NFL is back with the oldest rivalry

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers

So Thursday night saw the start of a special season in the NFL as it celebrates its 100th season. The league is celebrating this by having a special game every week through the season with games that were significant in the NFL's history, the first of those was last night's opening game between the NFL's two oldest teams and the oldest rivalry in the league. The Green Bay Packers vs the Chicago Bears. The Packers are involved in 2 other special games this year as they take on the Oakland Raiders in week 7 and the Chiefs in week 8 as they played the same teams in the first 2 Super Bowls. And this season the road to the Super Bowl starts from Chicago and ends in Miami, Florida with Super Bowl 54. The game itself looked like something that Chicago's legendary Head Coach George Halas would enjoy

Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky

The teams are going for the playoffs but have had different offseasons. The Bears have got a new defensive coordinator in former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano after their old one Vic Fangio took the Denver Bronco's job. Meanwhile, the Packers head into a new era with Matt LaFleur becoming the new Head Coach. Ahead of the game, they had their usual pregame festivities with Meghan Trainor and NBC doing a big promo showing highlights of the history.

Normally opening night is when the defending champions get to start the season but because the League wanted to put the Bears/Packers game on opening night they decided to put the Patriots on the NFL's highest-rated game showing, NBC's own Sunday Night Football against Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then they end the week with a double-header on the 50th season of Monday Night Football, (Yes 50 years), with the Houston Texans against the New Orleans Saints and the Oakland Raiders taking on divisional rivals the Denver Broncos.

Before the game, the Bears brought out members of their legendary 1985 team that became famous not just in America but around the world. The Packers offence started first but the defence that became one of the best last year got back to work and knocked the packers out after 3 plays. Bears started with a fumble but quickly recovered the ball despite 2 Packers being there. The bears got a mini-drive going before it ended on the Packers 46 after a Blake Martinez sack on Mitchell Tribusky. The Bears defence again sacks Rodgers on their own 3-yard line.  The Bears got a field goal attempt with their new kicker Eddy Pineiro who came in off the back of what happened in the NFC Wild Card last year against the Eagles. His kick went through the posts which were a relief to all the Bears fans. He then did an error by kicking the ball out of bounds putting the ball on the 40-yard line after a penalty. The Packers still couldn't use the penalty to their advantage. The first quarter ended 3-0 Chicago.

1st Touchdown of the season

Rodgers showed his ability to hold on to the ball as he threw a 47-yard pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Packers scored the 1st touchdown of the season, off a Jimmy Graham catch, that made it 7-3 Green Bay. Despite that, the defences for both teams were on fire for the rest of the first half. On the stroke of halftime, Rodgers had a chance to do what his name became "King of the Hail Mary". It didn't work as it fell too short and it ended up at 7-3 Packers at halftime.

The Packers defence were showing off how good they were again forcing another 3 and out. Rodgers fumbled the ball on a run but recovered the ball quick. He then got sacked again. The 3rd quarter again was a defensive battle as they entered the 4th quarter and it became looking like the Super Bowl back in February, however, unlike the Super Bowl, we didn't have to wait until the 4th quarter for the touchdown. Green Bay used the first-ever pass interference challenge since it became a rule after the controversial call in last years NFC Championship. However, it got upheld.

Then came the most controversial moment of the game. The bears on a 1st and 30 got a first down on a 50-yard play but there was an offensive pass interference which put the drive on 1st and 40. Then came an incomplete pass, then on 2nd down there was another incomplete pass making 3rd and 40. They only get 4 chances to get a 1st down and now they only had 1 shot. They only got 9 yards and that left the Bears fans booing the offence off the field.

Former Bear Adrian Amos winning the game for the Packers

The packers then went on a 10 play drive going 73 yards and finished it off with a 39-yard attempt which Crosby converted to make it 10-3 Green Bay. The Bears then went on a drive of their own to tie the game. However the Packers defence, for years the weak link in the team, on the big play of the game made an interception by former Chicago Bear Adrian Amos.

The Packers decided to run the clock down, however, Rodgers nearly threw an interception to Kyle Fuller. Then the Bears couldn't get a drive and the Packers defence ended the game on a sack by Preston Smith. The Packers kneeled and beat the Bears which was big news considering the experts predicted Chicago to win.

Rodgers threw 18 completions for 203 yards and 1 touchdown. Aaron Jones was Green Bay's leading rusher with 39 yards of 13 rushes. But the big players were the defence with 37 tackles, 5 sacks and 1 interception. Chicago's Mitchell Trubisky ended with 26 completions for 228 yards and 1 interception. The Bears defence themselves had 40 tackles and 5 sacks themselves but didn't have an interception which was the difference in the game.

The NFL is back with a whimper but it'll get better and there will be more games on Sunday night.

KRO Mark