Packers shake off rough start, cruise past Bears at Soldier Field
The Green Bay Packers fell behind in the first quarter for the fifth time in six games on Sunday in Chicago, but Matt LaFleur’s team responded to another rough start and raced past the Bears over the final three quarters to get to 5-1.
The Packers outscored the Bears 17-0 in the second and third quarters and then responded to Chicago’s fourth-quarter touchdown with one of their own to complete a 24-14 win at Soldier Field.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third, running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon combined for 169 yards and a beat-up Packers defense allowed only 277 total yards.
The Packers have won five straight games since starting 0-1, and LaFleur’s team is now 2-0 in the division with a two-game lead in the NFC North after six weeks.
It was all Bears early on. The Chicago defense sacked Rodgers to end the opening possession, and rookie Justin Fields led the Bears down the field in eight plays to go up 7-0 in the first quarter.
But the game swung heavily in Green Bay’s direction in the second quarter, in part due to a Darnell Savage interception in the end zone. Fields thought he had a free play when Kenny Clark appeared to jump into the neutral zone, but officials didn’t throw a flag and the rookie’s errant deep throw was caught by Savage for the takeaway.
The Packers scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive and never looked back.
The Bears did get a touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to close the deficit to 17-14, but Rodgers hit Davante Adams for a 41-yard completion and then ran in a touchdown – with a belt celebration following the score – to extend the lead to 24-14.
Green Bay’s defense didn’t have starting cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Kevin King and was without starting edge rushers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith and safety Darnell Savage for much of the second half. Even against an undermanned Packers defense, the Bears were only able to manage scoring drives and 4.9 yards per play.
The Packers, wearing their traditional home green uniforms, won an 11th game in 12 tries at Soldier Field.
In addition to Smith (oblique) and Savage (concussion), another injury to monitor is rookie center Josh Myers, who left with a knee injury in the first quarter and was eventually ruled out.
The Packers return home to play the Washington Football Team on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
