Bears Beat Packers, 17-13
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears spoiled Brett Favre's big night back with the Green Bay Packers.
Cutler threw for 200 yards and a score and the Bears held off the Packers on fourth-and-goal from the 8 with 22 seconds left for a 17-13 victory Thursday night.
Aaron Rodgers' throw to the end zone deflected off receiver Davante Adams' hands in the cold rain. James Jones couldn't hang on to a potential touchdown catch on third down.
Cornerback Tracy Porter intercepted Rodgers' pass with 3:19 left at the Bears 45 on the previous drive.
The highlight of the night for Green Bay turned out to be the return of Favre, whose name and No. 4 was unveiled at halftime next to the team's other retired numbers.
Chicago (5-6) has won three of its last four. The Packers (7-4) lost a second straight home game.
Jeremy Langford ran for 48 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries for Chicago.
Cutler finished 19 of 31. He outplayed Rodgers, who was 22 of 43 for 202 yards and a touchdown.
Favre's successor at quarterback stayed in the game after appearing to hurt his left arm in the third quarter after getting hit from behind near the elbow by linebacker Lamarr Houston while recovering a high snap.
Rodgers said that he lost feeling in his hand after the hit for the rest of the quarter and into the fourth quarter. He said that he had regained full feeling in three fingers by the end of the game.
"It's my left hand, I'll be all right," Rodgers said.
Cutler was a little better, somewhat of a surprise given how poorly he has played at Lambeau in his career with the Bears. In his four previous games at Lambeau, all losses, Cutler had thrown 12 interceptions. But with new coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase, Cutler avoided throwing an interception.
With driving rain drenching the field, Cutler calmly led the Bears on a clock-eating drive in the fourth quarter that kept Rodgers on the bench with Chicago leading 17-13.
Cutler hit Marc Mariani on third-and-10 for a 21-yard gain to the Packers 44 with 7:38 left. Then the Packers caught a break after Cutler mishandled a shotgun snap on third-and-11 to set up a punt.
The Packers couldn't capitalize. They moved the quickly up the field on their final two drives only to come up short.
Robbie Gould's 21-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for Chicago was the only scoring for either team in the second half in a game played dreary conditions.
It put ball security at a premium.
Eddie Lacy fumbled deep in Bears territory in the second quarter after getting hit from behind. Cutler cashed in on Chicago's next drive by finding Zack Miller for a 3-yard touchdown pass that tied it at 7 with 6:03 left in the half.
Lacy ran for 105 yards on 17 carries, and also scored on a 25-yard catch-and-run.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.