One week after a heart-breaking loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers were back at Lambeau Field to take on their oldest rival. It was the 175th meeting between the two clubs in a rivalry that is nearly 90 years old. For the Packers to have any sort of shot at winning the division and/or making the playoffs, they would have to beat a team that has beat them at Lambeau in four straight attempts.They did just that, and they couldn't have made it look easier.
The scoring came slowly to start, kicked off by an Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings three yard strike in the first quarter. Robbie Gould would kick a field goal for the Bears in the second, but that was all the Bears would get as the Packers routed Chicago 37-3.
A Ryan Grant four yard run in the second quarter. A Donald Lee five yard pass from Rodgers in the third. And a Jason Hunter fumble return - the Packers 9th return for a touchdown this season - was the dagger in the fourth. Add three Mason Crosby field goals, and you have the Packers best performance of the 2008 season (best performance of the season, so far.)
Was it flawless? No, of course not. No victory ever will be. But it was about as solid of a victory as you are going to see in the National Football League, and the Packers should pride themselves on that.
What really impresses me is that this was a game the Packers absolutely had to win. They came into the game one game back to both the Vikings and the Bears in the NFC North, and this was their opportunity to even the score. They took care of business when they needed to, and that's a very encouraging sign as we head into the final six weeks. This win, coupled with a Vikings loss to Tampa Bay, and we now have a three way tie atop the NFC North.
All teams might be a mediocre 5-5, but that's the luck of the draw. One of those three teams - Green Bay, Minnesota, or Chicago - will be going to the postseason, and that doesn't currently sit well with some people. You know how every year you hear whispers of why the NFL should revamp their playoff structure because of the chance an 8-8, or worse 7-9, team could win their division and make the playoffs?
Thankfully, that hasn't happened yet.
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Useless trivia of the day:
The Packers can forget about winning the Super Bowl this year, as can the Vikings, Bears, Falcons, and a few other teams. Never in history has a team lost to Tampa Bay at any point in the season and gone on to win the Super Bowl.
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