Be It Ever So Icy, No Place Like Home for Packers : NFC: Green Bay routs Chicago, 40-3, for ninth consecutive victory at Lambeau Field.

A return to frigid Lambeau Field, a white-hot offense and an ice-cold Steve Walsh were exactly what the Green Bay Packers needed to salvage their playoff hopes.

The Packers routed the Bears, 40-3, Sunday as Brett Favre threw three touchdown passes, two of them to Sterling Sharpe, and Green Bay’s defense returned to form after a five-game skid.

“I wish I could say I gave them a magic pill, but I can’t,” Green Bay Coach Mike Holmgren said. “You never expect a lopsided score in this division.”

Chris Jacke kicked four field goals as the Packers (7-7) stayed alive for the playoffs by winning their ninth consecutive game at Lambeau, where they completed their first undefeated season since 1962 when Vince Lombardi won his second of five NFL titles. They are 5-0 at Lambeau this year.

The Packers passed for 259 yards and ran for a season-high 257.

“Our balance was like a dream,” Favre said. “We were going to try to run the ball more because of the conditions and the way our defense had been struggling.”

The Bears (8-6) fell from first place in the NFC Central.

Although it was sunny Sunday with no snow, it was the coldest game between the Bears and Packers in 18 seasons as the temperature was 15 degrees at kickoff with a windchill of 6.

The Bears were even colder, managing only a 25-yard field goal by Kevin Butler for an early 3-0 lead before the Packers overwhelmed them.

Fullback Edgar Bennett carried 22 times for 106 yards. Favre completed 19 of 31 passes for 250 yards with one interception.

Bennett has three career 100-yard rushing games, all against the Bears. Reggie Cobb added 78 yards on 11 carries and rookie LeShon Johnson had six carries for 42 yards as the Packers outgained Chicago 516 yards to 176 yards, including 257-27 on the ground.

In ending a three-game losing streak, the Packers scored on seven of their first nine possessions and took a 24-3 halftime lead behind Favre’s touchdown passes of 12 yards to Robert Brooks and 13 yards to Sharpe.

Brooks finished with career bests of six catches for 105 yards, and Sharpe caught seven passes for 86 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the second half that made it 31-3.

Jacke’s 25-yard field goal made it 34-3 going into the fourth quarter. He also had a 39-yarder in the second quarter and added field goals of 20 and 29 yards in the final period.

Walsh, who replaced Erik Kramer in the second half of the Halloween debacle and has started ever since, was spelled by Kramer in the fourth quarter.