The game could not have started much better for the Packers. Green Bay blew down the field on its opening drive, needing just seven plays to go 84 yards. Three of Green Bay’s first five plays went for more than 20 yards, so it looked like the Packers’ offense would dominate the game. The first two plays went for a total of 48 yards to Greg Jennings to move to the Bears 36. Green Bay did not face a third down on the drive and Aaron Rodgers would score on a touchdown run from a yard out to give the Packers the early 7-0 lead. It would stay that way until the second quarter, Chicago only would have one first down in its two first quarter drives.
On the first drive of the second quarter, the Packers started with tremendous field position at the Chicago 44 after the Green Bay defense forced a Bears three-and-out from deep in their own territory. The Packers would travel the 44 yards in five plays. On 2nd-and-13, Rodgers dumped it off to Brandon Jackson for 16 yards to move to the Chicago 31. That would be the first of three consecutive plays that resulted in a first down. The last one was a 15-yard pass to Nelson to move to the Chicago 4. On the very next play, James Starks ran it in from four yards out and the Green and Gold had a 14-0 advantage less than four minutes into the second quarter.
Green Bay dominated the first half and had chances to run away with the game in the second quarter. In all three of the Packers second quarter possessions and five of the six first half drives, Green Bay entered Chicago territory. However, they only scored 14 points in those five drives. The only possession that did not enter Bears territory was a drive that ended at their own 47. The Packers were threatening to take a lead by three scores late in the second quarter, but on a first down pass from the Chicago 41, Rodgers threw a pass low to Donald Driver. The ball went off of Driver’s foot and into the hands of Lance Briggs for the Bears interception.
However, Santa Cutler would give a present right back. After a 17-yard completion from Cutler to Matt Forte, Green Bay would take the ball right back. On the first down play from the Packers 42, the Bears quarterback went for it all. He launched a pass down the left sideline to the goal line intended for Johnny Knox, but it was picked off by Shields and the Packers would take over with a half minute remaining in the first half.The play was reviewed and upheld and Green Bay would take a 14-0 lead into the break.
It was an odd second half, with both teams having plenty of chances to score and the Bears had to go to their backup quarterbacks after Cutler had to leave the game. Still, the Green and Gold had to be disappointed the score was only 14-0 after the Packers basically lived on the Bears side of the field in the first half.
The game was still in doubt early in the second half, but after the first drive of the third quarter, Cutler had to leave the game with a knee injury. The report came in the days following the game that it was a torn MCL. On his last drive, the Bears offense went three-and-out and Green Bay took over at its own 17.
Green Bay then went on a drive that most people thought would seal the game. On a third down from the 19, Rodgers found Nelson for 21 yards up to the 40. That was followed with a pass to Jennings for 20. Three plays later, Chicago was whistled for a pass interference inside the 10 and Green Bay had the ball 1st-and-Goal at the 8. Two plays gained two yards, so the Packers were faced with a third down at the 6. The Packers had a field goal in the bag if they did not turn the ball over, but Rodgers would make his first mistake of the game. Rodgers had solid protection and threw it over the middle to Driver. However, Rodgers did not see Chicago’s star linebacker Brian Urlacher. The Bears star picked off the pass and was running down the field and had a chance to go the distance. It was a footrace between Urlacher and Rodgers, who had an angle on him. At around the Chicago 40, Urlacher tried to cut inside and outrun Rodgers to the end zone. But Rodgers got just enough of Urlacher to trip him up at the 45. That would turn out to be a key play by the Packers quarterback.
With backup quarterback Todd Collins in the game, replacing Cutler, Chicago was in trouble. Collins was in for two drives for the Bears, and he went 0-for-4 passing with a near interception and Chicago drove a total of three yards. He, too, left the game with an injury, as he injured his shoulder. So that left the Bears with just third-stringer Caleb Hanie. In the regular season, Hanie appeared in two games, completing 5-of-7 passes for 55 yards. With the Bears down to their No. 3 quarterback, most people thought that this game was over. Chicago could not score any points with Cutler under center, so it’d be impossible to score any with Hanie, right? Wrong.
Early in the final period Hanie got the Bears on the board. Chicago moved 67 yards in eight plays to score its first points of the day and cut the deficit to 14-7 on a Chester Taylor run from a yard out. The big play of the drive was a 32-yard pass from Hanie to Knox down to the Packers 1 on a 2nd-and-13. That was immediately followed by the Taylor score. Game on in Chicago!
Three straight punts followed and the Bears had the ball, starting at their own 10 with a little more than seven minutes remaining. Two plays gained five yards, so Chicago was faced with a 3rd-and-5 from the 15. That was when the most unlikely player made the biggest play of the game. Second-year defensive lineman B.J. Raji dropped back into coverage on the play and Hanie never saw him. The Chicago quarterback dropped back to pass and threw it over the middle intended for Forte, but the big nose tackle was right in his path. The pass went right to Raji, who ran it back for the 18-yard pick six and the Packers had their two score lead back with 6:04 to play. Following the pick, Raji did a dance and then put on the ‘Rodgers belt.’ Green Bay seemingly had control of the game with a 21-7 lead.
As Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friend.” Hanie would lead the Bears quickly down the field, driving 60 yards in just four plays to cut the deficit to 21-14 with just under four minutes to play in the game. The touchdown was scored on a 35-yard pass from Hanie to the open Earl Bennett down the left sideline.
After a punt by the Packers, the Bears had one final chance to tie the game up and send it into overtime. Chicago started the drive at its own 29 with less than three minutes to play. The Bears would convert a fourth down to move into Green Bay territory with a minute and a half to play and two timeouts remaining. The Bears would move down inside the 30, but on a 3rd-and-3, Bennett was given the ball on a run and he was stopped for a loss of two. That would set up one final play for the Bears to try to keep the game alive. Hanie dropped back to pass and threw it over the middle and it was picked off by Shields, who would run it up to the Chicago 44 before being brought down to put the final nail in the coffin and send the Packers to Texas for Super Bowl XLV.
After beating your rival in the championship game, there was no way you can lose the Super Bowl, right? Well, Green Bay went to Texas and got it done, bringing back the Lombardi Trophy. When you mention Raji’s name, this is the first play that pops into your head. Even though he retired this offseason, he made a huge impact in helping the Packers bring championship No. 13 back to Titletown.
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