The Green Bay Packers won a 45-30 shootout over the Chicago Bears Sunday to improve to 10-3, despite another mediocre showing by the Packers’ defense.
The biggest story of the game was the Packers’ defense, who rank eighth in the league in points allowed this season. The Packers defense allowed 23 points to the Bears, six more points than they allow on average. In addition, the Packers special teams gave up a touchdown. However, it was their second half performance that helped Aaron Rodgers lead the offense to a comeback.
Rodgers completed 29 passes on 37 attempts for 341 yards and four touchdowns. AJ Dillon led the Packers with 71 rushing yards on 15 attempts. Davante Adams led the receivers with 121 yards on ten catches and two touchdowns. Also, both Allen Lazard and Aaron Jones also found the endzone, with the ladder scoring twice.
Although they allowed 23 points, the Packers’ defense forced two turnovers. Chandon Sullivan and Rasul Douglas picked off Justin Fields, while Douglas returned his for a touchdown. In addition, De’Vondre Campbell recorded 16 tackles and Preston Smith recorded two sacks and a forced fumble.
For the Bears, Fields completed 18 passes on 33 attempts for 224 yards and two touchdowns while throwing two interceptions. Fields also led the Bears in rushing with 74 yards. Damiere Byrd caught two passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. Also, Jakeem Grant found the endzone twice for the Bears.
For the Bears defense, both Robert Quinn and Trevis Gipson sacked Rodgers, with the former sacking Rodgers twice.
The Bears took advantage of an unprepared Packers team as they scored 27 points in the first half. The Bears biggest highlight of the game came on a Grant 97-yard punt return touchdown. It was the first punt return touchdown in the NFL this season. The Packers were down by four at halftime.
The Packers defense stepped up after halftime, only allowing three points the rest of the game. Meanwhile, Rodgers and the Packers offense stepped on the gas and scored 24 points in the second half for a final score of 45-30.
Rodgers spoke postgame about his feelings on the historical rivalry.
“It does mean a lot to me,” Rodgers said. “It really does. The majority of stats don’t mean much, but this rivalry does mean a lot to me…”
The last time they played the Bears earlier in the season, Rodgers told Bears fans “I own you,” which he later said he felt caught up in the moment, but he wanted to let them know he wasn’t going anywhere.
Rasul Douglas spoke of Preston Smith’s halftime speech after the game. “P just came in yelling at us.” Douglas said, “He was just like, ‘That’s bull.’ We don’t play like that.”
On a positive note, Mason Crosby had his first perfect week of kicking since Week 8. It was a much-needed confidence boost for Crosby.
The Packers kicking and punting teams were a different story. The Packers allowed Bears kick returner Khalil Herbert to return five kicks for 128 yards, averaging 25.6 yards per return. Grant returned three punts for 131 yards. Disregarding Grant’s touchdown return he averaged 17 yards per punt return.
The Packers special teams need to get better if they want to keep winning games, giving other teams like the Buccaneers or Cardinals great field position is a lot more of a concern than the Bears.
The Packers also have concerns on the return team. Packers punt returner, Amari Rodgers, has been anything but special this season, looking rather lackluster on returns. However, in this game he muffed a punt allowing the Bears to recover the ball within the Packers 20 yard-line. The Packers caught a break when a Bears player committed a penalty that allowed the punt to be called back.
Injury Prone
As always for the Packers, the injury bug struck again. This time, offensive tackle Billy Turner went down early in the game with a knee injury and did not return. Also, young receivers Equanimeous St Brown and Malik Taylor left the game with a concussion and abdomen injuries. All three players are questionable for Week 15.
The Packers also received bad news about Randall Cobb, as his groin injury is more severe than expected. The Packers placed Cobb on the IR leaving him out for at least the next three weeks.
Some positive news for the Packers is that both David Bakhtiari and Jaire Alexander are back at practice, and both are hopeful to play Week 15.
With the Arizona Cardinals falling to the Los Angeles Rams Monday night, the Packers now control their own destiny and sit atop the NFC. One more win can clinch playoffs for the Packers and if they are able to win out, they will capture the number one seed in the NFC.
The next test for the Packers will be their Week 15 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, who may be without quarterback Lamar Jackson, this Sunday.