MVN: Most Valuable Network

Matt Forte was supposed to be the back that flourished in the renewal of the oldest rivalry in professional football. Aaron Rodgers was supposed to be the guy that carried the Green Bay Packers to victory.

With the Packers injuries piling up and the wind blowing at Lambeau Field, the conditions were ripe for the Chicago Bears to all but knock the Packers out of the playoffs. Both teams would have to rely more on their running game, and the Bears defense had just held the Tennessee Titans to 20 yards on 29 carries; the Packers had just yielded over 200 yards for the second time this season and have given up an average of over 150 yards per game.

Ryan Grant and the much-maligned Packers offensive line had other ideas. Grant ran the ball for 145 yards on 25 carries (5.8 average) and a touchdown, including 105 yards in the first half when the Packers took control of the game with a 17-3 lead. It was only Grant's second 100-yard game this season, and the other required over 30 carries to reach.

In addition, the Packers defense held the Bears to 84 yards on 20 carries (4.2 average), only the second game in which their opponents didn't run for 100 yards; the other two were against the two worst rushing attacks in the league, the Lions and Colts. Matt Forte finished with 16 carries for 64 yards (4.0 average), and no Bear had a run of over 10 yards.

Kyle Orton was mediocre, going 13-26 (.500) for 133 yards before being pulled in favour of Rex Grossman after a very Grossman-like fumble. He simply dropped a shotgun snap that Jason Hunter recovered and returned for a touchdown, setting a franchise record ninth defensive touchdown and sealing the victory. Grossman was 4-7 (.571) for 26 yards in relief of Orton.

Green Bay rarely blitzed, but they got the only sack (Charles Woodson) when they did. There was constant pressure on Orton, however, a difficult thing for him to handle with his bad ankle.

Aaron Rodgers did play well, going 23-30 (.767) for 227 yards and two touchdowns against only one interception and no sacks. He also completed passes to nine different receivers, but he was little-used at times, passing just once on seven plays in a Packer drive that culminated in Grant's touchdown.

Even when Grant went to the bench shaken up, Brandon Jackson picked up right where his teammate left off; he finished the game with 10 rushes and 50 yards. Overall, the Packers had 38 rushes and 200 yards (5.2 average).

Mason Crosby had a 53-yard field goal among his three for the day. One was also an ill-advised 45-yarder with under two minutes to go and a 34-3 lead; who are we, the Patriots? We have to play these guys again...but that is the only complaint I have in this contest.

(I originally wrote this article for Bleacher Report.)