‘Disgusting cheapshot’ overshadows Packers win against Bears

IN TROUBLING scenes in Friday’s Packers-Bears NFL game, Davante Adams was floored by a sickening shot to the head.

Davante Adams lays on the field after being injured in the third quarter against the Chicago Bears.

AARON Rodgers threw four touchdown passes and the injury-riddled Green Bay Packers converted three turnovers into scores in an eventful 35-14 victory over the mistake-prone Chicago Bears on Friday (AEST).

Rodgers connected with Davante Adams and Randall Cobb on short touchdown passes to help build a 21-0 lead in the second quarter of a game delayed 45 minutes by lightning between the first two quarters. The Packers overpowered the Bears down the stretch to slog out a win as intermittent rain fell at Lambeau Field.

The Packers lost two more key players to injuries. Adams left the field on a stretcher after getting hit in the head during a tackle by Danny Trevathan in the third quarter.

This hit on DaVante Adams is awful. Vicious.Hopefully it's nothing major. Absolute cheap shot.

He's being taken off on a stretcher. pic.twitter.com/KpFFpk6KQY

— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) September 29, 2017

Running back Ty Montgomery was knocked out in the first quarter with a chest injury. But the Packers capitalised on an awful start by Bears quarterback Mike Glennon, who accounted for four turnovers.

Glennon fumbled on his first snap on a strip sack by Clay Matthews. Rodgers hit Cobb for a 2-yard touchdown pass three plays later for a 7-0 lead. The rout was on.

Glennon fumbled on his next series, too, but the Packers couldn’t score on that drive.

It was only a matter of time because the mistakes kept mounting.

Glennon threw his second interception with 2:54 left in the third quarter. Six plays later, receiver Jordy Nelson caught his second touchdown pass, an 8-yarder from Rodgers, to make it a 28-point lead.

Rodgers was 18/26 for 179 yards. He picked apart the Bears on short, quick passes, a game plan in part necessitated by a patchwork offensive line. The Packers played without starting tackles David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga, and their three backup tackles are already on injured reserve.

The injury to Adams cast a pall late in the third quarter. The game was delayed for about 5 minutes while medical personnel tended to the receiver, who gave a thumbs-up signal as he was wheeled off the field.

The Packers said Adams was conscious and taken to a hospital for evaluation for possible head and neck injuries, and that he had feeling in all of his extremities.

Hit on @tae15adams was a dirty, disgusting cheapshot. No other way to state it. https://t.co/o7dExcuiBQ

— Marek Warszawski (@MarekTheBee) September 29, 2017

Awful and 💔. @tae15adams later gave a 👍🏽 as he was carried off field. Thank God. 🙏🏽No room for this in the #NFL. #ThursdayNightFootball https://t.co/sUyEhqGIiF

— Carina Corral (@CorralCarina) September 29, 2017

Watching players you love have their future health destroyed has really soured the league for me. Hope Davante Adams is alright in the end.

— Travis Schlepp (@travischlepp) September 29, 2017

Oh man, that Davante Adams hit. That's reason number one why I won't let my kid play football.

— Travis Hay (@guerrillacandy) September 29, 2017

Green Bay at least gets a long weekend to rest after another costly week on the field. Both the Packers and Bears were coming off overtime wins Sunday.

For Chicago, questions from Bears fans will persist about whether coach John Fox should turn to No. 2 overall pick Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback following another lacklustre night for Glennon. He finished 21/33 for 216 yards and one touchdown.

Originally published as ‘Disgusting cheapshot’ overshadows Packers win against Bears