A Legend is Born...
Last season Quarterback Aaron Rodgers did everything right while leading the Green Bay Packers to a dismal 6-10 record. Everything, that is, except lead a game-winning drive late in the game. He had several opportunities and came up short each time.
So when the Chicago Bears took a two point lead with just over two minutes to play Sunday night, there were likely more than a few restless cheeseheads muttering "here we go again".
The prime-time stage was set for either heroism or failure.
Rodgers rose to the challenge and threw a beautiful 50 yard bomb to receiver Greg Jennings on third-and-1 to give the Packers a 19-15 lead. Rodgers and Jennings hooked up one play later to add the 2-point conversion and make it 21-15.
With 1:11 still remaining, the Packer defense, which had sparkled all game, forcing Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler to 3 interceptions, had its first chance of the season to produce a meaningful stop.
Cornerback Al Harris picked off Cutler on the first play of the drive to seal the victory for Green Bay.
What a difference a year makes.
While watching the fourth quarter unfold, Packer fans must felt as though they'd seen this before. Seven times last year the Packers let late-game leads slip away with shoddy defense and a quarterback who seemed to go cold as soon as the game clock ticked under four minutes.
Sunday's game proved to be just the opposite. The defense dominated for much of the night. Cutler's four interceptions could have easily been six or seven had Tramon Williams and Nick Collins held onto balls thrown right at them.
The defensive line put almost constant pressure on Cutler forcing him into bad decisions and Dom Capers' array of blitzes had the quarterback off balance all night.
With the game on the line on a warm and muggy September night, the defensive generated one last big play to seal the victory. Something they were unable to do last season.
Rodgers, who missed on several passes and big play opportunities throughout the night, connected on the one play that counted the most, a complete 180 from a year ago.
You never really know when you're witnessing history, but years from now Packer fans may look back to opening night 2009 against the hated Bears and remember it as the day a new Packer legend was born.
