and had two receptions - both for scores - and Jordy Nelson had 10 catches for 161 yards while Eddie Lacy had 21 carries for 66 yards and a TD after injuring his ankle last week.

With Green Bay down by one point, Rodgers avoided a blitz on fourth-and-8 and hurled a long toss to a wide-open Cobb, who raced into the end zone for the go-ahead score. The two-point conversion failed, but Jay Cutler threw an interception in the end zone as time expired as Chicago (8-8) squandered its second straight chance to clinch the division and ultimately did not qualify for the playoffs.

Matt Forte rushed for 110 yards and two scores while making four catches for 47 yards and a TD for the Bears, who suffered an embarrassing 54-11 loss at Philadelphia in Week 16 with a chance to win the division. Cutler was 15-of-24 for 226 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while Brandon Marshall caught six passes for 74 yards and a score.

Chicago opened the scoring on Cutler's 4-yard scoring toss to Forte late in the first quarter, but Green Bay carried a 13-7 lead into halftime on two field goals by Mason Crosby and a bizarre touchdown by Jarrett Boykin, who picked up Rodgers' fumble while everyone else believed the play was dead and ran 15 yards into the end zone.

Forte sandwiched 5- and 1-yard TD runs around Rodgers' 7-yard scoring pass to Cobb in the third quarter for a 21-20 Bears lead, and Cutler connected with Marshall for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth to increase the advantage. Lacy got Green Bay within one with a 6-yard scoring run with 11:38 left and Rodgers completed the comeback in the final minute.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rodgers had not played since being injured in a 27-20 home loss to Chicago on Nov. 4, while Cobb had been sidelined since Week 6. ... Lacy has scored five touchdowns over his last four games. ... Green Bay has won eight of its last 10 meetings with Chicago. ... Cutler fell to 1-9 against the Packers in his career, including a loss in the NFC championship game three seasons ago.