The Chicago Bears came up short in their biggest game of the year and fell 21-13 to the Green Bay Packers, who clinched the NFC North title Sunday at Soldier Field.
Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes to James Jones as Green Bay improved to 10-4. The Bears fell to 8-6 with two games remaining at Arizona and Detroit.
Jay Cutler completed 10 of 19 passes for 107 yards. He was intercepted once and threw one TD.
Green Bay has beaten the Bears six straight times.
A 34-yard field goal by new Bears kicker Olindo Mare pulled the Bears to within 21-13 with 7:04 left in regulation.
The Bears caught a break with 7:54 left when Randall Cobb received a punt from Adam Podlesh. Cobb threw a backward pass toward Jeremy Ross, who fumbled the lateral and the Bears' Anthony Walters recovered at the Green Bay 16.
An earlier 34-yard kick by Mare had pulled the Bears to within 21-10 with 12 seconds left in the third quarter.
Packers kicker Mason Crosby's second miss of the day bounced off an upright from 42 yards out, keeping the score 21-10 with 10:10 left in the game.
With 2:42 left in the period, Bears cornerback Charles Tillman forced a fumble by Ryan Grant that was recovered by Nick Roach at the Bears' 37. The Packers were charged with back-to-back penalties on pass plays while defending rookie receiver Alshon Jeffery. After illegal contact and then interference on Morgan Burnett, the Bears had the ball on the Packers' 5.
The Bears appeared to score a touchdown on a fourth-down pass to Jeffery, but he was called for offensive pass interference. Mare then kicked his field goal.
Jones caught his third touchdown pass of the game from Rodgers, a six-yard toss to cap a 13-play, 79-yard opening drive of the third quarter to put the Packers up 21-7 with 8:08 left in the period. The score was set up by an interference call on Chris Conte in the end zone against Green Bay tight end Jermichael Finley. Jones beat Charles Tillman on the play.
In a hard-fought first half, the Packers took a 14-7 lead on Rodgers' 8-yard TD pass to Jones with 28 seconds to go before intermission. The score was set up by an interception by Casey Hayward and his 24-yard return. Cutler's pass was intended for Devin Hester but wound up directly in the midsection of Hayward.
Green Bay tied the game 7-7 with 4:19 left before halftime on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Jones, who beat Kelvin Hayden. The scoring drive covered 89 yards.
Brandon Marshall, who expressed his distaste for the Packers during the week, got the Bears on the scoreboard first on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Cutler with 8:03 to play before halftime. It capped a six-play, 67-yard drive and put the Bears up 7-0.
The Packers' Mason Crosby missed a 43-yard field goal attempt wide right with 11:22 left in the second period. The first quarter was dominated by the defenses.
Cutler was 6-of-9 for 58 yards in the first half. Four of his completions went to Marshall, who had 34 yards and a TD. Matt Forte carried 13 times for 58 yards.
It was difficult to forget that the Bears had lost five straight to their NFC North rivals. Entering with an 8-5 record, the Bears also had lost four of their last five after an auspicious 7-1 start.
Injuries could not be an excuse for the Bears, as the Packers had significant losses to injuries, as well.
Inactives for the Bears were Josh McCown, Tim Jennings, Geno Hayes, Henry Melton, Earl Bennett, Shea McClellin and Urlacher.
Green Bay inactives: Charles Woodson, James Starks, Terrell Manning, Donald Driver, D.J. Williams, Jordy Nelson and C.J. Wilson.
Rodgers came in with an 8-2 record against the Bears as a starter, with a passer rating of 96.8.
The Packers entered the game having won 11 straight division games.
fmitchell@tribune.com
Twitter@kicker34
4th quarter: Packers 21, Bears 13
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4th quarter: Packers 21, Bears 13
