Love-Watson connection helps Packers take some revenge on Bears with a 31-7 rout

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Christian Watson caught two long touchdown passes from Jordan Love, MarShawn Lloyd also scored twice and the Green Bay Packers exacted a measure of revenge against the Chicago Bears by trouncing them 31-7 on Sunday.

Love went 25 of 31 for 367 yards, the highest total by a Packers quarterback against the Bears at Lambeau Field. He connected with Watson on a 42-yard touchdown in the first quarter and a 53-yarder in the third.

Green Bay had lost three of four to the Bears and blew a 21-3 halftime lead in a 31-27 NFC wild-card playoff loss at Chicago last season. Caleb Williams celebrated that come-from-behind victory by grating cheese on the field, poking fun at Green Bay’s Cheesehead fan base.

Williams missed a third straight game Sunday with a hamstring injury, and Tyson Bagent started in his place. Xavier McKinney intercepted two passes from Bagent as the Packers forced five turnovers.

Green Bay (3-2) moved over .500 for the first time this season.

Watson finished with six receptions for 143 yards. Matthew Golden added a career-high 123 yards receiving while matching a career best with six catches.

The Bears (3-2) were coming off wins over the Philadelphia Eagles with Case Keenum at quarterback and the New York Jets with Bagent, but they never threatened Green Bay.

Bagent went 12 of 21 for 87 yards. Keenum took over early in the fourth quarter and went 10 of 15 for 101 yards with an interception and a fumble. Chicago turned the ball over on four straight second-half possessions.

Green Bay took command early by flipping the script on the Bears, who entered the day leading the NFL in average time of possession. The Packers, who had been ranked next-to-last in time of possession, outgained the Bears 130 yards to 9 in the first quarter while controlling the ball for 11 minutes, 45 seconds.

Watson's first touchdown capped a 91-yard drive on Green Bay’s first possession. Two plays later, McKinney's first interception gave Green Bay the ball at Chicago’s 45-yard line.

Lloyd capped Green Bay’s ensuing possession by running over Jaylon Johnson and scoring from 7 yards out on the first play of the second quarter. It was the first career TD run for Lloyd, who scored on a 6-yard reception against the Jets on Sept. 20.

The Packers didn’t get a single first down on any of their next three series as the Bears cut Green Bay’s lead to 14-7 when D'Andre Swift scored from 1 yard out on fourth-and-goal.

Green Bay regained control after halftime.

One play after an offensive pass-interference penalty on J. Michael Sturdivant wiped out a 43-yard completion that would have given him his first career touchdown, Watson scored for the second time. Watson was well covered, but he made the catch by reaching his arms over the helmet of safety Dillon Thieneman, whose back was to the play.

One disappointment for Green Bay was the performance of rookie kicker Trey Smack, who had gone 6 of 7 on field-goal attempts in the Packers' first four games. Smack made a 35-yarder Sunday but missed from 43 and 47 yards and sent an extra-point attempt wide left.

Bears: RB Kyle Monangai (toe, thumb), Chicago's leading rusher, did not play. LB T.J. Edwards left with a hamstring injury in the first half. DL Dayo Odeyingbo (quadriceps), CB Tyrique Stevenson (hamstring) and DB Cam Lewis got hurt in the second half.

Packers: WR Skyy Moore hurt an ankle in the first half and didn't return. CB Benjamin St-Juste injured a hamstring in the second half. DT Javon Hargrave got injured late in the fourth quarter.

Falcons: At New Orleans on Monday, Oct. 5.

Packers: At Tampa Bay on Oct. 4.

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