GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers were on the field for 2,982 plays combined on offense, defense and special teams in 18 games, including the playoffs, during the 2015 season. Most of those will be forgotten, but some will be remembered for years to come.
As we review the season that ended with an overtime playoff loss for the second year in a row, we look back on 10 plays (in reverse order) that most shaped the season.
Here's No. 7:
Game: Packers vs. Bears, Week 12
Date: Nov. 26, 2015
Location: Lambeau Field
The play(s): Four plays from the Bears’ 8-yard line in the final minute.
Why it mattered: In perhaps the ultimate sign of what the Packers’ offense had become in 2015, Aaron Rodgers missed on four straight throws from the Bears’ 8-yard line with a chance to win the game. On first and second down, Rodgers couldn’t find anyone open and threw the ball away. The best chance came on third down, when James Jones ran an in-and-out route and failed to make the catch.
“I dropped it. Period,” said Jones, who did not have a catch in the game. “It sucks, man. You let your team down. We had an opportunity to win the game, and I dropped the ball.”
On fourth down, Rodgers appeared to be throwing to Randall Cobb, who was running across the back of the end zone. But Davante Adams jumped up for it and let it slip through his hands with 22 seconds left, and the Packers lost 17-13 to fall to 7-4 on the night Brett Favre’s retired No. 4 was unveiled on the stadium façade.
Quotable: “We had a couple good calls,” Rodgers said. “The first two plays, they covered them pretty well. Third down and fourth down were scramble opportunities. Frustrating. I like the calls there; all four of them. We probably could have ran it there on one of them, but I like the calls.”
Previous plays
No. 10: Cornerback Damarious Randall's pass breakup against the Chargers.
No. 9: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers misses receiver Randall Cobb against the Panthers.
No. 8: Kicker Mason Crosby's missed field goal as time expired against the Lions.