One split second, and the entire game shifts.
Romeo Doubs had been near perfect all game long, catching five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown, including a stunning 33-yard score from Malik Willis. But it's the one moment, Doubs botching the onside kick, that everyone remembers.
Doubs took full responsibility for the Green Bay Packers' defeat, showing true leadership in a challenging moment.
The kick bounced awkwardly, and that moment of hesitancy from Doubs is all it took to spill the football and for the Chicago Bears to recover it. Everything changed in that moment. Speaking on FOX, three-time Super Bowl champion Julian Edelman broke down how it went wrong.
"For all you young hands team players, it's like fielding a ground ball. You see that short hop, you've got to charge that thing. You can't let it get back on you," Edelman said.
Romeo Doubs' split-second delay led to Packers' downfall on onside kick
It's a great point. Doubs appeared to hesitate and let the ball come to him. Cairo Santos deserves a ton of credit for that because he kicked it beautifully, causing the ball to bounce erratically toward Doubs, far from an easy recovery. But that delay allowed the Bears to swarm to the ball.
"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 postgame.
It happens. The entire operation needs to improve, and one has to wonder whether the Packers' lack of tight ends (they entered the game with two, and then John FitzPatrick got hurt) affected the personnel decisions.
We can also question special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. Why not have Matthew Golden out there? He has arguably the best hands on the team.
The good news is that, while the Packers just endured a heartbreaking loss, they still have two more games to play. And they're almost a lock to reach the postseason. More good news? They can still win the NFC North, with some help.
Green Bay could even end up back at Soldier Field in the wild-card round.
The Packers suffered a gut-wrenching defeat with similarities to the 2014 NFC title game. This time, though, it didn't end their season. They must learn their lessons from this loss, especially if they face another onside kick in the playoffs.