Bears pull one out in 'MNF' thriller

Over the weekend, every game impacting the Bears' playoff dreams went exactly the way they needed it to go.

All the Bears had to do Monday night against the 5-9 Green Bay Packers on national TV in the Arctic cold of Soldier Field was hold up their end, and somehow, some way they did, defeating their biggest rivals 20-17 in overtime.

"We still have a heart beat," said Robbie Gould, whose 38-yard field goal with 11:28 left in overtime won it. "We're still alive."

The 9-6 Bears have to win in Houston against the Texans on Sunday and hope the Vikings lose to the Giants, which would give them the NFC North title, or hope the Cowboys and the Bucs lose, which would get them in the playoffs as the last wild-card team.

On Saturday night, the Cowboys lost to the Ravens, dropping them to 9-6. On Sunday, the Vikings also fell to 9-6 by losing at home to the Falcons, who clinched a wild-card spot at 10-5; the Bucs were pounded at home by the Chargers and also dropped to 9-6; and the Eagles lost to the Redskins, falling to 8-6-1. All four losers entered their games as at least 3-point favorites.

For much of the night Monday, the Bears didn't seem as if they would hold up their end of the bargain, as they were badly outplayed. After tying the game with 3:11 left, they allowed the Packers to advance to their 20 on a drive fueled by Will Blackmon's 32-yard kickoff return with a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty against Adrian Peterson tacked on. But Alex Brown blocked Mason Crosby's 38-yard field goal with 18 seconds left, setting up overtime.

"The season was on the line," Brown said. "We were like, 'This is it.' We got a great push, and I was the one who got my hand on it."

The Bears won the toss in overtime and elected to receive.

Greg Olsen's 18-yard reception plus a 15-yard horse-collar penalty on the Aaron Rouse got the Bears to the Packers' 35, and on third-and-9 Kyle Orton connected with Matt Forte for 14 yards, setting up Gould's 38-yard, game-winning field goal and a wild celebration among half-frozen fans with their playoff hopes still flickering.

Orton said he knew it would be a second straight overtime victory for the Bears as soon as Gould stepped on the field for the final kick.

"There's not too much doubt about it when he comes out there," Orton said. "I knew it was good before he kicked it. He's money."

The game-time temperature of 2 degrees was the coldest for a Bears home game since 1963, when officials records were first kept. The wind-chill of minus-13 was the second coldest since 1963.

The Bears' offense was just as cold, managing only 48 yards of total offense in the first half to the Packers' 221, and 2 first downs to Green Bay's 14. The Packers controlled the ball for 20 minutes and 7 seconds in the first half and led 14-3 at halftime.

Forte had just 14 rushing yards on 8 carries, running tentatively and finding little running room. Through three quarters, the Bears were outgained 291-92 and dominated in almost every phase of the game.

"I could understand why we were getting booed at halftime," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "But you have to play two halves. Offensively we didn't get a lot done until we had to."

A Packers turnover breathed life into the wheezing Bears offense when Brad Maynard's punt bounced off Jarrett Bush and was recovered by Jason Davis at Green Bay's 27 early in the third quarter.

Orton fired a dart to tight end Desmond Clark for a 21-yard gain, and then, on third-and-goal from the 3, Orton faked play action to Forte and hit tight end Olsen, who was wide open in the end zone to draw the Bears within 14-10 just 4:01 into the third quarter.

After Orton was intercepted by Charles Woodson, the Bears' defense held the Packers to Crosby's 28-yard field goal, which gave Green Bay a 17-10 lead with 12:58 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Bears drove to the Packers' 34, but Orton was picked off by Nick Collins at the 12-yard line with just less than 10 minutes left.

The Bears got it back and suddenly Forte exploded, showing no signs of the toe injury he nursed last week and which seemed to hinder him earlier in the game.

He burst 28 yards around left end and then picked up a first down by inches to the Packers' 3 on fourth-and-1. On the next play he scored to tie it at 17-17 with 3:11 left.

"I'm not surprised," Orton said of Forte's sudden ascension. "He's done it all year for us."

Orton completed just 14 of 27 passes for 142 yards with 2 interceptions and a passer rating of 48.7, and the Bears were outgained 325-210 for the game, but they won where it counted.

"When you play in December, it's never going to be pretty," Orton said. "You just have to get it done."

The Bears have to get it done once more and hope for a little more help.

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