Staying Alive: Why the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears

Another slew of turnovers

I took an in-depth look last week at the way turnovers have dried up over the years for Green Bay, but just as the turnover margin fell drastically in their favor against the Seahawks it did so again against Chicago.

Before that game the Packers generated just 12 turnovers in the first 12 games of the season, putting them on pace for only 16 on the year — by far their lowest output with since Aaron Rodgers became their starting quarterback.

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They had six in the Seattle game to put themselves onto a much better path; against the Bears, they came up with another four.

These turnovers came in a giant bunch, ending four straight Chicago drives. With the score tied 10-10 right before halftime, Micah Hyde ruined a Hail Mary attempt with an interception. To start the second half, Julius Peppers got through for his only major play of the game, forcing a fumble on a sack and also recovering it. With Green Bay in the lead to start the next Chicago drive, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix picked off Barkley; on the following drive, he repeated the act.

The turnovers made on those drives constantly put Green Bay’s offense in prime position to put up points of their own — and they did so. The Packers scored 17 points off these turnovers; the only one they didn’t score off was the half-ending INT by Hyde, and that directly saved points in the other direction.

With a defensive collapse soon to follow — one that would see Green Bay give up 17 points in three drives themselves — this string of turnovers was much-needed to put up the necessary points to win this contest.

More of this will likely be needed this coming week. Minnesota has been a team that’s turnover-averse in 2016 (13 giveaways; tied for 6th lowest in the league), but they did just have a -3 showing against Indianapolis. Based on where those turnovers came from, it can be done again; Adrian Peterson (1 fumble) has had that be his fatal flaw during large swaths of his career, while Sam Bradford (1 INT, 1 Fumble) has continued to get hit and harassed by defenders busting through the putrid Minnesota offensive line all season.

Another 4+ turnover day is difficult to expect, but winning the battle in that regard would go a long way to getting this team to 9-6.