Packers Fend Off Bears at Lambeau Field

 By Eric Goska

Mooove over Bears, the Packers are in first place!
(photos by Eric Goska)

Packers fans, you can exhale now.

But don’t get complacent. That rampaging Bear your team just encountered isn’t going into hibernation anytime soon.

Pushed to the limit by its longtime rival, Green Bay withstood every blow to register a 28-21 win over Chicago Sunday at Lambeau Field. The victory moved the Packers (9-3-1) into first place in the NFC North Division ahead of the Bears (9-4).

For you doubters out there, know this: the Monsters of the Midway are for real. Only an interception in the red zone with 22 seconds left ended the threat they presented, a looming menace that seemed to gain strength with every offensive snap.

Restricted to 19 plays in the first half, Chicago launched 40 after the break. Held to 71 yards in the opening two quarters, the Bears amassed 244 in the final 30 minutes.

Having punted four times in the first half, Chicago had no need for Tory Taylor down the stretch except when he held for field goal and extra point attempts. Limited to 13 minutes, 16 seconds of possession before the break, the Bears took control for 20:13 in the second half.

Such an onslaught would test any defense.

“What a second half,” gushed play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt after the Bears tied the score at 21. “It’s – I think this is the first time I can remember all year seeing the Packers’ D just gassed.”

Color analyst Tom Brady echoed that sentiment after Bears running back Kyle Monangai picked up six to reach the Green Bay 17-yard line with less than two minutes remaining.

“They’ve (the Bears) have really worn this team (the Packers) down,” Brady asserted.

Monangai carried twice more for three yards to set up fourth-and-one from the Green Bay 14. From there, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams rolled to his left but underthrew an open Cole Kmet in the end zone.

Keisean Nixon intercepted to end the threat and salt away the game.

If Green Bay’s defense was gassed in the second half, credit and/or blame the Bears. The visitors converted seven of nine third downs. Their four longest gains – passes of 27 (to Luther Burden), 26 (Kmet), 24 (Devin Duvernay) and 18 (Burden) – came after intermission.

The Bears took 5:36 off the clock in foraging for their first touchdown, a 10-play, 64-yard advance capped by Williams’ 1-yard pass to Olamide Zaccheaus. They used up 8:32 on a 17-play, 83-yard excursion that culminated in a 1-yard TD toss to Colston Loveland.

Chicago spent more time on Green Bay’s side of the field in the second half than it did its own. Twenty-eight of its 40 plays (70 percent) originated beyond the 50, good for 150 yards, 10 first downs, two touchdowns and a field goal.

Historically, the Bears rarely stake out such a wide-sweeping territorial claim. Only three times before in the last 75 years of the rivalry have they run 28 or more second-half plays beyond the 50, having last done so in 1983.

Those 28 plays represent a season high for Green Bay’s defense. The Bengals (26 plays), Giants (25) and Commanders (23) also nicked them for more than 20 in the second half.

Fortunately, the Green and Gold does not have to face Cincinnati, New York or Washington again this season. They will, of course, tangle with the Bears again, an animal intent on maximizing its playoff position while exacting revenge.

Territorial Animals
Since 1950, the six regular-season games in which Chicago ran 25 or more second-half plays in Packers territory.

Plays     Date                Yards    FDs    TDs    Result
29           Sept. 6, 1981       137          8          1         GB won, 16-9
29           Oct. 3, 1965         123         9          1          GB won, 23-14
28           Dec. 7, 2025        150        10         2         GB won, 28-21
28           Dec. 18, 1983      136        10         2          GB lost, 21-23
25           Nov. 18, 1951       117          8          2         GB lost, 13-24
25           Nov. 8, 1987        86           7          1          GB lost, 24-26