The Green Bay Packers scored a pair of touchdowns to open the second half and then held on for a 21-15 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Lambeau Field, improving the Packers’ record to 11-3 and pushing the Bears to the brink of elimination from playoff contention.

It was over when …

… the Bears’ last gasp effort from the 34-yard line ended up just short of the end zone with no time remaining.

Game balls

RB Aaron Jones: He scored touchdowns on each of the Packers’ first two drives to start the third quarter, extending Green Bay’s lead to 21-3. He finished with just 51 rushing yards, but his two scores gave him 17 for the season.
DL Kenny Clark: He set the tone early when he sliced into the backfield and stopped Tarik Cohen for a 3-yard loss. He added two sacks, giving him 3.5 over the last two games.
PR Tyler Ervin: His two kick returns netted 71 yards, including a season-long return of 45 yards, and his only punt return gained 12 yards, making him 5-for-5 gaining 10 or more yards on punt returns over the last two games.

Key Stat

6: The Packers forced three turnovers and stopped the Bears on three different fourth downs.

Quick takes

– The Packers have winning ugly mastered. Who knows if it will translate into playoff wins, but they’ve all but guaranteed a playoff spot with an 11th win in 14 games.

– The variance of the Packers’ offense is nothing short of maddening. They can produce spurts of high-level play, but for every impressive touchdown drive, there are two or three possessions that fall well below the standard set in Green Bay. Oftentimes, the good and the bad possessions are clumped together. Such was the case again Sunday.

– The Packers offense delivered another fast start and then hibernated for the second quarter. They came out of half time, scored on back-to-back possessions and then limped to the finish line.

– Aaron Rodgers played another disappointing game. He made two or three big throws to spark scoring drives, but he struggled for long stretches again. His 33 attempts netted 192 yards.

– Davante Adams caught seven passes for 103 yards and a score. His touchdown on 4th-and-4 gave the Packers an early 7-0 lead, and his 34-yard catch-and-run sparked a scoring drive to start the second half. He also dropped at least three passes.

– Mitchell Trubisky threw at least a half-dozen interceptable passes. The Packers finished with two picks and six pass breakups.

– Jake Kumerow made former Packer Ha Ha Clinton-Dix miss in the open field on his 49-yard catch in the third quarter.

– Kenny Clark keeps coming on. He was dominant early and disruptive throughout. The Packers defense is a different animal when he’s healthy.

– Aaron Jones finished with only 51 rushing yards, but they were hard-earned yards. Both of his scores were impressive. On the first, he ran through the tackle attempt of Kyle Fuller and beat Eddie Jackson to the pylon. Later, he ran right through the Bears defensive back at the goal line for the 2-yard score. Jones is such a special player.

– The Packers can win the division by winning just one of the final two games. They can clinch at least the No. 2 seed and a first-round by winning both.

– One final thing: Don’t discount the value in the Packers winning all these close games late. There’s something to being in that late-game scenario and knowing what it takes to win and how not to lose. Maybe that factors in once the calendar flips to January.

– Up next: The Packers head west for the short road trip to Minneapolis, where they’ll play the Vikings on Monday Night Football in Week 16.