Cheese curds, 9/6: Packers defense becomes story after offense dominates offseason

The Green Bay Packers left the Windy City with a victory over the Chicago Bears, but it came in an unfamiliar form. After years of living and dying by their offense, the Packers won a game on the strength of their defense.

But that statement undersells the Packers’ 10-3 victory over the Bears. For the first time in four years, Green Bay went on the road and held an opponent to three points or fewer. Looking outside the raw numbers, Thursday’s showing might ranks as their most impressive road game defensively since holding the New York Jets scoreless in 2010.

So after an offseason of litigating audibles, the defense now commands the headlines.

Packers’ defense carries load as LaFleur-Rodgers offense starts slow | ESPN

Many expected the Packers’ new offensive scheme to take time to click. Even so, few could have expected just 10 points out of the unit in its regular-season debut. If not for Mike Pettine’s excellent job calling the defense, the season opener could have developed into a one-sided affair.

Packers know ‘run game needs to be better,’ and confident it will | Packers News

Outside of a few consecutive plays in the third quarter, the outside-zone runs that Matt LaFleur builds his offense around didn’t make it far. The Packers might have better luck against another defense, but they need to clean that up to become the high-flying offense they aspire to become.

Packers’ defense torments Trubisky, picks up slack for stumbling offense | Packers News

Not even Brian Gutekunst could have expected each of the three defensive stars he acquired this offseason to have such an immediate impact.

Bears offense sputters and Chicago falls behind the Packer in 10-3 season opener loss | Windy City Gridiron

”Adrian Amos finally figures out how to get an interception. Too little too late boo boo.”