Packers Bid Topseed Hopes Goodbye With 35-7 Loss To Bears

Chicago, IL (AHN) - The Bears took advantage of a chilly and windy afternoon at Soldier Field as Chicago baffled Brett Favre and prevented Green Bay from booking the homefield advantage in the playoffs with a 35-7 crushing on Sunday.

Chicago scored on every opportunity possible, passing and rushing to the end zone and intercepting Favre twice, including one from Brian Urlacher that sealed the Packers' hopes of gaining NFC control in the playoffs.

While the Packers were in dire search of homefield edge for the postseason, the Bears found them in the friendly confines of their own field. With gusty winds providing bone-chilling effect on a 16-degree afternoon, Favre struggled from his angle all game long, finishing 17-of-32 for 153 yards and zero touchdowns.

The much-maligned Bears defense liked their matchup all too well.

It was Chicago's second win of the season against their division rivals and the defense sacked Favre once and picked him off twice. Running back Adrian Peterson got the offense going with an eight-yard touchdown run in the second period and Kyle Orton provided the steady nerves from the air, finding Desmond Clark for another score early in the third.

The Bears also got huge help from their defense, with Corey Graham returning a score after Chicago blocked a punt attempt from Jon Ryan. And the Bears completed the rout with Favre's fourth-quarter interception from Urlacher, the famed linebacker's first pickoff return for a touchdown in his career.

Green Bay came to the Windy City aiming to nail the top seed in the NFC and with Dallas' 20-13 win over Carolina on Saturday, the pressure was early on for Favre and company. Ryan Grant, who rushed for 100 yards, had them in the right track, pulling the Packers to a 7-6 lead after two field goals by Robbie Gould, with a 66-yard to the end zone, late in the second period.

But the Packers (12-3) could not score any further, collapsed against the snowy weather and stumbled to their worst beating of the season. The loss relegated them to no. 2 in the NFC but with a first-round bye, putting next week's season-ending game against Detroit all but academic.

Chicago (6-9), which also won at Green Bay 27-20 back in Week 5, had been knocked out of the playoffs race since two weeks ago when it lost 24-16 against Washington. The defending NFC champions, who host New Orleans next week, are assured of finishing last in the North division.