The Green Bay Packers overcame a terrible performance to put away the Chicago Bears by a score of 30-20, to win their first NFC North division title. It was probably hard for the Packers to celebrate because of how poorly they played. The only bright spot was rookie Tony Fisher. Fisher, who replaced an injured Ahman Green in the second half, rushed 17 times for 91 yards and a touchdown. The Packers needed to establish the running game in the second half, and Fisher performed like a veteran.
After stopping the Bears on their first drive, the Packers offense gave the ball right back. Facing a third and 8 Favre dropped to pass, and after not finding a receiver was crushed by Rosevelt Colvin. The bone-crushing hit jarred the ball from Favre and was recovered by the Bears on the Packers 18-yard line.
The Packers defense stopped the Bears in three plays forcing the Bears to settle for a 30-yard field goal. But the Bears, a team with a record of 3-9, had nothing to lose. Holder Brad Maynard flipped a shovel pass to tight end Dustin Lyman, who saw a huge hole and went in from 12 yards out to make it 7-0. The Packers should have seen that coming. Can the special teams get any worse for the Packers?
The Packers offense continued to sputter, as the Bears forced them to punt on their next drive. But the defense stepped up again to shut down the Bears offense. Again the special teams almost cost the Packers big, as Darrien Gordon was blasted right as he caught the ball, forcing a fumble, but the Packers Keith McKenzie recovered at the Bears 49-yard line.
On a third and 7 from the 46, Favre hit Donald Driver on a 15-yard slant, but the shifty receiver broke a tackle and scooted down to the 4-yard line. The offense could not punch it in and settled for a field goal to make it 7-3.
After the defense forced the Bears to punt again, the Packers had another steady drive. But the Packers were just not clicking on offense, and they failed to complete a fourth down pass from the Bears 28-yard line.
The Bears offense finally got it going and drove 72 yards, finishing with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Jim Miller to Dustin Lyman to make it 14-3.
The Bears were able to drive down the field with a steady diet of underneath routes. Bears receivers Marty Booker and Dez White were able to catch short passes in front of the Packers linebackers and use their speed to create big plays.
The Packers tacked on a field goal to make it 14-6 at the half, but it could have been much worse when the craziest play happened right before the half. With the Packers recovering a Bears fumble at the 50-yard line, the Packers coaching staff mismanaged the clock forcing Favre to throw one up for grabs. The Bears intercepted the pass and fumbled on the return at about their own 45-yard line. Mike Flanagan scooped it up and tried to pitch it to Favre but was stolen by the Bears. Just when it looked like the Bears Roosevelt Williams was going to score, Javon Walker came out of nowhere for the touchdown saving tackle as the clock expired. It could have easily have been 21-6 at the half.
On the third play of the second half, Ahman Green busted one off for a gain of 29 yards and the Packers offense was back in business. On a big third and 7 Favre hit Walker for a first down at the 6-yard line. Then Favre ran a bootleg to the right and found Bubba Franks wide open for the touchdown to make it 14-13. Note: Coach Mike Sherman uses a different kind of math than the rest of us and decided not to go for the 2-point conversion.
The Bears followed with a big-time drive, and after an interference penalty gave them the ball at the 1-yard line, Rod Walker recovered a bad snap to give the ball back to the Packers. The Packers were able to put together a beautiful drive that eventually stalled forcing them to settle for a field goal to make it 16-14.
On the Bears next drive the Packers Tyrone Williams came up with a big play, stripping the ball away from Dez White giving the ball right back to the Packers at the Bears 35-yard line. From there it took the Packers only 7 plays before Favre hit William Henderson in the flat for a 1-yard score to make it 23-14.
After the Bear missed a field goal attempt, the Packers went to the rookie Fisher, and he responded with 7 carries in a row for 43 yards. Fisher score from 2 yards out to make it 30-14. The Bears tacked on another touchdown to make the final score 30-20.
The Packers came out of the gate slowly once again, but they do what it takes to win, and Sunday was no different. The Bears are only 3-9, but this is the NFL, and you have to bring it every Sunday no matter who you play.
The Packer will need some help getting healthy for the stretch run, but you have to be happy with they way they have played with all the injuries. The Packers need to run the table and get home-field advantage. The depleted offensive line did a great job on Sunday, but it will not hold up on an artificial surface in the playoffs.
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