Nothing much happened to the Packers that was unexpected Monday night, not the injuries, not the Bears, and not their 38-24 win.
“So what’s new?” asked quarterback Brett Favre, reacting to injuries to tight end Mark Chmura and cornerback Craig Newsome. “Seems like it happens all the time and we find a way to overcome it.”
Newsome and Chmura suffered knee injuries when the Bears were still in the game in the first half. Newsome is out for the season with anterior cruciate ligament damage. Chmura is out 4-6 weeks.
Coach Mike Holmgren, behind early, standing helplessly on the sideline while the Bears controlled the clock and the ball, said he never was really worried. In fact, he was happy for two big reasons: He won the game no matter how sloppy his team looked; and he had a feeling the Bears and every other opponent is capable of making his team look sloppy.
After talk of an undefeated season, not to mention a repeat Super Bowl title, Holmgren has been trying to tell his team it will not be easy. He has been through this type of thing before, when opponents measure whole seasons by their ability to stay with the Super Bowl champions if only for one long drive.
“I’ve already had three or four come up and say, `I see what you mean,’ ” Holmgren said.
So he will gladly take a less-than-smashing victory over an inspired Bear team.
“I’ve been where expectations were high and we won 15 games and lost two and had no fun,” Holmgren said, recalling the 1990 San Francisco 49ers who were trying to three-peat. “I’ll be darned if we’re not going to have fun. This was a great win.”
Holmgren called the game “fiercely fought” and neither he nor Favre had any idea why Bears middle linebacker Bryan Cox lost his head and helmet at the end.
“I never like to see that,” Holmgren said. “I talked to Bryan at the end of the half. They were pushing and shoving around and I said, `Hey relax. Let’s go and have some orange juice.’ “
At the half, the Bears were behind 18-11 even though they had physically more than held their own. When Favre knelt to run out the clock, John Thierry knocked center Frank Winters into him.
“My chin strap wasn’t buckled and I got my head knocked off. I told them (Bears) I was going to kneel and I told the ref I was going to kneel. Then I kneel and get knocked over,” Favre said. “I was chewing out Alonzo Spellman and it wasn’t even him.”
Neither Holmgren nor Favre said they were worried in the first half, although Holmgren admitted it crossed his mind that the Bears were having their way when punter-holder Todd Sauerbrun flipped that left-handed, under-handed, over-the-head pass to Jim Flanigan for a two-point conversion.
It put the Pack behind 8-3 and quieted the Lambeau crowd, but Favre said: “It was just a matter of time.”
Cornerback Doug Evans provided the jump start by knifing in front of Erik Kramer’s out-pass from deep in Bears territory. The Packers remembered it was Evans who kick-started the Packer drive to the playoffs last season with an interception against the St. Louis Rams after a lethargic first half. Since that game, the Packers have won nine in a row and believe they are very tough to beat.
“The Bears did a great job of controlling the ball, but we feel once we get a chance . . . like in the two-minute drill, we always do well with that,” Favre said. “We did look pretty sloppy, but we found a way to win it. It’s a Packer-Bear game so anything can happen.”
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When Chmura went out, unknown Jeff Thomason came on to lead the Packers in receptions with five catches for 58 yards and a touchdown.
“Last year, we lost Robert (Brooks), and Antonio (Freeman) and this year we lost Edgar Bennett,” Favre said. “We seem to find a way to overcome it.”
The Bears even shut out last year’s nemesis Freeman only to watch second-year receiver Derrick Mayes catch four passes for 54 yards.
Second-year corner Tyrone Williams replaced Newsome.
The Packers never seem to have their well go dry. Favre was asked whether he thinks the team will try to lure back retired tight end Keith Jackson, now a commentator on TNT.
“Have you seen him on TNT lately?” asked Favre. “He’s been eating that southern cooking.”
The Packers lost their Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard in free agency, yet unknown Bill Schroeder returned five punts for 107 yards. They lost kicker Chris Jacke and drafted Brett Conway, who got hurt. So free agent Ryan Longwell hasn’t missed yet. Neither have the Pack.