It’s time for some images from last Sunday night’s Bears vs. Packers game — the 2018 season-opener. We were up for the whole weekend, but we’ll stick to just game-day here, except for the photo above, which was taken on Saturday afternoon outside Lambeau Field. We had never seen this particular fan vehicle before... so kudos to them for originality.
Here we are walking to the stadium on Sunday afternoon (it was a 7:20 p.m. start). There is a definite “buzz” around Lambeau Field on the day of a home game.
The dinner view while eating a bratwurst and watching the stadium come alive with all that happens before the game begins.
Standing along the west side of the field, behind the Packers’ bench area.
The NBC pre-game show being done on the east side of the field, at the north end of the Chicago Bears’ bench area.
K Mason Crosby (#2) practicing field goals at the north end.
Packers’ GM Brian Gutekunst (in blue sport coat) talking on the sideline prior to the first game of the team he has shaped since January 7, 2018.
Packers’ equipment on the sideline.
QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) comes out for pre-game warm-ups.
WR Randall Cobb (#18) catches passes next to QB Aaron Rodgers (#12).
Members of the Bears’ offensive line get limbered up in the north end zone.
The sideline area gets crowded.
We wanted to re-hang this banner for them.
Fans pass a “100 Seasons” flag through the stands.
The Packers stand at attention for the national anthem.
The first coin toss of the 2018 season.
The first kickoff of the 2018 season.
The first huddle of the 2018 season.
The first hand-off/run of the 2018 season.
The first scramble of the 2018 season.
O.K., that’s enough of the “firsts”... but here is the defense lining up to try and keep the Bears from scoring.
The Bears are knocking on the door of the north end zone. This would be a game not of who scored first, but who scored last.
Bears’ QB Mitchell Trubisky (#10) dives in for the Bears’ first six points.
The Packers’ special teams unit prepares to come out for the kickoff.
RB Ty Montgomery (#88) chats with Referee Carl Cheffers, a 19-year veteran NFL official.
QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) drops back to pass.
Bears’ QB Mitchell Trubisky (#10) senses pressure from DL Mike Daniels (#76) and gets moving.
The Bears huddle.
And then it happened. QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) goes down with a knee injury in the first quarter. The uneasy (and frankly, queasy) crowd was thinking, “In the first quarter of the first game? Is this happening?”
QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) walks off the field with the medical staff. For the rest of the half, there was no word on the injury, his condition, or the prospects of his return — to the game or for the rest of the season.
Rookie P J.K. Scott (#6) gets one off safely in his first NFL game.
Crowd instructions #1.
The view from the north end zone.
Above and below, second-string QB DeShone Kizer (#9) takes over after Rodgers’ injury.
DL Muhammad Wilkerson (#96) just misses batting down a Trubisky pass.
Bears P Pat O’Donnell (#16) gets a kick away.
Crowd instructions #2.
WR Randall Cobb (#18) makes one of his nine receptions in the game.
WR Randall Cobb (#18) and WR Davante Adams (#17) line up on the left side.
RB Jamaal Williams (#30) sees a wide hole in front of him.
RB Jamaal Williams (#30) is stopped by two members of the Bears’ defense.
There was great joy when QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) returned for the second half. Here he glances to the right to look for a receiver.
The Chicago Bears’ bench.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy checks his tablet while the defense is on the field.
DE Dean Lowry (#94) has two men to go through on his way toward the QB.
QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) watches the video board in the north end zone.
QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) looks to pass in a crowded pocket.
Crowd instructions #3.
WR Randall Cobb (#18) awaits a kick off.
Waiting around during a television time out.
TE Jimmy Graham (#80) provides blocking for WR Randall Cobb (#18).
QB Aaron Rodgers (#12), less mobile following the knee incident, does not let that stop him from making precise throws during “the comeback.”
Crowd instructions #4.
Three photos from the sequence that provided the Packers’ go-ahead score. WR Randall Cobb (#18) races towards the south end zone.
QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) is interviewed on NBC after the thrilling comeback from a 20-0 deficit.
QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) walks to the Packers’ tunnel.
Can’t see this enough.
Your Packerville, U.S.A. editor (left) and his guest enjoyed a game that will perhaps be talked about for decades to come.
The Monday morning Green Bay newspaper’s front page.
The game program cover for the season-opener featured #12. How fitting indeed.
Other photos: Associated Press; Green Bay Packers.
