Packers Take First Place From Bears

There was no Chicago Bear miracle, no Brett Favre magic, nothing to add to the legend of Lambeau Field.

Temperature at kickoff was 33 degrees, so it didn’t even qualify as a frozen tundra.

Nothing special here, only the basic football component of a strong running game--most of it from Ahman Green--to power the Green Bay Packers to a 17-7 victory over the Bears.

Green rushed for 125 yards, which deserves attention because it was the first time in 20 games that an opposing running back had gained 100 yards against the Bears.

Bear-Packer games always have a kooky feel to them because of the passion of the fans and the proximity of the cities. A banner hanging from an overpass on I-94 reminded drivers headed north from Chicago that “After Further Review, The Bears Still [Stink].” One Bear fan mocked the legion of Cheeseheads by wearing a giant grater on his head.

This meeting called for an extra bratwurst on the tailgate barbecue because it was for first place in the NFC Central Division.

The Packers took it from the Bears. Green Bay’s victory brought both teams to 9-3, but the Packers have the tiebreaker because they swept the season series.

In this game, the difference was Green. With the score tied, 7-7, in the third quarter, Green got outside the right end for a 29-yard run to the Chicago 24. Bill Schroeder bobbled a would-be touchdown pass from Favre, but Green made up for it two plays later with a 12-yard touchdown run.

The seven-point deficit was too much for the Bears to overcome with their limited offense. After playing for the short gain most of the day, quarterback Jim Miller tried to throw deep and his pass was intercepted by Darren Sharper.

That led to a Packer field goal, which put the game out of reach.

The Bears wanted to keep the score close and then hope the mojo that led to back-to-back overtime victories earlier this season would kick in.

The best offerings fate tossed their way were a couple of weak Green Bay punts that allowed Chicago to start two drives inside Packer territory in the third quarter.

But they couldn’t get so much as a field goal out of either. They gained only 189 yards and converted two of 12 third downs.

“Our game plan was to move the football,” Miller said. “We didn’t do that. It was a pretty frustrating day.”

It was a noteworthy day for Green. The all-time Packer team might be deep at quarterback and wide receiver (and of course well-coached), but there aren’t many great running backs. Sunday, Green became only the third Packer back to record consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, and the first in almost 30 years.

“Ahman’s becoming one of those guys,” Schroeder said. “Every time he gets the ball, he’s a very dangerous person to have the ball in his hands. That’s why we let him run the ball so many times. He makes so many things happen for us on offense.”

Usually Favre’s the make-it-happen guy, but the Packers didn’t need any heroics from him. He was content to complete 15 of 27 passes for 207 yards, which was enough to make him the first NFL quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards in 10 consecutive seasons.

“I was impressed by the way we were able to run the ball,” Favre said. “Our front line, they basically controlled the game for us.”

Chicago’s biggest playmaker was linebacker Brian Urlacher. His name came over the loudspeaker so often it sounded like Ben Stein taking classroom roll call in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”

Urlacher (11 tackles) almost turned the game around on Green Bay’s final drive of the first half. First he zoomed in and sacked Favre for an 11-yard loss. Two plays later, he intercepted a Favre pass and returned it 41 yards. Only a good tackle by Green at the 17-yard line kept him from scoring a touchdown.

But the Bears couldn’t capitalize. They missed on three passes to the end zone, then kicker Paul Edinger hooked his 23-yard field-goal attempt left and the half ended.

Limiting the Bear offense is not a standout accomplishment, but the Packers did do it without injured defenders LeRoy Butler, Gilbert Brown and Nate Wayne (who was kicked in the back Sunday).

Can they get past the high-flying St. Louis Rams? If the Packers can secure home-field advantage, if they continue to get solid running from Green, they have a chance. Come January, it will probably be a lot colder than 33 degrees, and that’s when Lambeau Field really does become a factor. No mystique about it.