The Green Bay Packers’ roller-coaster season will continue for another week, despite a 38-31 loss Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the snow at Lambeau Field.
The loss would have ended the postseason hopes for the Packers (7-7-1), but the Chicago Bears (8-7) were embarrassed 54-11 by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Detroit (7-8) dropped out of playoff contention with a 23-20 overtime loss at home to the New York Giants.
The Packers and Bears will play Sunday in Chicago with the NFC North title, and the playoff berth that comes with it, on the line. That game has been moved to a 3:25 p.m. start.
The Packers’ fate was nearly sealed as they raced the clock on the final drive Sunday, trailing 38-31.
The Packers entered the fourth quarter down by 10, 31-21, until a Mason Crosby 22-yard field goal cut the deficit to seven.
After forcing a three-and-out on Pittsburgh’s next possession, the Packers drove 58 yards and tied the game 31-31 on a 1-yard John Kuhn run. The Packers’ defense then forced another punt, setting up the offense on their own 8-yard line with 3 minutes to go.
Facing third-and-eight, quarterback Matt Flynn, playing for Aaron Rodgers (collarbone), scrambled to his left and lunged toward a first down, but fumbled when he was hit.
“He thought he would be able to split them and get the first down,” McCarthy said. “He’s a good athlete and a good runner. He’s competing. I have no problem with what he attempted there.”
The Steelers scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard Le’Veon Bell dive with 1:28 remaining, but Micah Hyde returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards to the Pittsburgh 31-yard line.
Two Flynn completions moved the Packers to first-and-goal. James Starks ran the ball to the 1-yard line with 43 seconds left. With the clock still running, the Packers were called for a false start on second down. After the 5-yard penalty and mandatory 10-second runoff, the Packers faced second-and-6 with 10 seconds left.
Flynn missed a throw to Jarrett Boykin in the end zone as time ran out.
Asked about coach Mike McCarthy’s decision to run the ball in the closing seconds, receiver Jordy Nelson said, “The way we were running the ball, we came up a yard short. If that gets pushed forward a little bit more it’s a touchdown and everyone thinks it’s a great call.”
Flynn, who completed 21 of 39 passes for 232 yards with one touchdown and an interception that was returned for a touchdown, got the scoring going in the first quarter by hitting Boykin on a 5-yard toss. Boykin finished with 54 yards on five catches.
James Jones had nine catches for 84 yards.
Rookie running back Eddie Lacy rushed for 84 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns, before leaving the game with an ankle injury. Starks added 47 yards on 10 carries.
In the third quarter, Lacy eclipsed John Brockington’s Packers rookie rushing record of 1,105 yards on a 3-yard carry.
Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went 16 of 28 for 167 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for a touchdown in the third quarter. Antonio Brown was Roethlisberger’s favorite target, with six catches and 105 yards.
Bell, also a rookie, rushed for 124 yards on 26 carries.
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