CHICAGO — Aaron Rodgers doesn't have to lay waste to a
He sure had a good time seeing what his guys on the other side of the ball did Thursday night to the archrival Bears.
"Yeah, it was fun to watch," Rodgers said after Green Bay opened the NFL's 100th season with a 10-3 victory over Chicago. "It's been a long time since I've seen a performance like that. Obviously, a lot of credit to Mike Pettine and his staff, but to those players, just incredible.
"We didn't do them a whole lot of
It was a defensive battle also marked by sloppy
That aggressive Green Bay
Chicago's
"It feels real good," Amos said. "It feels great to come back to win and how we did as a
Mason Crosby made a 39-yard field goal in the final period for Green Bay, while defending NFC North champion Chicago got a 38-yarder from Eddy Pineiro.
The NFL opted to go for a history-tinged opener rather than having the Super Bowl champions host the first game. New England will be at home to Pittsburgh on Sunday night, and it's unlikely that game will be so dominated by D.
Or by mistakes.
Each team had 10 penalties, there was a total of 467 yards of only
Still, take nothing away from either
"Three points is ridiculous," coach Matt Nagy said. "Any Chicago Bears fan ... should be upset."
Rodgers was 18 for 30 for 203 yards, hardly vintage A-Rod, and certainly unlike his performance in leading the Packers back from a 20-point hole in the second half of the 2018 opener against the Bears.
Of course, he had all that support Thursday night from the likes of newcomers Preston Smith (1 1/2 sacks), and Za'Darius Smith (a sack), enough to give Green Bay the boost it needed.
The opening series couldn't have been uglier for Green Bay. A run and a pass netted zero yards, then Rodgers was sacked heavily by Roy Robertson-Harris for a 10-yard loss.
Well, maybe it could. Rodgers was sacked again on the next three-and-out and Chicago took over at the Packers 36 after a punt. Chicago had forced 17 yards in losses on those series, and the Packers had minus-12 yards through one period.
Rodgers erased such ineffectiveness quickly at the start of the second quarter, launching a 47-yard completion to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Two more completions got the Pack to the 8, and Graham did what most former basketball players turned tight ends should, winning a jump ball in the end zone.
By halftime, Green Bay had outgained Chicago 119 yards to 98.
GETTING THEIR KICKS
Bears fans rejoiced in relief on the first score of the season: Pineiro's 38-yard first-quarter field goal. The last such kick on Soldier Field was Cody Parkey's double-doink off the goalpost and crossbar that sent Chicago home from the wild-card round. Pineiro, a second-year player from Florida, was an immediate hero in the Windy City.
PASS INTERFERENCE REVIEW
LaFleur made an ill-advised challenge, claiming offensive pass interference on a catch by Chicago's Taylor Gabriel. He lost in the first such challenge in NFL history after interference calls were added to replay reviews this season.
THIRD-DOWN FAILURES
Chicago was a pitiful 3 for 15 on third downs and 0 for 2 on fourth downs. Green Bay was even worse trying to convert, going 2 for 12 on third downs.
"I am not in panic mode," Nagy said.
"It's just we were uncharacteristic tonight of who we are as an
UP NEXT:
Packers: Host Minnesota on Sept. 15.
Bears: At Denver on Sept. 15.
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Barry Wilner, The Associated Press