Showing Off in Primetime: Packers Handle the Bears 27-10

September 19, 2022

There's something about a primetime game at Lambeau Field that always draws football fans of any team to watch. It may be the strong following that the Green Bay Packers have or the opportunity to watch Aaron Rodgers put up another memorable performance under the lights.

After a poor Week 1 showing for the second season in a row, the tempo looked more upbeat for the Packers in a 27-10 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football. It was the first primetime matchup for the Packers this season, and it was the first reps of the season for WR Allen Lazard and OL Elgton Jenkins. Both players missed the opening game of the season last week, and it was a welcome sight to see those two guys on the gridiron.

With those two back on the field, the offense looked to be much more on the same page compared to the one that was on the field in Minnesota. The biggest key was the run game being an effective tool in setting up the passing game. Head coach Matt LaFleur felt that Aaron Jones wasn't a factor in the game plan last week, only running the ball 8 times. That lapse in judgment would not be repeated, as Jones almost doubled his touches with 15 carries for 132 yards and scored the first TD for the Packers early into the second quarter.

AJ Dillon also contributed to the ground attack with 61 yards on 18 carries, bringing his total to 106 yards through the first two games of the season.

Rodgers, the self-proclaimed owner of the Bears, once again showed his best against the Packers' oldest rival: 19 of 25 completions for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns passes with no interceptions. Although the Green Bay offense didn't reach the end zone in the second half, Rodgers would still close things out with a few big throws late in the game.

It may still be a work in progress, but the receiving game looked better. Sammy Watkins had a solid night with 3 catches for 93 yards, while Aaron Jones and Allen Lazard combined for 75 yards and each caught a TD pass from Rodgers. However, Lazard’s biggest contribution of the night was several blocks made on a few ground plays.

Lafleur would even praise Lazard's block on a 2nd and 12 run by Dillon late in the first half that allowed the Quadfather to gain another first down in a drive where Green Bay scored a touchdown to go up 24-7. The block there by Lazard was the most pivotal play of the game according to the 4th year head coach.

As for the rookie WRs Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, they saw just a combined 5 targets but drew praise from their QB as they limited their drops in a widely spread out receiving group.

On the other side of the line, the Packers’ defense was putting in the work in primetime. They limited Bears QB Justin Fields in the pocket, as he went 7 of 11 for 70 yards and threw an interception to Jaire Alexander late in the 4th quarter that closed out the game. From the edges, Preston Smith had 2 sacks and Rashan Gary had one of his own, complimented by Darnell Savage covering the zones with 6 tackles on the night.

The biggest highlight for the defense was a goal-line stand with 8:13 left in the 4th quarter, with the score 24-10 in Green Bay’s control. Fields’s QB draw out of the shotgun on 4th and goal did not break into the end zone, and upheld a two-score lead for Green Bay. It was the result of a 13-play, 89 yard drive for the Bears that took up 6:46 off the clock and they got no points out of it.

However, on the previous play, Fields from the 6-yard line scrambled on the rollout to the pylon and the officials ruled it as a touchdown, but replays showed his knee was down at the one before the ball broke the plane. Had the Bears found the end zone, it would have been a completely new ballgame and Green Bay's focus would be to orchestrate a scoring drive that took off as much time off the clock.

For the Packers defense to rebound against another division rival, it provides a much needed confidence boost especially going into a tougher matchup against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road next week. The game against Minnesota showed that they needed to get the rust off and the Bears ran a more basic offense, but the Green Bay defense didn't let that catch them with stone feet. Depending on Tampa's outlook for who will be able to play, this next matchup will be the first true defensive test of the season.

The offense is moving at a different pace, but we're seeing more of how they're adjusting to a life without Davante Adams. There isn't a huge name receiver on the team that is the primary target, but with two young receivers and a few veteran wideouts there is an interesting mix for who's catching the football week to week. Through the first two games last season, the Packers receiving corp had 301 yards combined while this season they had 299 yards after the first 2 games- of course, the biggest difference being without Adams.

As mentioned last week, this season could tell a similar tale to how the first half of the 2021 season went, and this recent chapter in the Bears-Packers rivalry adds to it. Nothing like an opportunity for Green Bay to show football fans what to watch for this season in primetime.