Rodgers, Packers Win Sunday Night Thriller

NFL News - September 14th, 2009 - Written by John

It was the kind of signature win that the Packers were waiting for. Back against the wall. Roaring crowd. You know the type. The kind that that Favre guy used to have.

It was the kind of signature win that Rodgers had yet to have in his young, yet bright career.

Well, at least until Sunday night.

Rodgers pulled the Packers from defeat and a miserable start to the season, masterminding a game-winning drive, ending in a 50-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings with 1:11 left in the game. The play, coming on 3rd-and-1 at midfield, was a play action and had the entire Bears front crashing the middle to stuff Ryan Grant.

"This was our chance to show that we can finish ballgames, we can win the close games, and we got it done," Jennings told of his game-winning catch. "We didn’t get it done all game, but when it came down to it, when it counts and when it counted, we got it done."

It was the kind of play that erased all the memories of an ugly game riddled with four-and-outs and field goals. Rodgers was even blitzed for a safety in the second quarter. Green Bay only 165 yards of total offense going into the final drive and the only previous touchdown was set up by a Tramon Williams interception return down to the Chicago one-yard line. Grant would push it in on the first play to make it 10-2.

The teams then traded field goals until Jay Cutler drove the Bears down into field goal range and Robbie Gould gave the visitors a 15-13 lead with just over two minutes left in the game.

"I was thinking, 'We’re due. We’re due for one good drive,'" Rodgers told reporters after the game. "I told the guys, just give me one drive."

He got it. And Rodgers delivered, throwing on every down to pick up

However, Cutler couldn't muster anymore magic and his chance to answer was abruptly ended when he threw is fourth pick of the night, right into the basket of Al Harris. Although not totally his fault (wide out Johnny Knox stopped in the middle of his route, allowing Harris to haul it in uncontested) newspapers across Chicago are riddled with headlines like "Cutler flops" in the Chippewa and "Bears 'dreadful'" in the Chicago Tribune.

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