Chicago Bears Lead 17-10 At The Half With Aaron Rodgers Out The Rest Of The Game
Nov 4, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Josh McCown (12) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
FIRST QUARTER
The game didn’t start off very good with an Aaron Rodgers scramble with a personal foul on Stephen Paea, and it looked even worse as the Packers marched down the field to the 12 yard line with ease. The Bears defense finally stiffened on the first drive of the game which included a Shea McClellan sack, and the Bears only gave up a 30 yard Mason Crosby field goal.
The Bears offense didn’t go conservative on their first series with Jay Cutler on the sidelines, they came out throwing the ball on their first 6 plays with Josh McCown barely missing Brandon Marshall in the end zone. The miss didn’t matter because two plays later McCown with huge pressure somehow got the ball off to Marshall down the sidelines for a Bears Touchdown and a 7-3 lead.
Aaron Rodgers had to run to the locker room after the McClellan hit and Seneca Wallace came out for the second series. Without Rodgers, the Bears got a full dose of Eddie Lacy and he was a load to bring down. After running down hill for a bunch of yardage, Lacy went to the sidelines for a breather and on the very next play, Wallace dropped back to pass and Julius Peppers got his hands on the ball and deflected to himself for a Bears interception with #90 returning the ball to near midfield.
The Bears after getting great field position did nothing with it going three and out and what made things worse was when Adam Podlesh had his punt blocked, and on the first play from scrimmage James Starks ran it right up the gut for a 10-7 Packers lead. The Bears defense which use to stop the run with ease now can’t tackle anybody.
The Bears offense picked up a first down on a 3rd and 2 to Alshon Jeffery which helped when the drive stalled and the Bears were forced to punt. The field flipped with Podlesh getting his second punt off to the Packers 18 yard line which also ended the first quarter with the Packers leading at home 10-7.
SECOND QUARTER
The Bears defense looked more like the D of old forcing a 3 and out on the first Packers series of the quarter. The Bears took over on their own 40 yard line, and Matt Forte picked up 33 yards on a little dump off pass on the 2nd play of the series. McCown found Martellus Bennett crossing the middle 2 plays later and he took it down to the 1 yard line. Michael Bush was stopped on 1st and goal, but Matt Forte punched it in for the touchdown and a 14-10 Bears lead with 9:28 left in the 2nd quarter.
The news came that Aaron Rodgers would be done for the night with a collarbone injury midway through the second quarter, the Bears changed up their defense and loaded the box to dare Wallace to throw the ball, and after two unsuccessful runs the Bears stopped Jordy Nelson to force another 3 and out and a punt.
The Bears took over at their 18 yard line, and they went 3 and out giving the Packers good field position at their own 40. After a first down the Bears defense stopped Wallace on a 3rd down, but the Packers put the Bears in a tough spot when the punted and downed the ball on the 2 yard line. McCown ran the three-minute offense to perfection from the 2 yard line down to the Bears 6 yard line which set up a chip shot Robbie Gould field goal and a 17-10 halftime lead.
BEAR DOWN!!