By Joseph Phillips
Sports writer
Chicago Crusader
To kick off the NFL’s 100th year anniversary season, the Chicago Bears
fell to the Green Bay Packers 10-3, in a prime time match-up on
Thursday night at Soldier Field.
With the stadium filled to capacity as fans donned the orange and blue
and green and gold, Thursday’s game marked the 199th time the two
team’s would play each other on the football field.
“I just told the guys in there, this is not who we are,” said coach
Matt Nagy, after falling to the Packers in the season opener for the
second straight year in a row. “I was proud of our defense. I thought
they played (well) tonight. Offensively, not good enough—and we’re
going to fix it. Our guys know that.”
According to coach Nagy, the Bears defense held up their end of the
bargain after sacking QB Aaron Rodgers five times throughout the game,
including limiting the Packers offense to 213 total yards on 2-of-12
third-down conversions.
And in spite of the defense being stellar all night, the Bears offense
was sub-par. As the Packers defense frustrated QB Mitchell Trubisky
with mixed zone coverage’s and untimely blitzes throughout the game.
“We just couldn’t get in a rhythm; it’s as simple as that,” Nagy said.
“We had a third-and-40 at one point. I don’t have a play call for
third-and-40. Now you’re just trying to flip the field and do whatever
you can.”
According to league stats, Trubisky finished the night going 26 of 45
on passing attempts, 228 passing yards, one interception and a 62.1
percent passer rating.
And to add, Trubisky was also sacked five times.
The Bears led once early in the first quarter, thanks to a 38 yard
field goal by newly acquired kicker Eddy Pineiro in the team’s loss.
Despite of a rough offensive performance, the team received five sacks
from Leonard Floyd (2), Akiem Hicks (1), Aaron Lynch (1) and Roy
Robertson-Harris (1).
Final Score: Green Bay 10, Bears 3
The Bears will play the AFC’s Denver Broncos next Sunday, September 15, at Mile High Stadium in Denver.
