Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 21-13 to clinch their second straight NFC North divisional title and ensure a place in the playoffs.
The victory improved the Packers record to 10-4, whereas the Bears are at to 8-6 after starting 7-1.
"We're just getting started," the Associated Press quoted the Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "We feel that way as a football team. We feel there's a lot better football in front of us."
Rodgers had a total 291 yards in the game, whereas Brandon Marshall had Chicago's only touchdown and 56 yards receiving. The Bears finished with 190 yards, while the Packers had 391 and with Sunday's win, Green Bay have defeated their archrivals six times in a row.
"Everybody involved in this offense should be held accountable, even if that means jobs," Brandon Marshall said. "It's been this way all year. There's no excuse. We still have two games left. There's still hope, but at the same time, we need to be held accountable."
Both teams could not score any point in the first quarter. In the second, Marshall gave the Bears a 7-0 lead with a touchdown. But the Packers, who have mastered the art of the comeback, hit back soon.
"We don't try to trash talk," Packers cornerback Sam Shields said. "When we get on the field we trash talk, but not in the paper. We let our actions show on the field."
Later in the second half, with 4:19 left, Rodgers sent a pass to James Jones for a 29-yard gain and Mason Crosby earned a point after the touchdown as the Packers equaled the scores at 7-7.
With 0.28 left in the second quarter, Rodgers again threw a pass to Jones for an eight-yard TD as the Packers went into halftime with a 14-7 lead over the Bears.
"That (TD) was important. That was really important," Rodgers said. "We couldn't them get up a couple scores and get into what they wanted to do, which it looked like they wanted to run (Matt) Forte a lot. Getting ahead of them kind of took them out of some of that stuff."
Chicago kicker Olindo Mare kicked a 34-yard field goal in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 21-10 before a 34-yard FG in the fourth quarter brought the game to 21-13. However, the Packers comfortable held on in the final moments for the win.
"You don't want to lose to your rival year in and year out. It's not a rival. It's a domination," Bears QB Jay Cutler said. "We've got to find a way, but that's in the past. Arizona's up next, we've just got to focus on that."
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