Packer Blog: McCarthy, ” I’d Rather Be Known For Defense”

September 14, 2012

GREEN BAY, WI – SEPTEMBER 13: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers talks with head coach Mike McCarthy during a timeout in the first half against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field on September 13, 2012 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Big win for Green Bay Packers and their fans with a GREAT performance by the Packs Defense.

PACKERS TOP BEARS, 23-10
- Green Bay beat Chicago, 23-10, on Thursday night at Lambeau Field to improve to 1-1 on the season.
- It marked the fifth straight win for the Packers over the Bears (including playoffs), their longest winning streak against Chicago since a seven-game streak from 2000-03.
- Green Bay has now won eight consecutive regular-season NFC North games, which matches the longest divisional winning streak in team history (since league went to a divisional format in 1967). The Packers also had eight-game winning streaks in the division in 1996-97 and 2001-02.
- The Packers are now 16-3 in regular-season NFC North games at Lambeau Field under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, an .842 winning percentage that ranks No. 1 in the league at home since 2006.
- Green Bay has won 20 of its last 22 regular-season games at Lambeau Field and 18 of its last 20 regular-season games overall.
- With the win tonight, the Packers improved to 9-3 (.750) in prime-time games since 2009.
- Next up for Green Bay is another prime-time contest. The Packers travel to Seattle for their road opener on Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. (CDT), the 20th straight season that Green Bay will appear on Monday Night Football.
OTHER POST-GAME NOTES
- Tonight’s paid attendance was 70,543. It was the 304th consecutive sellout (287 regular season, 17 playoffs) at Lambeau Field.
- Green Bay’s 168 total yards allowed were the fewest given up vs. Chicago since the Packers allowed 141 yards vs. the Bears on Oct. 17, 1991.

Good comments from Coach McCarthy.

GREEN BAY PACKERS HEAD COACH MIKE McCARTHY:
(on what it means for the defense to play like they did tonight) “Well, we want to play great defense, obviously. I had a conversation with B.J. Raji at the hotel last night, and we’re talking about playing defense. He’s a Pro Bowl player and the team is noted for offense. I said well, ‘frankly, I’d rather be known for defense.’ And I’ve always stated that. I mean, we have a great quarterback and we have a very good offense. We feel like we’re building, we’re building something special with this defense. I thought our younger players that got an opportunity to play today we were very productive. I thought Clay was off the charts, just with the energy and the production he brought. That defense really flew around tonight. Like all of us, we got kicked in the butt four days ago and we were motivated to improve as a team. I felt like we did that today. It’s one win. It’s a division win, especially not playing division games until later in the season, we feel good about ourselves. Until midnight.”