The Green Bay Packers got their first win of the season after blowing out NFC North rivals the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Stadium on Sunday Night. Aaron Jones had two touchdowns and 170 total yards in the 27-10 victory.
The NFL's oldest rivalry
It was the 203rd match up in what has become the oldest rivalry in the league, and it went very much like many of the matchups in the recent years. The Packers dominated as they have done for the last decade or so.
Aaron Rodgers kindly reminded Bears fans that he “owned them” last year after scoring a touchdown at Soldier field. That narrative proved true again on Sunday night in Green Bay.
After laying a dud in Minnesota last week the Packers offense had something to prove in their home debut. All week long Green Bay talked about needing to run the ball better after Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon barley saw the ball last week.
Rodgers heats up after slow start
Rodgers didn’t have the brightest of starts to the game, completing just five of his first 11, but didn’t miss another pass after that going 19/25 on the night. Jones and Dillon marched the Packers down the field in the opening drive of the game, but the Packers had to settle for a field goal in the early stages of the game.
Chicago got the ball after the field goal and Justin Fields orchestrated an impressive first drive which he finished with a three yard touchdown run to give the Bears their first and only lead of the game.
On the first play of the second quarter, Jones would get the hand off out of the shot gun and take it fifteen yards for the first touchdown of the Packers night. That would be the beginning of the end for the Bears, who went three and out of their next four possessions.
Green Bay scored two more touchdowns before the halftime break, one on a pitch pass to Jones for an eight yard touchdown catch and run and at the other one came with under a minute to go in the half when Rodgers hit Allen Lazard on a slant pattern for a five yard touchdown.
Goal line stand ends Bears comeback bid
The only mistake the Packers made came in the third quarter when the exchange between Rodgers and Dillon was fumbled and the Bears took possession. They broke their streak of four straight three and outs on that drive and put their first points on the board since their first drive of the night with a Cairo Santos field goal to make the 24-10.
The Bears would get a stop on the next Green Bay drive, and it seemed for a moment that Chicago was on the verge of making it a tense final quarter in the Frozen Tundra.
Fields and the Bears drove all the way down the field and on 3rd and Goal from the 6 yard line Fields tried to get to the pylon on a QB scramble. He dove for the end zone and the refs arms went up signaling a touchdown, but after review he was ruled a matter of inches short of the goal line. With eight minutes left, and down by two touchdowns the Bears had to go for it on fourth down, but Fields was stuffed on a quarterback sneak from the shot gun. He was stopped at the line of scrimmage and the Bears chances for a late comeback disappeared.
Aaron and Aaron lead the offense
The Packers would add another Mason Crosby field goal to stretch it to a three score lead as Green Bay eased to another win over Chicago. Rodgers proved once again that he still does own the Bears, as he improves his record to 23-5 all time against the Packs’ most hated rival.
The two-time reigning MVP threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns, while Jones did the heavy lifting in the running game. Jones had 132 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while Dillon chipped in another 61. The Packers offense went for a total of 414 yards after being heavily criticized for their opening performance in Minnesota.
Fields ended the night 7/11 for 70 yards as the Bears offense never got going after the first drive of the night.
The Bears will head back home and host Houston next Sunday, while the Packers have a massive match up with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next week.
