Written by Bob McGinn at USAToday.com
In the end, life without running backEddie Lacy for the Green Bay Packers worked out just fine Thursday night at Lambeau Field.
Compensating for the loss of Lacy, possibly for the season with an ankle injury, and James Starks, his heavy-duty cohort, for at least several more weeks following knee surgery, the Packers dinked and dunked their way past the hapless Chicago Bears 26-10 in the 193rd renewal of the NFL’s oldest rivalry.
The orchestrator of coach Mike McCarthy’s spread ’em out, short passing game wasAaron Rodgers, who broke Brett Favre’s club record of 36 completions with 39 in 56 attempts for 326 yards and three touchdowns (102.2 passer rating).
Green Bay improved to 4-2 with its third victory in four consecutive home games. The Packers trail the Minnesota Vikings by 1½ games in the NFC North and are tied for the fourth-best record in the conference.
“Both teams were stressed from a medical standpoint,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “We did what we needed to do tonight. A lot of production on offense. Our offensive line played big.”
The Bears slipped to 1-6, their worst start since 2000. They gave it a go for slightly more than a half without seven starters due to injury before their secondary, and all of coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense, collapsed.
Twice in the last three seasons the Packers had been stunned as a touchdown favorite by the Bears at Lambeau Field. This time, the Bears, a 7½-point underdog, got the break every out-manned team needs — in this case, a fumble recovered for a touchdown early in the third quarter — before the Packers throttled them on both offense and defense.
The Packers out-gained the Bears 406-189 in narrowing Chicago’s margin in the venerable series to one game, 94-93-6. McCarthy is 15-7 against the Bears, including 11-2 in his last 13 meetings.
Davante Adams, who left the victory over the New York Giants on Sunday with a possible concussion, had his greatest game in his three-year career.
His 13 receptions tied for second on the Packers’ all-time list behind legendary Don Hutson, who snagged 14 against the Giants in November 1942. Hutson’s catches totaled 134 yards, two more than Adams’ career-best total of 132.
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