Maybe Ryan Grant should only play second halves of NFL seasons. His short Packer career sure screams "second half wonder".
In a performance reminiscent of his 2007 second half, Grant ran for 145 yards and a score that led the Green Bay Packers to a 37-3 win over the Chicago Bears Sunday. Grant now has 220 yards in two second half games for the Packers, following up last season's second half where he rushed for over 900 yards and eight scores.
"It felt great," Grant said after the game. "To do it in our hometown, in front of the crowd, to get that win when we needed it the most against a division rival, it's big for us."
The Packers and Bears are now both 5-5, but remain tied for the division lead after Minnesota fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kyle Orton started at quarterback for the Bears, but Chicago looked far from a playoff contender. The Packers out-gained the Bears 427 yards to 234, and seemingly had control the entire game. Green Bay totaled 200 yards rushing in all, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 23-of-30 passes for 227 yards and two scores.
"They [Packers] ran it, they threw it," Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "They did whatever they wanted to do."
The Bears, on the other hand, were unable to get anything going offensively. Chicago running back Matt Forte only had 64 rushing yards against the Packers 28th ranked rush-defense, and Orton was limited to 133 yards passing before being relieved by Rex Grossman. The Bears were only able to put a 35-yard field goal by Robbie Gould on the board Sunday.
"We stunk it up," Orton said. "I stunk it up. I just look at myself, obviously—when you get beat by 30 points, you don't have to look too far. I just look at myself and say I've got to get better."
The Packers started the scoring in the first quarter when Rodgers found Greg Jennings on a three-yard quick slant for a Green Bay touchdown. Gould's field goal cut the lead to 7-3, but Grant's four-yard touchdown and a Mason Crosby field goal put the Packers up 17-3 at halftime.
2 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
David Arreola 7 months ago
If Grant finishes this year the way he finished last year, we are going to win the division!
Rodgers needs to play much of the same and with Grant playing this way, Ted Thompson may just avoid a hanging when Brett Favre is playing in January. lol
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Doug Dwyer 7 months ago
The best way to help out the run defense is to get a lead. The Packers did that on Sunday by going up 17-3 by halftime and took the Bears out of their game plan.
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