Grant Leads Packers In Blowout Of Bears

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. 

The second half wasn't any better for Chicago. Rodgers hit tight end Donald Lee for a five-yard touchdown in the third, and Packers reserve linebacker Jason Hunter returned an Orton fumble for a touchdown in the forth to emphatically slam the door on the Bears. Hunter's return was Green Bay's ninth return for a touchdown this season, establishing a new Packers record.

It looked like a much different Packers team compared to last weekend. The Minnesota Vikings effortlessly got to Rodgers all game—registering four sacks and two safeties—but Chicago was unable to pressure him Sunday. The Bears didn't register a sack, and Rodgers had plenty of time to pick apart Chicago's suspect pass-defense.

"They took some heat, from not only the media but the guys in the locker room, the coaches," Rodgers said of the offensive line. "I had a lot of confidence in them, every position. But I felt like they had a lot to prove today, and they did."

The offensive line was joined by Grant in the "yet-to-prove" group so far in the Packers up-and-down season. Grant—who signed a $30 million dollar contract in training camp—had only one 100-yard game in 2008 and was taking heat from coaches and fans alike about his performance thus far. His 145 yards were 40 yards more then any previous game this season, and could set up a strong push for the Packers' second half superstar.

"I have felt better and better," Grant said. "This is the best I've felt all season, so I do feel like I'm getting in a groove. We need to keep it going."

Notes: The 37-3 final score marks the Packers largest margin of victory over the Bears since 1994, when they beat Chicago 40-3...Packers coach Mike McCarthy got his first win over Bears coach Lovie Smith at Lambeau Field since Smith was hired in 2004...Packers lead time of possession 37:28 to 22:32...When Rodgers completes over 70 percent of his passes in 2008, the Packers are 4-0...An offsides penalty took away Packers safety Nick Collins' sixth interception, which would have gave him sole lead in the NFL.