Packers Throw Ill-Advised Pass to Lineman That Nearly Led to a Horrible Turnover

In this story:
Saturday night's NFC wild-card game between the Packers and Bears has been a mistake-filled contest ... for Chicago in particular.
The Bears’ defense was a sieve in the first half, but recovered in the second half to give the offense opportunities to get themselves back into the game.
After the Bears were stopped on fourth down deep in Green Bay territory, the Packers took over on offense and ran a tackle-eligible pass play that should have been a gift turnover for Chicago’s defense.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love tossed a checkdown to his left to tackle Darian Kinnard. Kinnard started matriculating up the field before he fumbled, kicked the ball forward, and gave two Chicago defenders an excellent chance to recover the ball.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED 😳
— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2026
GBvsCHI on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Rdmni2pnHw
Somehow, Chicago defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. couldn't come up with it, and the ball squirmed out of bounds. The Bears' faithful at Soldier field couldn't believe it, and neither could Dexter.
Chicago would force a punt a few plays later, so not all was lost, but it was the latest example of a play that didn't go the Bears' way as they tried to mount a second-half comeback.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated

Mike McDaniel is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where he has worked since January 2022. His work has been featured at InsideTheACC.com, SB Nation, FanSided and more. McDaniel hosts the Hokie Hangover Podcast, covering Virginia Tech athletics, as well as Basketball Conference: The ACC Football Podcast. Outside of work, he is a husband and father, and an avid golfer.
Follow mikemcdanielsi