The Chicago Bears have held on to shock NFC North leaders Green Bay Packers with a 17-13 victory in the clash between the arch-rivals at Lambeau Field.
Defences started on top in a tight opening as both sides went three-and-out, but Packers saw a golden chance to take the lead slip away when Davante Adams dropped a sure touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers.
The Bears continued to struggle in the first quarter, missing four tackles and giving away two first downs through penalties, and Green Bay deservedly took the lead when Rodgers found Eddie Lacy from 25 yards for his 250th touchdown pass after the score was upheld upon a review for a possible early release call.
© Getty Images
Packers were good value for their lead, outgaining Bears by seven first downs to one in the first quarter, but they lost some momentum in the second as Lacy fumbled for the fourth time in his last five games and Chicago took full advantage, recovering and levelling the scores when Jay Cutler hit Zach Miller from three yards.
The hosts edged back in front through a Mason Crosby field goal after Jeff Janis had hit a 64-yard kickoff return to swing the pendulum back in their favour, but in the final minute of the first half the Bears took the lead for the first time.
Cutler found Marquess Wilson for what looked like a 20-yard touchdown, and although Wilson was found to have grounded at the one-yard line upon a review, Jeremy Langford rushed in to hand the Bears the lead 30 seconds before the break.
Green Bay got themselves into field goal range with seconds to go and Crosby converted a 50-yarder to cut Chicago's lead to a single point at half time.
After Packers honoured former quarterback Brett Favre during the interval by officially retiring his No.4 jersey following a 15-year career with the franchise, they missed out on three points in a disjointed third quarter as Josh Sitton was penalised for holding.
Some robust defence virtually on the goalline from the home side then limited the Bears to a 21-yard field goal from Robbie Gould despite a drive of 15 plays and 83 yards to ensure that the Packers remained within a score of victory in the fourth.
However, though Rodgers found Randall Cobb to get Green Bay into the endzone with less than two minutes to play, the quarterback's pass was incomplete on the fourth down as the Bears held on to end a four-match losing streak against their rivals and move to 5-6 in the NFC North.
Tom Nightingale
