Packers Feeling Entitled

Spectacular touchdown-saving plays by two backups named Walker allowed the Green Bay Packers to win their first division title in five years.

The Packers won the NFC North by beating the Chicago Bears, 30-20, Sunday, despite losing running back Ahman Green to a knee injury.

Rookie Tony Fisher, not drafted out of Notre Dame, ran for 91 yards and a touchdown in 17 carries as the Packers (9-3), won for the first time in three games to become the first team to clinch a playoff spot and remain the only team without a loss at home.

They couldn’t have done it without rookie receiver Javon Walker, who ran almost the entire field to make a tackle which prevented a touchdown that would have given the Bears’ a 15-point halftime lead. Then nose tackle Rod Walker forced a fumble on the Bears’ center exchange on first and goal at the Packer one-yard line in the third quarter.

On a cold, windy day at Lambeau Field, Brett Favre threw two second-half touchdown passes and improved to 33-0 at home when the temperature is 34 or below.

The Packers trailed, 14-6, at halftime after Javon Walker ran about 100 yards and tackled Roosevelt Williams as he was about to score at the end of the first half. “It would have been devastating to have them score like that right before the half,” said Packer Coach Mike Sherman.

Green Bay was behind 14-13 when Rod Walker grabbed the ball as quarterback Jim Miller took the snap from Olin Kreutz. The Packers converted the turnover into a Mike Longwell field goal that gave them the lead for good at 16-14.