CHICAGO – Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers were rolling along with a big lead, looking as if they would take another step toward a playoff spot and the top of the NFC North.
Once it disappeared, they still found a way to pull out the victory.
Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson with a 60-yard pass to set up Mason Crosby's 32-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the Packers to a 30-27 victory over the Bears on Sunday in one of the coldest games ever played in Chicago.
Wide receiver-turned-running back Ty Montgomery ran for a career-high 162 yards and two touchdowns. Micah Hyde broke up a potential go-ahead touchdown pass, and the Packers (8-6) took their fourth consecutive victory despite blowing a 27-10 lead in the fourth quarter.
They also moved ahead of the Vikings for sole possession of second place in the NFC North and pulled within a game of division leader Detroit, with the Vikings getting pounded by Indianapolis and the Lions losing to the New York Giants.
"I think we have a lot of grit as a team," Rodgers said. "We stick together in adverse situations. There wasn't any finger pointing after 27-10 turned into 27-27 for either side. We just knew we had to go out and make something happen. It's fun to be standing here at 8-6. We all know what 4-6 felt like. It was tough."
For the Bears (3-11), it was more of the same.
They had tied it on a field goal by Connor Barth with 1:19 left. The Packers took over at their 27, and on third-and-11 at the 26, Rodgers unleashed a deep pass down the middle of the field to Nelson, who got behind Cre'Von LeBlanc.
