The Green Bay Packers built a 21-3 lead and then held on for a 21-13 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, giving Matt LaFleur’s team an 11th win in 14 games to start the 2019 season.
The win helped the Packers clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2016.
Here are six observations from the Packers’ 21-13 win:
DBs against Jones: Aaron Jones is a nightmare for defensive backs. Just watch back his 21-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. The Packers left cornerback Prince Amukamara unblocked, but Jones easily slipped out his tackle attempt on the edge and then blew past Pro Bowl safety Eddie Jackson to the corner and into the end zone. Some of the Packers’ most explosive runs this season have come when Jones is given an opportunity to beat an unblocked defensive back. It’s an unfair matchup and one Jones is winning 99 out of 100 times. On his second touchdown, Jones ran right through the defensive back in the hole for the score.
Big ups to the OL: The Bears are as talented up front on defense as any team in football, and while Akiem Hicks was playing his first game back from injury, the Packers dominated along the offensive line for much of the afternoon. It was a hugely encouraging performance from a unit that got ran over by a few of the NFL’s best fronts (see: in Los Angeles, San Francisco) recently. Khalil Mack was mostly a non-factor until he came unblocked on a protection issue in the second half. The Bears had only four quarterback hits and a single sack (on a missed protection from the running back). The interior was solid and the two tackles – David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga – played one of their best games of the season.
Improving run defense: It might not be a fixed problem, but the Packers’ run defense has steadily improved over the last month. Running backs David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen combined for only 67 rushing yards on 22 attempts on Sunday. Kenny Clark is dominating the interior of the line, Tyler Lancaster is plugging up lanes and Matt LaFleur said the run fits look better. The run defense will be put to the test next week in Minnesota. Sounds like Vikings running back Dalvin Cook could play on Monday night.
Receiver returns: The Packers need a lot more from the receivers behind Davante Adams in the passing game, but there’s no denying how effective they are in the run game. Almost every week, Allen Lazard, Geronimo Allison and Jake Kumerow are delivering key blocks to help spring a run. Lazard is the best of the bunch. He’s a big body who seeks out contact. The Packers often motion him into a blocking position and have him assigned on a player at the point of attack, and he often wins. On at least two different snaps on Sunday, Lazard motioned in and then blocked Ha Ha Clinton-Dix out of the play.
Good find for Gute: Chandon Sullivan, who was claimed off waivers by the Packers in May, has turned into a nice player for Mike Pettine’s defense. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst claimed a bunch of guys in the last year, and he’s found some effective role players. One of them is Sullivan, who produced another effective performance on Sunday. He’s a competitive player in coverage and a surprisingly good blitzer. Sullivan helped the Packers get off the field twice in the first half, first with blanket coverage on Anthony Miller along the sideline and later with a pressure on Mitchell Trubisky. He had a couple chances at interceptions, and he was the player who wrestled down the Bears tight end before he could pitch the ball on the game’s final play.
Flash from Gary: First-round pick Rashan Gary delivered one of his best rushes of the 2019 season on Sunday, and it resulted in his second career sack. Gary got into position with an explosive first step that put him on the outside shoulder of the right tackle and then won the rep by ripping through the hands and turning the corner. He closed down the space to the quarterback and tallied the sack. These are the flashes the Packers want to see to end 2019. Remember when Kenny Clark flashed to end his rookie season in 2016 and then broke out the year after? That could be the path Gary is charting now.