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Love and Watson lead Green Bay’s 31-7 rout of Chicago

Jordan Love threw for 367 yards and two long touchdowns to Christian Watson as Green Bay forced five turnovers at Lambeau Field. The win lifted the Packers to 3-2 and avenged last season’s playoff loss to Chicago.

Love and Watson lead Green Bay’s 31-7 rout of Chicago
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers turned a fast start and five takeaways into a 31-7 victory over the Bears on Sunday, with Jordan Love connecting twice with Christian Watson on long touchdown passes at Lambeau Field. Love completed 25 of 31 passes for 367 yards, the most by a Green Bay quarterback against Chicago at Lambeau Field. Watson caught six passes for 143 yards, including touchdown receptions of 42 yards in the first quarter and 53 yards in the third. MarShawn Lloyd also scored twice, and receiver Matthew Golden added a career-high 123 yards on six catches. The win moved Green Bay to 3-2, above .500 for the first time this season. It also offered some payback after the Packers squandered a 21-3 halftime lead in a 31-27 NFC wild-card loss to Chicago last season. Green Bay controlled the opening quarter, outgaining Chicago 130 yards to 9 and holding the ball for 11 minutes, 45 seconds. Watson’s first touchdown capped a 91-yard opening drive. Two plays later, safety Xavier McKinney intercepted Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent, and the Packers turned the takeaway into a 7-yard Lloyd touchdown run early in the second quarter. Chicago trimmed the lead to 14-7 on D’Andre Swift’s 1-yard score, but Green Bay pulled away after halftime. Watson made his second touchdown catch despite tight coverage, reaching over safety Dillon Thieneman to haul in Love’s pass. McKinney intercepted Bagent twice as the Packers’ defense helped force five turnovers. Bagent finished 12 of 21 for 87 yards. Caleb Williams missed his third straight game with a hamstring injury, and veteran Case Keenum took over early in the fourth quarter. Keenum threw for 101 yards but had an interception and a fumble; Chicago lost the ball on four consecutive second-half possessions. The Bears, also 3-2 entering Sunday, had won their previous two games, against Philadelphia and the New York Jets. They struggled to sustain drives against Green Bay, which had entered the game among the league’s weakest teams in time of possession. Green Bay’s rookie kicker Trey Smack was a rare weak spot: he made a 35-yard field goal but missed attempts from 43 and 47 yards and sent an extra point wide left.

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