Packers vs. Bears: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 Regular Season

The Green Bay Packers survived a season-opening NFC North clash against the Chicago Bears 31-23 thanks to a late interception and an efficient game by Aaron Rodgers.

Chicago came out surprisingly game at Soldier Field, playing great defense through a ball-control offense, winning the time-of-possession battle. The credit goes to Matt Forte, who gashed the Packers defense with 24 carries for 141 yards and a score.

The Bears found out the hard way, though, that Rodgers doesn't need much time to put up plenty of points, especially when veteran James Jones goes off with four catches for 51 yards and two touchdowns.

Green Bay took to Twitter to celebrate:     

Things started off encouragingly for Chicago. On the game's first drive, Forte ripped off a 22-yard run after a nice cutback, but with Alshon Jeffery on a pitch count and Kyle Long forced to play right tackle because of injuries up front, the drive stalled in field-goal range.

Things even looked good on the new-look defense under the guidance of first-year coordinator Vic Fangio and his 3-4 scheme, which forced Rodgers and Co. into an early three-and-out.

Of course, holding Rodgers out of the end zone is next to impossible, even without Jordy Nelson and a hobbled Randall Cobb. He found his old friend Jones with one of the best strikes of Week 1 on the team's second drive to make it 7-3, just the beginning of his eventual 18-of-23 day with 189 yards and three touchdowns.

NFL provided a look at the connection:

USA Today's Jim Corbett described the strike best: 

It was clear Chicago planned to play elite defense with a ball-control offense, though, using Forte to chip away at a struggling Green Bay defense.

In the second frame, when the Packers did manage to get a stop in the red zone, they wound up shooting themselves in the foot as corner Sam Shields jumped offside on the field-goal attempt, granting the Bears a new set of downs after a conversion on 4th-and-inches.

Forte did the rest of the work on the trip, grinding in from one yard out to put the Bears up 10-7 to top off an otherwise uneventful second quarter—outside of the teams exchanging field goals—to go to the half 13-10 in favor of the hosts.

As ChicagoFootball.com's Kevin Fishbain noted, Forte's form and the Packers' lack thereof on defense contributed to some gaudy numbers for the star back:

With the understanding the offense could hardly get on the field in the first half, the Packers took their time right out of the locker room to begin the second half. Rodgers and Eddie Lacy marched the team down the field on a six-play, 59-yard drive before (who else?) Jones came up with his second touchdown.

The Packers shared the highlight:

How impressive was the performance by the 31-year-old Jones? ESPN Stats & Info offered context:

Chicago responded with a field goal to pull within one point at 17-16 but played a dangerous game—that being the risk of trading field goals with touchdowns against Rodgers.

Which is exactly what unfolded: The Packers drove down the field, employing Chicago's own strategy—chewing 9:31 off the clock—before Rodgers found the hobbled Cobb in the end zone, perhaps the least surprising development of the day considering he led all receivers in red-zone touchdowns a year ago.

Down 24-16, the Bears failed on fourth down but got the ball back again for another late try to knot things up. Instead, Cutler made his first mistake of the game and fired a bullet right to Clay Matthews with 3:41 left, ending a rough day in which he threw for 225 yards with one score and the late gaffe.

The Packers were as quick as Matthews' hands with providing the highlight:

From there, a lengthy pass-interference call put Lacy in a short-yardage situation. He capitalized to extend the lead to 31-16 and end his day at 19 carries for 85 yards and the score.

Chicago went down swinging and added a touchdown with Cutler finding Martellus Bennett at the tail end of a two-minute offense, but then it failed to convert the onside kick to end things at 31-23.

For the Packers, Sunday was an ideal start before they go home for an encounter with the Seattle Seahawks next Sunday night. The defense has some clear work to do against the run ahead of a date with Marshawn Lynch.

The Bears remain at Soldier Field to host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, a stab at redemption against another NFC contender. If Jeffery and the line can get healthier, the aftermath of the loss to a divisional rival might not linger for long.

Reaction: Fox Admits Degree of Difficulty; McCarthy Credits Clay

First-year Chicago coach John Fox couldn't have had a more difficult debut with his new team, something he wasn't shy about admitting after the game.

670 The Score shared his respect for the Packers:

With Cutler now 1-12 against the Packers and having thrown an interception in every start against them, Fox will need to go back to the drawing board before the two teams meet again in Week 12.

As for Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy, he cited the defining play of the game as Matthews' late interception and return, per the team:

Rodgers was as precise as a surgeon, but on a day the defense struggled, it's clear McCarthy sees the value in his most recognizable defender making a play when it mattered most.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of Sept. 13. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.