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Packers Retain Possession After Tackle-Eligible Fumble as Bears Botch Recovery

By rule, the ball returned to Green Bay at the fumble spot when Gervon Dexter Sr. knocked it out of bounds.

Overview

  • Late in the third quarter with Green Bay leading 21-6, Jordan Love hit reserve tackle Darian Kinnard on a short pass after he reported eligible.
  • Kinnard, starting for injured right tackle Zach Tom, gained six yards before he was stripped, sending the ball loose upfield.
  • The ball was inadvertently kicked forward by Kinnard, creating a clear recovery chance for Chicago near the Packers’ 30-yard line.
  • Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. dove for the ball and pushed it out of bounds, resulting in Packers possession at the original fumble spot under NFL rules.
  • Kinnard was credited with a six-yard reception, and the sequence was widely cited as a squandered momentum opportunity for Chicago.