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Grant, Packers rout Bears to keep playoff hopes alive

Nov 16, 2008 - 11:08 PM GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Ryan Grant carried the Green Bay Packers back into playoff contention.

Grant rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown Sunday, leading the Green Bay Packers to a key 37-3 NFC North victory over the Chicago Bears.

The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Packers and put them squarely back in the hunt for the division title. Green Bay sits atop the division along with the Bears and Minnesota Vikings, all with identical 5-5 records.

"It's going to be very exciting for all of us. We feel like we're going to have to win every game," Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. "We control our destiny now because I know we have the tiebreaker over Chicago and we have the division tiebreaker over Minnesota so we couldn't ask for a better position."

It also was Green Bay's first win over the Bears at Lambeau Field since Lovie Smith took over as Chicago's head coach in 2004.

"How do I explain it? Well, I thought our football team prepared very well," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "We've really played some very good football throughout the season and today we were able to put it all together for four quarters. It's a credit to the staff and to the players.

"We played at a high level and I was proud of the guys."

Grant's touchdown came from 4 yards out and gave Green Bay a 14-3 lead with 1:15 left in the first half.

"That's what we wanted to do," Grant 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."

Rodgers was 23-of-30 for 227 yards and two touchdowns. He tossed a 3-yard TD pass to Greg Jennings to open the scoring with 2:30 left in the first quarter.

Rodgers also connected with tight end Donald Lee for a 5-yard TD pass with 3:01 left in the third quarter to put the Packers ahead, 24-3.

Defensive end Jason Hunter accounted for the other Green Bay touchdown when he scooped up a fumble by Chicago quarterback Kyle Orton and returned it 53 yards for a score to make it 34-3 with 7:31 left in the contest.

"Every time you get a good bounce, you're able to scoop it up clean and just run it into the end zone," Hunter said. "It feels real good. It's exciting. I had a touchdown in college, I don't think I had one in high school. But it feels great to get an NFL touchdown. I'm so happy and excited."

Rex Grossman relieved Orton after the fumble for the remainder of the game.

Orton, who returned to action for the Bears (5-5) after missing last week's 21-14 loss to Tennessee with a sprained ankle, was 13-of-26 for 138 yards.

"Just all day (there was) no rhythm, no first downs," Orton said. "They were keeping safeties back and playing man on the outside. It is tough to make big plays against this defense."

Chicago mustered only 83 yards rushing, led by rookie Matt Forte, who had 64 yards on 16 carries.

"You have to give the Packers a lot of credit," Smith said. "They came out from the start with a purpose and dominated us throughout the game."

On the other hand, Grant and Rodgers both benefited from much-improved play by the Packers' offensive line, which pushed around a Bears defense that had been strong against the run but vulnerable to the pass.

The Packers also protected Rodgers far better than they did in last week's loss at Minnesota. A week after taking four sacks and giving up two safeties, Rodgers wasn't sacked and barely was touched by the Bears' pass rush.

"This is November football and this is how you have to do it," McCarthy said. "There's no doubt about it. I thought we played very well up front on both sides of the ball. I thought the run-blocking unit, in particularly the offensive line, time and time again, we were able to get the movement up front and get the back to the second level. That was big."

Mason Crosby connected on three field goals for the Packers - from 53, 33 and 45 yards.