5 takeaways from Packers’ victory over Bears

2. The defense didn’t allow much beyond two big plays for TDs in the first half.

Getting beat on a jet sweep/push pass to Jakeem Grant and a slant pass to Damiere Byrd for two long scores was frustrating for Green Bay to be sure.

But the Packers’ defense stemmed the tide by making two big plays of its own – a pick-six for a second straight game by Rasul Douglas, a 55-yarder this time; and Smith’s turnover on the Bears’ second snap of the second half.

The defense also responded by not allowing the Bears a first down in the second half until just over four minutes remained in the game. The Bears posted just 17 total yards of offense over a stretch of four possessions.

“We came out and made sure that we didn’t allow them to make those big plays again, and we eliminated our mistakes,” said Smith, who added a second sack late in the game. “We showed who we were as a team and as a defense.”

3. Special teams were a sore spot all night and remain a major concern.

The list of miscues on special teams in the first half alone is exhausting.

The Bears started three straight drives after kickoffs at the 40-yard line or better due to two long returns and a kickoff out of bounds. Grant returned a punt 34 yards early in the game and then another 97 yards for a TD in that wild second quarter.

The Packers also started one drive on their own 5-yard line when Malik Taylor inexplicably tried to catch a kickoff that was headed out of bounds.

Special teams were forcing the Packers to play uphill in this game for a long time, and being able to overcome the blunders was little consolation due to the sheer volume of them.

“Certainly, the special teams was not good enough,” said Head Coach Matt LaFleur, who said coaching changes were not a consideration.

“It’s not up to our standard. It’s never an excuse. We lost some key special teams guys tonight, and that’s just the reality, and we’ve got to find guys to step into those roles, and we’ve got to execute better. Bottom line. We’ve got to coach better, and we’ve got to execute better.”

Green Bay also caught a huge break when Amari Rodgers’ muffed punt was nullified by a Chicago penalty. The turnover would have given the Bears the ball in scoring territory early in the fourth quarter, down 38-27, but instead the Packers used the reprieve to kill 8:38 off the clock and go 71 yards in 13 plays for the game-sealing TD.

That score proved all the more valuable when the Bears managed to recover an onside kick after a late field goal, handing the Packers one final special-teams letdown.