One moment. That’s all it took.
Romeo Doubs had been lights out all game-five catches, 84 yards, and a touchdown that turned heads, a 33-yard strike from Malik Willis that showcased both timing and trust. But in football, it’s often not the highlight-reel plays that define a game. It’s the small ones-the ones that happen in the margins, in the chaos, in the final minutes-where everything can flip.
And on Sunday, it flipped on an onside kick.
With the Packers clinging to a late lead, Doubs lined up on the hands team-tasked with securing the ball and, in all likelihood, sealing the win. But Cairo Santos sent a beautifully executed, unpredictable onside kick bouncing low and fast, and Doubs hesitated.
Just for a split second. That was all the Bears needed.
The ball slipped through, Chicago recovered, and the momentum swung hard in their favor.
After the game, Doubs didn’t duck the moment. He owned it.
“S---, I missed it. That’s just this game, bro. I rep this s--- all week and yeah, bro, somebody gotta be responsible and I’m willing to take on 1000 percent of it,” Doubs said.
That’s accountability. And it’s not easy to shoulder that weight, especially when you’ve played as well as Doubs did for the first 59 minutes.
But that’s what leaders do. They step up, even when it hurts.
Former Patriots wideout and three-time Super Bowl champion Julian Edelman broke it down on FOX, comparing the play to fielding a short hop in baseball.
“You see that short hop, you’ve got to charge that thing. You can’t let it get back on you,” Edelman explained.
And he’s right. Doubs waited for the ball to come to him instead of attacking it.
It’s a tough play-Santos put it in the perfect spot-but in that moment, aggression wins. Hesitation loses.
There’s more to unpack here, too. The Packers were thin at tight end coming into the game, and when John FitzPatrick went down, it may have impacted who was available for special teams.
It’s fair to wonder if that affected the personnel choices on the hands team. Could someone like Matthew Golden-who arguably has the best hands on the roster-have been out there instead?
Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia will no doubt be reviewing that decision closely. In games decided by inches and instincts, every choice matters.
The loss stings, no question. It had echoes of the 2014 NFC Championship Game-another late-game collapse that still haunts Packers fans.
But here’s the difference: this one didn’t end their season. Green Bay still has two games left, and the playoffs are well within reach.
In fact, with a little help, they can still take the NFC North.
They might even find themselves right back at Soldier Field in the wild-card round.
So yes, this one will be tough to shake. But it’s also a chance to learn, to grow, and to tighten the screws before the postseason. Because if the Packers are going to make a run, they’ll need to be sharper in the game’s most chaotic moments.
And if they see another onside kick in January, you can bet they’ll be ready.