GREEN BAY, Wis. — Bears fans have prayed for years that, if their favorite team couldn’t dispatch of Aaron Rodgers, perhaps Father Time could. While age has gained on the Packers quarterback, as it does us all, this year’s team has proven that an offense led by the 36-year-old quarterback doesn’t have to be based around his otherworldly skills. His franchise doubled down on defense and a running game during the offseason, giving Rodgers the margin of error he’d lacked since the Packers last made the playoffs three years ago.
That was the storyline, at least, fed to fans like fried fish on Fridays.