Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) – Aaron Rodgers threw for 302 yards with four
touchdowns to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 38-17 rout of the Chicago Bears
on Sunday.
Randall Cobb had 113 yards on seven receptions with two touchdowns and Jordy
Nelson hauled in 10 passes for 108 yards and two scores.
“It’s different every week,” Nelson said. “There is nothing guaranteed each
week. It’s the difference between executing one week and not the week before.
We know what we can do. We have to go out and execute.”
Eddie Lacy finished with 48 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown for
the Packers (2-2), who avoided their first 0-3 start on the road since
dropping their first four in 2005.
Jay Cutler passed for 256 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for
Chicago (2-2), which has lost eight of its last nine meetings with Green Bay.
Martellus Bennett had a monster game in defeat, catching nine passes for 134
yards. Matt Forte ran for a season-high 122 yards on 23 carries, while Brandon
Marshall and Alshon Jeffery each caught touchdown passes.
For just the second time in NFL history, neither team punted during the game.
The first half was a high-scoring affair from both offenses, however Green Bay
took over and held the Bears scoreless in the second.
Chicago was meticulous on its opening possession, driving 80 yards for a
touchdown in 8 1/2 minutes. On the 15th play of the march, Cutler hit Marshall
for a 6-yard touchdown.
Green Bay was much more swift on its opening touch, needing only six plays to
reach the end zone and tie the game. Richard Rodgers made catches of 9 and 43
yards to move the ball to the Bears 29. Lacy capped the series with a 2-yard
run.
Chicago’s next set of downs, a 13-play, 75-yard drive, resulted in Robbie
Gould’s 23-yard field goal.
“We had a few opportunities to put some points on the board,” Forte said. “One
time we got three instead of seven. In games like this, three points is good,
scoring is good, but we could have easily got a touchdown.”
Nelson hauled in passes of 23 and 15 yards on the Packers’ next possession
before the Bears committed a unfortunate penalty a few plays later. On 3rd-
and-2 from the Chicago 30, Lance Briggs made a nice stop of Lacy for no gain.
D.J. Williams was flagged for unnecessary roughness, however, and Green Bay’s
offense remained on the field. Three plays later, Rodgers hooked up with
Nelson for a 3-yard score to give the visitors a 14-10 lead.
The Bears continued to move the ball, as Cutler capped a 10-play, 80-yard
jaunt with an 8-yard TD toss to Jeffrey and the see-saw battle continued.
Green Bay quickly moved back into Chicago territory late in the second and
Rodgers zipped a 22-yard touchdown pass to Cobb on the far sideline to give
the Packers a 21-17 lead.
The Bears were then inches from scoring as time expired in the first half.
Cutler hit Bennett for 27 yards to the Green Bay 9 with 14 seconds to play.
After an incompletion to Marshall, Cutler again found Bennett. The tight end
made the catch at the 1, stretched the ball out to score, but was immediately
hit by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and kept out of the end zone. Time expired in the
half, however, officials reviewed the play. The goal line camera showed the
ball was blocked by Micah Hyde and the play was upheld.
Mason Crosby drilled a 53-yard field goal on the Packers’ first possession of
the second half. Cutler was then picked off by Clay Matthews deep in Green Bay
territory. Matthews returned it 40 yards to the Bears 35 and Rodgers found
Nelson for an 11-yard TD less than two minutes later to make it a 31-17 game.
Sam Shields intercepted Cutler on Chicago’s next touch and another defensive
penalty proved to be costly for the Bears. The Packers drove inside the Bears
10 after the turnover and Crosby came on to hit a 23-yard field goal, but a
defensive holding on the play prolonged the drive. Cobb made it worthwhile,
catching a 3-yard TD to give the visitors their 21-point cushion early in the
fourth.
Game Notes
A game between the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers on September 13, 1992
also was without a punt … This was the 189th all-time meeting between the
two teams. Chicago leads the all-time series 93-90-6 … Green Bay has won 17-
of-21 in Chicago … The Packers were held under 80 yards rushing for the
fourth straight game. They reached triple digits in all but four games last
year … Chicago Bears defensive end Jared Allen was inactive due to an
illness. Allen, who did not practice all week, had his streak of 113
consecutive starts halted and is sidelined for the first time since 2007.
