With a thrilling 24-17 victory for Matt Nagy and crew, the Chicago Bears clinched a spot in the playoffs. The win also knocked the Green Bay Packers out of contention. It was clear early on, however, that the Bears would not rely on help. They took care of business and won their first division title since 2010. Not only did the Bears clinch the playoffs, but the win also pushed their record at home to 7-1 this season. That matches the previous staff’s entire tenure.
Chicago Bears Clinch First NFC North Title Since 2010
Ground Game Shows
A touchdown run from Jordan Howard – 19 carries for 60 yards — gave the Bears an early lead. It was Howard’s first score since Week Nine. It appears there has been a concerted effort by the coaching staff to get the Howard rolling as the playoffs approach. His style is better suited for the close and end-of-game situations than Tarik Cohen. Green Bay looked to have expected Cohen to be the focal point as he was bottled up much of the day, rushing five times for 21 yards.
Passing Game Clean
He did manage to break loose in the passing game with five catches for 31 yards and a score that came at the end of the first half. Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky was solid if unspectacular, finishing 20-28 with 235 yards and two touchdowns, but no picks. He still missed a couple easy throws on out routes and fumbled but the Bears maintained possession. He was also dropping passes into receivers down the field. The ball was spread around with eight different players catching a pass. Allen Robinson led with 54 yards on three grabs while Cohen led in receptions and Trey Burton caught Mitch’s other touchdown.
Pass Rush Active
The defense was in Aaron Rodgers’ face early and often. The Pack signal caller finished 25 of 42 for 274 yards, no scores, and a backbreaking interception. A wizard at extending plays, the hits took their toll; the Packers quarterback grimaced while getting up slowly on several occasions. That is not to slight Chicago’s defense. They were excellent, forcing Rodgers to throw quick passes to avoid pressure and sustain drives. Dominant over the Green Bay tackles, Khalil Mack got a sack with his backside and the game was essentially ended when safety Eddie Jackson picked off a Rodgers pass in the end zone. Jackson injured himself on the play, something that bears monitoring going forward.
Pack Lack Attack
The run was a non-factor, with 88 mostly hollow yards on 19 carries. Rodgers had 25 of those yards on three of the carries. Surely Aaron Jones going down with a knee injury did not help, but there was no room to run for most of the day. The best play came on a Jamaal Williams 10-yard touchdown, the only one for the Packers. That brought the Green Bay within two-points. Davante Adams – 8 catches for 118 yards — was on the end of the pass attempt that tied the game at 14 apiece. Randall Cobb only had three receptions for 30 yards.
Bears Tough at Home
The Bears took the field with a purpose on Sunday. They remembered. They remembered the feeling, walking away from Week One with a loss. One the Bears were sure, if played again they would win. Week 15 gave them the opportunity and Rodgers might have provided some extra fuel with comments made in the media ahead of this meeting. Akiem Hicks made it known that he didn’t care for Rodgers’ comments, saying he was “excited for Aaron to come” to Soldier Field. With the second seed and a bye still very much in play after the Bears managed to clinch a spot in the playoffs, it is fair to wonder if any team wants to play these Bears on the lakefront.
