Packers rush to take nothing for Grant-ed
GREEN BAY, Wis. - For once, the opposing quarterback didn't produce his best passing stats of the season against the Bears.
Instead, it was a running back rushing for 100 yards - in one half - who could be thankful for playing the Bears.
It was an offensive line that delivered a much-needed bounce-back game.
It was even a kicker who got his kicks.
With a strong wind at his back, Packers kicker Mason Crosby easily drilled a career-best 53-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the first half. He got the chance thanks to 2 incomplete passes by the Bears and a 30-yard punt by Brad Maynard.
The Bears had gotten the ball at their own 7 with 1:06 to go and the wind in their face.
"We were trying to score some points," said coach Lovie Smith, explaining why the Bears didn't try to take more time off the clock.
Crosby's kick gave the Packers a 17-3 halftime lead, and they never relented in a 37-3 blowout at Lambeau Field.
"It wasn't easy," said Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. "We just executed as well as we have all season. The offensive line dominated the game, without a doubt. We had 38 minutes (37:28, to be exact) in time of possession, 200 yards rushing, (and) I barely got touched all day."
While Rodgers completed 23 of 30 passes for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns, compiled a 105.8 passer rating and wasn't sacked, the story of the first half was Ryan Grant.
The running back rushed 13 times for 105 yards, becoming the first Packer to gain 100 yards in a single half since Samkon Gado nearly three years ago.
Grant finished with 145 yards on the ground on 25 carries. It was his second 100-yard output of the season.
Grant credited the coaching staff's renewed commitment to the running game.
"That's what we wanted to do," he said.
"We wanted to come in here, run the ball, set the tempo and kind of set the tone for what we wanted to do the rest of the game. And the guys answered, across the board. The O-line, everybody, they did a great job."
Green Bay's offense allowed 2 safeties in its 28-27 loss to Minnesota the previous week. Rodgers was called for intentional grounding in the end zone on one, while Vikings defensive end Jared Allen blew past veteran tackle Chad Clifton on another to sack Rodgers in the end zone.
Clifton acknowledged it felt good to bounce back.
"Yeah, for me personally it was nice," he said. "But as an offense as a whole, it was nice to have the game that we had today rushing the ball."