In the aftermath, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he isn’t pleased with the team’s recent struggles on offense. Running back James Starks gained 18 yards on a screen and ran for seven more to get the ball to the Green Bay 49 at the two-minute warning.
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On a night when the storied franchise honored former quarterback Brett Favre, problems in the passing game hurt the Packers again.
Tracy Porter, who intercepted Rodgers in the fourth quarter, is recreating a name for himself since his Super Bowl XLIV performance with the New Orleans Saints.
Lacy’s second-quarter fumble perhaps caused McCarthy and Clements some concern.
ABOUT THE PACKERS (7-3): Rodgers and Green Bay have dealt with their own injuries to the skill positions, and at least Rodgers (shoulder) was removed from the injury report this week after throwing a pair of touchdown passes on Sunday to help clip the losing streak.
Adams dropped another pass in the open on third-and-long in the first quarter that could have led to a big gain.
“I’m obviously going to have to make sure my preparation is as high as it’s ever been because we need to get on the same page, the passing game”, Rodgers said. Lamarr Houston’s earlier sack had sent Rodgers to the sideline favoring his left arm, his return in doubt and with no feeling in several of his fingers after the game.
Rodgers, who was 22-of-43 for 202 yards and a touchdown, couldn’t connect with Davante Adams in the end zone on 4th-and-8 from the Bears 8-yard line.
Cutler finished 19 of 31.
Just a little more than a year ago, the Bears skulked back from Wisconsin after a 55-14 blowout that convinced ownership something drastic needed to be done. Following the game, it was the rejuvenation of Jay Cutler under offensive coordinator Adam Gase that was credited.
Arguably the biggest thrill of the game arrived at halftime, when the Packers welcomed Favre and Starr onto the field to commemorate their successful Packers’ careers. “It was fun to watch”, Fox said.
Be that as it may, the Packers have had chances in the final moments to tie or win each of the last three games they’ve lost, but they haven’t executed at the most critical times.
The Lions (4-7) have won three straight this season and three in a row in their annual Thanksgiving game.
The play knocked the Packers out of field-goal range, and Chicago took advantage with a long scoring drive that resulted in kicker Robbie Gould’s 21-yard field goal for a 17-13 lead with 12:15 remaining.
It put ball security at a premium. “I don’t even remember the last time that we left this stadium, honestly”, Cutler said. “We had opportunities to catch the football, protect the football….”
Let’s take a closer look at some of the key players and stats from this one so that we can figure out why things played out the way they did.
All eyes were on the running back split in Matt Forte’s return from a knee injury, and he played 37 of the 67 snaps (55 percent) compared to Jeremy Langford’s 30 snaps (45 percent).
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The Bears responded with their loudest statement in years in the NFL’s oldest rivalry, a 17-13 victory that suddenly made them the most optimistic five-win team in the league.
