This one hurts the most

This one hurts the most
December 23
Green Bay Press Gazette columnist Mike Vandermause
"Everything that could possibly go wrong this season has gone wrong for the Green Bay Packers, who couldn't beg, borrow or steal a victory if they tried.

Of all the gut-wrenching losses the Packers have endured in a pitiful 5-10 season, their 20-17 overtime loss to the Chicago Bears Monday night at Soldier Field might be the most repulsive and bitter of them all.

"It's kind of the story of the season," said defensive tackle Colin Cole in a somber post-game locker room. "A lot of disappointments, a lot of shortcomings. We just did not get it done tonight."

The Packers haven't been getting it done for the past two months, with a deplorable 1-7 record since their bye week. They have suffered five losses in a row and each week find new ways to fritter away games.

The Packers were dominating the Bears in just about every phase, and for a while it appeared they would finally end the mounting frustration that has built up during the second half of the season.

They held a commanding 14-3 halftime lead, and entering the fourth quarter had limited the Bears to just five first downs and 92 total yards. They were in complete control, yet found a way to turn a certain victory into defeat.

"It's pretty bad," said linebacker Brady Poppinga. "It's pretty bad because the Bears being the rivalry it is, the way we were playing against them, I felt like we were going to be able to finish off the game and win."

But it turned into the same old story, with just a few of the details changed. The Packers are incapable of finishing a close game. When the outcome is on the line, it's almost as if they expect something to go wrong, and it always does.

The snake-bit Packers watched in horror as Mason Crosby's potential game-winning 38-yard field goal near the end of regulation was blocked.

Then a questionable horse-collar penalty against Aaron Rouse in overtime helped the Bears on their winning field-goal drive.

The defense, which had played so well for so long on this cold night, froze up in the clutch. On a crucial third-and-9 play in overtime, the Packers couldn't get a stop.

And the offense, as it has done for much of this sorry season, sputtered in the red zone and couldn't finish drives."
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