Sunday night got bumping at Lambeau Field with a wonky game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. Aaron Rodgers and the Green and Gold prevailed, winning 45-30 to move to 10-3 on the season.
Here are five numbers that tell the story of the Packers’ win over the Bears.
75
This game was an absolute shootout, with tons of big plays by both teams. Chicago and Green Bay combined for 75 total points, the second-most in any one game in this storied rivalry. The most ever came in 1955 (85 total points) in a 52-21 Bears win.
Green Bay had touchdowns of 23, 38, and 55 yards that fall in the category of big plays. But they also gave up touchdowns of 46, 54, and 97 yards.
The offense was humming for Green Bay. Even outside of the eye-popping plays that went for touchdowns, they were able to piece together plenty of other scoring drives that sliced and diced up the Chicago defense. Five different Packers who caught a pass had at least one go for over 20 yards.
121
Davante Adams didn’t have a target in the first quarter. But he went on to finish with ten receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns in another jaw-dropping performance.
Sunday night was the third consecutive game that Adams eclipsed 100 yards. He continues to show the rest of the league why many regard him as the best wide receiver in the NFL. The chemistry between Rodgers and Adams was on full display, and Adams put on a route-running clinic in the fourth quarter.
Adams was posting pretty consistent numbers for most of the season, but it seemed a bit off from what the norm had become for the superstar wideout. Not only has he dialed it up in recent weeks, but the rest of the offense has followed along.
For defenses that are game-planning in the future: When in doubt, just double team Davante Adams.
3
Green Bay has feasted on not turning the ball over for years and causing disruption for opposing offenses. They won the turnover battle 3-0 on Sunday night.
It wasn’t the best or the most complete performance from Joe Barry’s group, but, in their defense, Chicago started with tremendous field position time and again due to numerous special teams blunders.
The highlight-reel play came when Rasul Douglas jumped a pass from Justin Fields and took it back for his second pick-six of the season. It was a momentum-shifting play in the first half when the Bears had seemingly grabbed ahold of the momentum.
17-0
This year, the Packers have been slow out of the gate in first quarters. But they’ve been equally as good in third quarters when they are behind the 8-ball.
Whatever halftime adjustments Matt LaFleur made with his team down 27-21, they worked. Chicago scored only three points in the second half, and Green Bay used a 17-0 third-quarter spree to hammer the final nails in the coffin.
With the Bears playing the role of spoiler at this point, there was a super uneasy feeling early on in this game as a bunch of wild plays went Chicago’s way. Green Bay was able to wait out the chaotic mess and deliver one punch after another in the third quarter to change the game’s dynamic completely.
The Packers will have to clean up their tendency for sluggish starts, but it mostly hasn’t come back to bite them in the backside too often this year. Tonight the Packers were able to weather the storm and move to 10-3.
61
One of the more impressive marks in this classic rivalry was Brett Favre‘s 60 career touchdown passes against the Bears. After carving up Chicago’s secondary on Sunday night to the tune of four touchdown passes, Rodgers leap-frogged Favre with 61 career touchdown passes against Chicago.
Rodgers was able to back up his “I own you” taunt at Soldier Field earlier in the season with another scintillating performance on Sunday night. The Packers’ offense was as unstoppable as they have been in any game this season. Rodgers’ aerial attack was the overwhelming reason.
Many notable records stand in the incredible rivalry between these two teams. Rodgers’ name was already etched into the history books. Now he’s eclipsed Favre with 61 touchdown passes against Chicago in his career.
