Packerstats 2018: Game 1, 24-23 win over Chicago Bears
PACKERSTATS-Game #1-2018 season
Written and Compiled by Jerry Tapp
Here are some of the numbers that helped define the Packers 24-23 win over the Chicago Bears on September 9.
- The Packers have now won nine of their last 11 games against the Bears at Lambeau Field.
- This was the fifth regular season game in the long series with the Bears that the game was decided by one point. The Packers have won each of those five one-point games. The last one-point game in the series was back in 1997, a 24-23 win by the Packers.
- Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky had a 77.2 Passer Rating in the game. The highest passer rating of a Bears QB in a game at Lambeau Field is 124.4 by Jim Harbaugh in a contest in 1990 won by the Bears 31-13.
- The Bears scored first in the game, but it was the sixth straight time that the Bears scored first in a game against the Packers and lost that contest.
- The Packers were scoreless in the first half. The team is now 5-19 in games versus the Bears when they do not score in the first two quarters. Since 2000, Green Bay is 6-13 in regular season games when they are held scoreless in the first half.
- Green Bay QBs were sacked four times in the game. Green Bay is 56-133-3 (.299 winning percentage) in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) when they allow four or more sacks in a game
- The Pack was behind 17-0 at halftime. It was only the third time in 17 games since 2000 that the Packers have won a game where they were behind by 17 or more points at halftime. They are 5-48-1 (.102 winning percentage) in regular season games in the Super Bowl era where they are behind by 17 or more points at half.
- This was the first time in Packers history that they won a regular season game where they were behind by 17 or more points going into the fourth quarter. They had been 0-104 in those games prior to the win over the Bears.
- The Packers tallied 21 points in the fourth quarter, the 16th time since 1966 that they did so. They are now 14-2 in games where they score 21 or more points in the fourth quarter of a regular season game.
- Randall Cobb had nine catches for 142 yards (and the game-winning TD). The 142 yards receiving were a career-high.
- It was the fifth time in Cobb’s career that he had nine or more catches and more than 100 yards receiving in a game.
- The 142 yards for Cobb was the third-highest receiving yards by a Packers player in the opening game of the season in team history. The highest total is 165 yards receiving by Billy Howton in Game One of the 1957 season. James Lofton had 154 yards receiving for the Pack in the first game of the 1983 campaign.
- Aaron Rodgers had three TD passes in a game for the 59th time in his career. He ranks sixth all-time in this category behind Peyton Manning (93), Drew Brees (80), Tom Brady (78), Brett Favre (72) and Dan Marino (62). Rodgers is now four three-TD games behind Favre, who had 63 such games with the Packers.
- Rodgers had three TD passes and no interceptions, the 42nd time in his career that he has done that. He ranks fourth all-time in this stat behind Brady (55), Manning (51) and Brees (43).
- Rodgers had a Passer Rating of 130.7, the fifth time in his career that he had a Passer Rating above 130 against the Bears. The Packers are now 26-1 in regular season games when Rodgers has a Passer Rating above 130.
Packers Numbers Crunches: Wild Card Game versus the Giants
Here are some of the numbers that helped define the Packers 38-13 playoff win over the New York Giants on January 8. (All stats are playoff stats unless otherwise noted.)
- The Packers are now 17-5 in home playoff games. They are 6-5 at home in the playoffs since 2000 and have now won three of their last four.
- Since 2001, the Packers have won the coin toss in a playoff game 11 times and are 7-4 in those games. They have won the last three playoff games in which they have won the coin toss.
- The Giants scored first in the game. Green Bay is 12-10 in playoff games since 1965 when the opponents score first; they are 9-5 at home and 3-5 on the road in these games.
- Green Bay was held scoreless in the first quarter. They are 10-7 in playoff contests when they do not score in the first quarter, 6-3 at home, 4-4 on the road.
- Aaron Rodgers was sacked five times in the game. You would think that would not be a good omen; however, the Pack is 4-1 in playoff games when their QB is sacked five or more times.
- The Pack had a 14-6 lead at halftime. In playoff games where they have a lead of seven points or more at halftime, the team is 22-3. They have now won seven of their last eight of these games.
- Randall Cobb had three TD receptions. It was only the second time in Packers history that a player had three TD receptions in a playoff game. Sterling Sharpe had three on Jan. 8, 1994 (did you notice it’s the same date!) in Green Bay’s 28-24 win over Detroit.
- Aaron Rodgers had four TD passes for the second time in a playoff game in his career (the other game was Green Bay’s 51-45 loss to Arizona on January 10, 2010). The other Green Bay QBs to have four TD passes in a single playoff game were Bart Starr and Lynn Dickey.
- Rodgers’ Quarterback Rating (QBR) for the contest was 125.2. It was his seventh playoff game with a QBR over 100; Brett Favre leads the team with nine. It was Rodgers’ fifth playoff game with a QBR over 120, most on the Packers team. In fact, Rodgers’ five playoff games with a QBR over 120 are tied with Joe Montana for the most in NFL history.
- With four TD passes, 350+ yards passing and no interceptions, Rodgers became only the fourth QB in league history to have a 4-350-0 game in the playoffs. The others: Peyton Manning, Alex Smith and Kurt Warner.
- The Packers were ahead 24-13 going into the fourth quarter. Green Bay is now 15-3 in playoff games where they score 24 or more points before the start of the fourth quarter.
- Green Bay had an 11-point lead going into the fourth quarter; they are 19-0 in playoff games when they have a lead of 10 or more points going into the fourth quarter.
- Davante Adams and Randall Cobb both had over 100 yards receiving in the game. It was the fourth playoff game in Packers history where two receivers gained over 100 yards in a playoff game. Adams and Cobb did in on Jan. 11, 2015, Jermichael Finley and Greg Jennings did it on Jan. 10, 2010 and Robert Brooks and Keith Jackson did it on Jan. 6, 1996.
- Green Bay had over 400 total yards in the game and is now 5-4 in playoff games when they gain 400 or more total yards in the contest.
- The Pack had two takeaways and is now 22-9 in playoff games when they get two or more takeaways in a post-season game. They also had zero turnovers in the game and are 12-1 in playoff contests when they do not turn over the ball.
- Green Bay had 34:31 minutes time of possession in the game and is now 6-0 in playoff games when they have the ball for 34 minutes or more (in a non-overtime game).
- They are now 15-2 in playoff games when they score 30 or more points. They are 22-2 when they hold the opposition to under 20 points in a playoff game.
Randall Cobb: Running superstar?
Green Bay Packers fans were pleased when the team found a way to keep free agent Randall Cobb on the team. It keeps the 1-2 receiving combination of Jordy Nelson and Cobb intact for another season (and more).
But did you know that Cobb’s ability to run the ball is one of the most unknown stats in the NFL? From my just-completed book, “250 Stats Every Packers Fan Needs to Know,” here’s stat #55…
“Did you know that Packers receiver Randall Cobb is among the best in NFL history when it comes to running the ball? Of players who have carried the ball 25 or more times in their career, Cobb has averaged 9.3 yards per carry (27 carries for 252 yards). That ranks fifth all-time. Louis Lipps has the best yards-per-carry average in NFL history with 13.9. Cobb is one of only seven players in NFL history with a per carry average over nine yards. Cobb obviously leads the Packers in that category with his 9.3 average. Ranking second is James Lofton (7.9 yards per carry), followed by Donald Driver (6.4 yards per carry) and Joe Francis (6.1 yards per carry).”
Cobb had 11 carries last season for only 37 yards, a mediocre 3.3 yards per carry average. But the team may want to find creative ways to get him the ball in a running play much like they did in 2012 and 2013 when he carried the ball 14 times for 210 yards, an average of 15 yards per carry.
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Packers showcase NFL’s only four-headed weapon in 2014
One-half of Green Bay’s four-headed weapon
Imagine an NFL team with a QB who throws for 4,000 yards, a running back who reaches the 1,000-yard mark for the season, and two (not one, but two) receivers who gain 1,000 or more yards in the same season. That would be a pretty impressive offensive unit.
The 2014 Green Bay Packers were the only team to have four players reach these milestones together. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers had 4,381 yards passing; running back Eddie Lace gained 1,139 yards rushing for the season; and receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb each went over the 1,000-mark in receiving yards for the season. They became the 22nd team since 1966 to have a 1,000-yard running back, two 1,000-yard receivers and a 4,000-yard QB. For the Pack, it was the fifth time since ’66 that they had four players reach these numbers in a season, most in the NFL.
Here are the Green Bay players who reached these milestones for the Packers in those five seasons.
2014: Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb
2009: Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Grant, Greg Jennings and Donald Driver
2008: Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Grant, Greg Jennings and Donald Driver
2004: Brett Favre, Ahman Green, Javon walker and Donald Driver
1998: Brett Favre, Dorsey Levens, Antonio Freeman and Bill Schroeder
Following is a look at the teams that had a season with a QB with 4,000-plus passing yards, a running back with 1,000-plus rushing yards, and two receivers each with 1,000-plus receiving yards.
5: Green Bay (2014, 2009, 2008, 2004, 1999)
4: St. Louis (2006, 2001, 1999, 1989)
2: Denver (2013, 2004)
2: Indianapolis (2006, 2004)
1: Atlanta (1995)
1: Buffalo (2002)
1: Cincinnati (2006)
1: Detroit (1995)
1: Minnesota (1994)
1: Pittsburgh (2009)
1: San Diego (1981)
1: San Francisco (1998)
1: Washington (1986)
Four of the above teams made it to the Super Bowl that season: St. Louis, 1999; St. Louis, 2001; Indianapolis, 2006; Denver, 2013.
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Packers trio nears TD milestone
With his first quarter rushing TD versus the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night, Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy scored his 10th TD of the season (he later scored #11 on a pass from Aaron Rodgers). Lacy joined fellow Packers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb as Green Bay players who have scored 10 or more TDs this season. (Nelson now has 12 for the year, Cobb has 10.)
This Packers trio joined an elite group of players/teams that have had three players score 10-plus TDs in a season, becoming the 13th team in football history to do so. The Denver Broncos joined this club last year, but they did it in record fashion: The Broncos had five players who scored 10 or more TDs last season (Eric Decker, 11; Knowshon Moreno, 13; Demaryius Thomas, 14; Julius Thomas, 12 and Wes Welker, 10).
Here’s a look at the teams that have had three (or more) players score 10-plus TDs in a season.
San Francisco, 1948: Alyn Beals (14), Joe Perry (12), Johnny Strzykalski (11)
Houston (AFL), 1961: Billy Cannon (15), Bill Groman (18), Charley Hennigan (12)
Cleveland, 1969: Gary Collins (11), LeRoy Kelly (1)0, Paul Warfield (10)
Miami, 1986: Mark Clayton (10), Mark Duper (11), Lorenzo Hampton (12)
Denver, 1998: Terrell Davis (23), Ed McCaffrey (10), Shannon Sharpe (10)
Minnesota, 1998: Cris Carter (12), Leroy Hoard (10), Randy Moss (17)
Minnesota, 1999: Cris Carter (13), Leroy Hoard (10), Randy Moss (12)
Indianapolis, 2004: Marvin Harrison (15), Brandon Stockley (10), Reggie Wayne (12)
Indianapolis, 2007: Joseph Addai (15), Dallas Clark (11), Reggie Wayne (10)
Arizona, 2008: Anquan Boldin (11), Larry Fitzgerald (12), Tim Hightower (10)
Indianapolis, 2009: Joseph Addai (13), Dallas Clark (10), Reggie Wayne (10)
Denver, 2013: Eric Decker (11), Knowshon Moreno (13), Demaryius Thomas (14), Julius Thomas (12), Wes Welker (10)
Green Bay, 2014: Randall Cobb (10), Eddie Lacy (11), Jordy Nelson (12)
With three games remaining this season, the Packers trio of Cobb, Lacy and Nelson could establish some new marks for TDs. If each player gets 12-plus TDs for the season, they would become only the third team to have three players with 12-plus TDs in a season (joining 1961 AFL Houston and the 2013 Denver Broncos). Should they each reach 13 touchdowns, they would become the first team in NFL history to have three players on a team reach 13 or more TDs in a season.
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