Green Bay, WI (SportsNetwork.com) – The Chicago Bears had two weeks to get
ready for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, but apparently, it wasn’t nearly
enough time.
Rodgers threw six touchdown passes in the first half to lead Green Bay to a
55-14 rout of its NFC North rival on Sunday.
Rodgers, who tied the franchise record for touchdown passes in a game,
finished with 315 yards on 18-of-27 passing. He also tied the NFL record for
most TD passes in a half, which was set by Oakland’s Daryle Lamonica in 1969.
“Good win for us. We did a lot of good things on offense. We got into a rhythm
early. The key tonight was the offensive line,” said Rodgers. “I’m not
surprised by our performance tonight.”
Jordy Nelson caught six passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns, and Randall
Cobb totaled 72 yards and a score on four catches for the Packers (6-3), who
improved to 4-0 at home this season.
Eddie Lacy caught three passes for 68 yards and a score and also ran the ball
for 50 yards on 14 totes. Andrew Quarless and Brandon Bostick each caught a
touchdown in the win.
Jay Cutler completed 22-of-37 passes for 272 yards with a touchdown and two
interceptions, Brandon Marshall had eight catches for 112 yards and a score
and Chris Williams returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown for Chicago
(3-6), which has been outscored by a 106-37 margin over its last two games.
The Bears, who suffered a 51-23 loss to New England prior to their bye, joined
the 1923 Rochester Jeffersons as the only two teams in NFL history to allow
50 or more points in consecutive games.
“We’re not a very good football team right now,” Bears head coach Marc
Trestman said. “The level of play is not anywhere near where it needs to be
and it starts with me.”
After Chicago punted on its initial drive, Green Bay marched 71 yards down the
field in 12 plays. Rodgers delivered a 21-yard strike over the middle to Cobb
and Nelson hauled in a 14-yard pass to place the Packers deep in Bears
territory.
Lacy was stopped a yard short on third down, but Green Bay went for it on
fourth down, as Rodgers hit Bostick across the middle of the end zone for a
7-0 lead with 6:13 left in the opening stanza.
Cutler was picked off on the second play of the Bears’ ensuing trek as Michael
Hyde jumped in front of Martellus Bennett to give the Packers the ball at
Chicago’s 23. Four plays later, Rodgers rolled out to his right and found
Quarless in the end zone for a 4-yard score.
Green Bay needed just three plays to extend its lead to 21-0. After a Rodgers’
incompletion and Lacy’s 1-yard loss, Nelson caught a dart down the right
sideline and cut toward the middle of the field for a 73-yard score 12
seconds into the second quarter.
Chicago went three-and-out and the Packers quickly struck again. James Starks
ran four yards to midfield and Nelson caught a 10-yard pass before scoring on
a 40-yard bomb two plays later for a 28-0 lead.
The Bears worked the ball down to Green Bay’s 4, but turned the ball over on
downs as Cutler’s pass was nearly intercepted. Cobb caught a 29-yard pass and
Lacy ran 16 yards into Bears territory. Rodgers dropped a short pass off to
Lacy, who darted down the sideline for a 56-yard touchdown with under five
minutes to play in the first half.
The teams traded turnovers with under two minutes to play in the half as Cobb
fumbled a catch at the Bears’ 3 and a Julius Peppers sack stripped Cutler of
the ball.
Rodgers threw his sixth TD pass of the first half as Cobb made a one-handed
grab on an over-the-shoulder pass for a 42-0 lead with 14 seconds left before
halftime.
After Mason Crosby kicked a 20-yard field goal early in the third, Marshall
willed his way into the end zone, extending the ball over the goal line for a
45-yard score midway through the stanza for a 45-7 score.
Crosby tacked on a 52-yard field goal with 5:27 to play in the third.
Cutler’s pass intended for Forte went off the helmet of guard Kyle Long and
was picked off by Casey Hayward, who returned it 82 yards for a 55-7 score
with 10:41 to play in the game.
Williams returned the ensuing kickoff 101 yards for the Bears to account for
the final score.
Game Notes
Rodgers set an all-time NFL record with his 16th career TD pass of 70-plus
yards, passing Brett Favre and Peyton Manning … Nelson passed Billy Howton
into eighth place in Packers’ history with 43 TD catches … The Bears faced
their biggest halftime deficit … Rodgers’ three TD passes of 40-plus yards
was the most in franchise history since Cecil Isbell did so in 1942 … Cobb
caught a touchdown pass for his sixth straight game … Hyde registered his
first career interception … Bears running back Matt Forte, who finished with
54 yards on 17 carries, played in his 100th NFL game … Marshall left the
game with an ankle injury … Green Bay has won 11 of its last 13 games
against Chicago.
