ekansekans's blog: "df"

CHICAGO -- With one championship under their belt, the Green Bay Packers are already eyeing a few others. Aaron Rodgers connected with James Jones on all three touchdowns, Clay Matthews continued his dominance of Jay Cutler with two more sacks and Green Bay clinched its second straight NFC North title with a 21-13 victory over the archrival Chicago Bears on Sunday. After starting the season 2-3, the Packers are showing signs they might have a run in them like the one that carried them to the Super Bowl title two years ago. They have assured themselves of a home playoff game and, at 10-4, are still in the running for the No. 2 seed in the NFC. "Were just getting started," coach Mike McCarthy said. "We feel that way as a football team. We feel theres a lot better football in front of us." Chicago, meanwhile, continues to slide. This was the Bears fifth loss in six games, and theyre in danger of missing the playoffs after beginning the season 7-1. Chicago (8-6) lost ground in the race for the last wild-card spot, and fans at Soldier Field showered the team with boos for much of the game. Cutler had another dismal day against the Packers, throwing an interception that led to the game-winning touchdown. Hes been picked off 17 times by the Packers, including 10 in his last five games. Alshon Jeffery was whistled for three offensive pass interference calls, all late in the second half when the Bears were scratching to get something going. Brandon Marshall had Chicagos only touchdown, but had just 56 yards receiving. The Bears were held to 67 yards of offence in the second half and finished with 190, their third-lowest of the season. The Packers have now won six straight against their rivals to the south. "Everybody involved in this offence should be held accountable, even if that means jobs," said Marshall, who struggled to compose himself as he spoke before cutting short his post-game interview. "Its been this way all year. Theres no excuse. We still have two games left. Theres still hope, but at the same time, we need to be held accountable." It was Marshall who turned the heat up on what is already the NFLs oldest -- and fiercest -- rivalry earlier in the week, saying hed never disliked a team as much as he did the Packers. Green Bay had held him to 24 yards on two catches in their first meeting back in September, and the NFLs receptions leader called the rematch "personal," adding, "But the talk, you have to back it up. Well go out there and well do everything we need to do to get a win." Marshall did his part early, firing up the Chicago sideline when he sidestepped one tackle and stiff-armed Casey Hayward on his way to the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown that gave Chicago a 7-0 lead. He screamed as he tossed the ball into the stands, and his teammates and the crowd roared in approval. Joe Anderson fueled the frenzy when he body-slammed Randall Cobb on the ensuing kickoff, and the Bears appeared to be firmly in control. But overcoming adversity has become second nature to the Packers with the season theyve had, and this game was no different. "We dont try to trash talk," cornerback Sam Shields said. "When we get on the field we trash talk, but not in the paper. We let our actions show on the field." Over the final 4:19 of the second quarter, the Packers went from a 7-0 deficit to a 14-7 lead thanks to a pair of Rodgers-to-Jones TDs sandwiched around a Hayward pick. "That was important. That was really important," Rodgers said of the 14-point swing. "We couldnt them get up a couple scores and get into what they wanted to do, which it looked like they wanted to run (Matt) Forte a lot. Getting ahead of them kind of took them out of some of that stuff." Having already been sacked twice, Rodgers was on the run again on third-and-6 when he spotted Cobb down the right sideline. He threw a dart to Cobb, who hauled it in for a 31-yard gain that put the Packers at the Chicago 35. Three plays later, Rodgers connected with Jones for a 29-yard score that tied the game at 7. After exchanging punts, Cutler looked for Devin Hester only to find Hayward instead. It was the sixth interception of the season for the rookie, who grabbed the ball at midfield and returned it 24 yards. Five plays later, Rodgers hooked up with Jones again, this time for an 8-yard TD. The Packers made it 21 unanswered points on the first drive of the second half. In another third-and-long situation, Rodgers threw incomplete to Jermichael Finley. But Green Bay got a second chance when Chris Conte was called for pass interference and, after a delay of game penalty, Rodgers found Jones for a 6-yard score. It was Jones first three-touchdown game and the fourth multiple-TD game of his career. "You dont want to lose to your rival year in and year out. Its not a rival. Its a domination," Cutler said. "Weve got to find a way, but thats in the past. Arizonas up next, weve just got to focus on that." The Bears had chances to get back into it. Green Bays Mason Crosby missed two more field goals, and Charles Tillman forced a fumble by Ryan Grant that Nick Roach recovered. Chicago got a big break on the next play when Green Bay safety Morgan Burnett hauled Jeffery down right in front of the end zone -- and right in front of an official. The pass interference penalty gave Chicago the ball at the Green Bay 1. But the Bears could only get a 34-yard field goal by Olindo Mare out of it after Jeffery was called for pass interference, his first of three. NOTES: Matthews has eight sacks of Cutler in as many games. ... The Bears sacked Rodgers three times, with Peppers and Corey Wooton each being credited with 1 1/2. ... Despite two more misses by Crosby, his 11th and 12th this year, McCarthy said the Packers will not be looking for a new kicker. "Were not changing kickers. Write that down right now," McCarthy said. "Hes our guy." ... Randall Cobb had 150 all-purpose yards, leaving him 10 shy of Ahman Greens single-season Packers record (2,250 in 2003). Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . The former Red Sox catcher and Kansas City Royals manager was interviewed on Monday, an off day in the AL championship series between the Yankees and the Detroit Tigers. Cheap NHL Jerseys . The National Football Foundation announced on ESPN that Detmer will be part of a class of 14 former players and three former coaches who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in December. http://www.azulvirtual.org/hot.html . Gonzalez was signed to a minor league deal in early May. After making one appearances with Triple-A Syracuse, the Nationals felt the left-hander was ready to contribute in the big leagues and selected his contract from Syracuse on Sunday.FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The Terminator has been terminated. New York Jets fullback John Conner, whose nickname came from one of the main characters from the popular Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, has been waived by the team with an injury settlement Wednesday. Conner, the Jets fifth-round draft pick in 2010, has been dealing with knee and hamstring injuries all season. Coach Rex Ryan says the Jets made the move because tthey needed the roster spot, adding that Conner could potentially be back.dddddddddddd Recently signed fullback Lex Hilliard has also done a nice job filling in for Conner, helping Shonn Greene rush for a career-high 161 yards Sunday against Indianapolis. The Jets signed linebacker Marcus Dowtin, an undrafted free agent from North Alabama, from the practice squad to take Conners roster spot. ' ' '