Packers rebound from loss with win over Bears

The Green Bay Packers bounced back from a division loss against the Minnesota Vikings with a 170-yard and two touchdown performance from Aaron Jones in a 27-10 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sept. 18 in Green Bay.

With 132 yards rushing and 38 yards receiving, Jones logged the first 100-yard rushing game by a Packer against the Bears since Ty Montgomery did so on Dec. 18, 2016. In week one, Jones was limited to just five rushes and eight touches in total. With the lack of touches in week one, Jones still averaged 9.8 yards per carry. The University of Texas-El Paso alum didn’t quite reach that 9.8 yards per carry this week, but rather recorded 8.8 yards per carry on 10 more rushes.

Jones was not the only running back that was busy, as A.J. Dillon recorded 61 rushing yards on 18 carries and six receiving yards on one reception. With an extra 10 yards rushing from Aaron Rodgers, the Packers totalled 203 yards rushing, 23 more than the Bears, who finished with 180.

While both running backs served well in their own right, Jones’ second touchdown came when both players were on the field together in the mid-second quarter. Motioning from the left side of the field to the right, Jones took a touch pass and with Dillon lead blocking, Jones hit the edge and converted an eight-yard touchdown down the right-side sideline.

The offensive disparity between the teams came from the quarterback position though, as Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers went 19-of-25 for 234 yards and two touchdowns, while Bears quarterback Justin Fields completed just seven passes for 70 yards and one interception. Fields’ biggest impact came through direction of his legs though, as the 23-year old quarterback ran for 20 yards on eight carries, including a touchdown.

Green Bay jumped out to 3-0 lead on a 40-yard field goal, after a 13-play drive that included six combined touches from Jones and Dillon. Getting the running backs involved early was a point of emphasis for the Packers as they prepared for the week after the two backs totaled only 15 rushing attempts against Minnesota.

“Coach came out and said that we are going to get you and A.J. the ball more and get you more involved,” said Jones. “That naturally put a smile on my face and know that I had to show up when my number was called.”

From there, the Bears immediately drove down the field and finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown run from Fields. Bears running back David Montgomery recorded 38 yards on the drive, with rushes of 4, 12, 13 and 9 yards. A majority of the yardage came though as Fields hit former Green Bay wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown for 30 yards on a flea flicker.

The second quarter was all Green Bay, as LaFleur’s gameplan of getting Jones involved came to fruition. Jones scored on the first play of the second quarter, as he took a pitch to the right side of the field and ran in a 15-yard touchdown.

Three punts later, Jones found himself back in the end zone on the touch pass with Dillon lead blocking. The big play on that drive came from rookie wide receiver Romeo Doubs as he took a screen and picked up 20 yards on second-and-28. Veteran Randall Cobb then hauled in a nine-yard reception to pick up the first down to set up Jones’ touchdown.

“You could argue that that might have been the most pivotal moment in the game,” said LaFleur on Doubs’ reception. “Our guys got out and did a great job blocking for him. The guy is electric with the ball in his hands and he is another guy that we have to try and find ways to get him the football.”

A quick three-and-out from the Bears’ offense gave Green Bay the ball back only one minute and 17 seconds later. A 20-yard reception from Cobb and a nine-yard reception from tight end Robert Tonyan set up a five-yard touchdown reception from Allen Lazard in his first game of the season.

Seeing Lazard back on the field was a sound sight for Packers fans, as he was projected to be in the No. 1 receiver heading into the season.

Another player who returned on Sunday was offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins. Jenkins tore his anterior cruciate ligament in November last year in a game against the Vikings.

“If he is not in the lineup, we don’t win that game,” said LaFleur. “It transcends his level of play — what he is able to bring to us. For his first night out, I thought he did a great job.”

This win vaulted Green Bay to 783 wins in the franchise’s history, which sets them one win back from the Bears at 784. Over the 203 games in the series between the two rivals, the Packers hold an 103-94-6 record, averaging 17.7 points per game to Chicago’s 17.1. On top of that, LaFleur is in his fourth season in the NFL and still has not lost back-to-back regular season games.

“It was a hard fought, physical game — we know that every time we play the Chicago Bears,” said LaFleur. “It is a great rivalry. It is a great NFC North opponent. I have a lot of respect for not only their players, but their coaches on that side.”

lreimer@newmedia-wi.com