Here are some instant meals from “Sunday Night Football”:
Why the Packers won
Unable to consistently push the ball downfield due to a lack of elite weapons outside, Green Bay wisely turned to a balanced offense with Jones as the focal point. The dual threat delivered, turning average plays into elusive gains on nearly every drive, topping 170 scrimmage yards. Rodgers played his quieter role nicely, mostly throwing short-area rushes, with Randall Cobb especially stepping up on base downs. Sammy Watkins also showed up, with a deep shot in the fourth quarter that iced the win. The offense did have its slips, inviting the Bears to run with some random snaps/hand-offs, but it always felt like it was in control after the first touchdown drive. Defensively, the Packers didn’t necessarily impress early, and struggled to contain David Montgomery as the game wore on. They also never allowed Justin Fields to settle in as a passer, daring the conservative Bears to let their young QB uncork it. Preston Smith headlined the team, coming off the edge. Jaire Alexander, meanwhile, rushed all the way down the field to pick up Fields in the final minutes and bow out the game.
Because the bears lost
They used up all their juice in the first move. Matt Eberflus’ defense kept enough pressure on Rodgers to give Chicago a chance. Even a 24-7 deficit didn’t seal their doom due to an early forced fumble, as well as three early sacks on A-Rod. But Fields’ unit stalled after a solid start, averaging just 4 yards per pass attempt in the fourth quarter. The Bears’ heavy reliance on the ground game was also bittersweet, as Fields, Khalil Herbert and a fresher-than-ever Montgomery (130+ total yards) broke down significant runs but never produced a supporting aerial attack. Fields, in fact, didn’t reach double-digit pass attempts until the final two minutes, which may or may not be an indictment of the Bears’ confidence in him (or lack thereof). Their decision making also left a lot to be desired, as evidenced by a failed fourth and field goal with the Shotgun QB on a chance to make it a one-score game in the fourth.
Turning point
You can point to any of Rodgers’ precise third-down darts to Cobb, or Jones’ second TD of the night, a sweeping catch that put Green Bay up 10 in the first half. But the Packers’ goal line is on a fourth-down tie on a Shotgun by Fields with eight minutes left and the Bears threatening to make it a one-score game, but they sealed the deal for Green Bay. Fields gave it his all on the play, and the previous one, in which he nearly found a TD by extending the pylon. And the replay may have shown that Fields did, in fact, cross the goal line. Alas, things put the ball — and the game — in the Packers’ hands.
The game of the game
This wasn’t a big-play frenzy a la Dolphins-Ravens, but a special grunt job, which is why Rodgers’ late second-quarter roll to hit Cobb for a first down was so impressive. Not only did it show that Rodgers still has enough in his legs to get up and out of the pocket, but it helped extend Green Bay’s drive before halftime and build a 24-7 lead after the break.
What’s next
The Packers (1-1) will hit the road for a matchup with Tom Brady and the Buccaneers (2-0), who beat the Saints on Sunday and, previously, Green Bay in the 2020 NFC Championship. The Bears (1 -1), meanwhile, will return home to host the Texans (0-1-1), who were swept by the Broncos in Week 2.
