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Saturday 7 September 2019

Packers’ D, Aaron Rodgers beat Bears 10-3 in opener

By BARRY WILNER period. Rodgers erased
AP Pro Football Writer such ineffectiveness quick-
CHICAGO (AP) — Aaron ly at the start of the second
Rodgers doesn’t have to quarter, launching a 47-
lay waste to a defense to yard completion to Mar-
enjoy Packers football. quez Valdes-Scantling.
He sure had a good time Two more completions got
seeing what his guys on the Pack to the 8, and Gra-
the other side of the ball ham did what most former
did Thursday night to the basketball players turned
archrival Bears. tight ends should, winning
“Yeah, it was fun to watch,” a jump ball in the end zone.
Rodgers said after Green By halftime, Green Bay had
Bay opened the NFL’s 100th outgained Chicago 119
season with a 10-3 victory yards to 98.
over Chicago. GETTING THEIR KICKS
“It’s been a long time since Bears fans rejoiced in relief
I’ve seen a performance on the first score of the sea-
like that. son: Pineiro’s 38-yard first-
Obviously, a lot of credit to quarter field goal.
Mike Pettine and his staff, The last such kick on Soldier
but to those players, just in- Field was Cody Parkey’s
credible. double-doink off the goal-
“We didn’t do them a post and crossbar that sent
whole lot of favors with our Chicago home from the
performance on offense. I wild-card round.
mean every time we need- Pineiro, a second-year
ed something a stop, they player from Florida, was
came up with some really an immediate hero in the
big plays.” Windy City.
It was a defensive battle Green Bay Packers players pose for a picture after an NFL football game against the Chicago PASS INTERFERENCE REVIEW
also marked by sloppy of- Bears Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in Chicago. The Packers won 10-3. LaFleur made an ill-advised
fense and penalties. Associated Press challenge, claiming offen-
A lack of action in the pre- Trubisky, who never found day night, and it’s unlikely ing the Packers back from sive pass interference on a
season clearly damaged his stride, and was sacked that game will be so domi- a 20-point hole in the sec- catch by Chicago’s Taylor
both offenses, and Rodg- on Chicago’s final offen- nated by D. ond half of the 2018 opener Gabriel.
ers at times looked uncom- sive play. Or by mistakes. against the Bears. He lost in the first such chal-
fortable in the attack de- Former Bears safety Adrian Each team had 10 penal- Of course, he had all that lenge in NFL history after in-
signed by new coach Matt Amos picked off an end- ties, there was a total of 467 support Thursday night from terference calls were add-
LaFleur. zone pass into double cov- yards of only offense, and the likes of newcomers Pres- ed to replay reviews this
But he is a two-time league erage with 1:58 remaining, several drops. ton Smith (1 1/2 sacks), and season.
MVP, and he hit Jimmy Gra- the only turnover of the At one point, Chicago had Za’Darius Smith (a sack), THIRD-DOWN FAILURES
ham in the second quarter contest. three straight penalties to enough to give Green Bay Chicago was a pitiful 3 for
for the only touchdown. “It feels real good,” Amos put it in a first-and-40. No, the boost it needed. 15 on third downs and 0 for
That aggressive Green Bay said. “It feels great to come the Bears didn’t convert. The opening series couldn’t 2 on fourth downs. Green
defense would have made back to win and how we Still, take nothing away have been uglier for Green Bay was even worse trying
Vince Lombardi proud in did as a defense.” from either defense. They Bay. to convert, going 2 for 12
the latest edition of the Mason Crosby made a both controlled the line of A run and a pass netted on third downs.
NFL’s longest rivalry, which 39-yard field goal in the fi- scrimmage almost through- zero yards, then Rodgers “I am not in panic mode,”
the Packers lead 98-95-6. nal period for Green Bay, out the night, and Trubisky was sacked heavily by Roy Nagy said.
Green Bay has won 16 of while defending NFC North was particularly bothered Robertson-Harris for a 10- “It’s just we were unchar-
the last 19 regular-season champion Chicago got a by it, going 26 of 45 for 228 yard loss. acteristic tonight of who
meetings, and Rodgers is 38-yarder from Eddy Pin- yards. Well, maybe it could. Rod- we are as an offense,”
17-5. eiro. “Three points is ridiculous,” gers was sacked again on added Trubisky. “We were
Chicago’s defense hardly The NFL opted to go for a coach Matt Nagy said. the next three-and-out and rolling in practice and it just
slacked, getting five sacks history-tinged opener rath- “Any Chicago Bears fan ... Chicago took over at the didn’t translate.”
— tying the most it has had er than having the Super should be upset.” Packers 36 after a punt. UP NEXT:
against Rodgers. Bowl champions host the Rodgers was 18 for 30 for Chicago had forced 17 Packers: Host Minnesota on
But it could do little with first game. 203 yards, hardly vintage yards in losses on those se- Sept. 15.
the ball and the Packers New England will be at A-Rod, and certainly unlike ries, and the Packers had Bears: At Denver on Sept.
had five sacks of Mitchell home to Pittsburgh on Sun- his performance in lead- minus-12 yards through one 15.q