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

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers wanted to make sure they didn’t let a big lead against the Chicago Bears slip away again.

With help from a ball-hawking defense, the Packers poured it on instead.

Christian Watson caught two long touchdown passes from Love, MarShawn Lloyd also scored twice and the Packers forced five turnovers as they exacted a measure of revenge against their rivals by trouncing the Bears 31-7 on Sunday.

“I love it,” said Love, whose 367 yards passing was the most by a Packers quarterback against the Bears at Lambeau Field. “We kept our foot on the gas. (Coach) Matt (LaFleur) was dialing it up. That's what it needs to look like, right there.”

The Packers (3-2) had blown double-digit, fourth-quarter leads while losing their last two matchups with the Bears, including a 31-27 NFC wild-card playoff loss in which they squandered a 21-3 halftime advantage. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams celebrated that come-from-behind victory by grating cheese on the field, poking fun at Green Bay’s Cheesehead fan base.

Without Williams, the Bears had no shot at staging a similar rally Sunday.

Williams missed a third straight game with a hamstring injury, and Tyson Bagent started in his place. 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.

Xavier McKinney intercepted two passes from Bagent, who 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.

Bears coach Ben Johnson said after the game that Williams is nearing a return.

“He’s on track,” Johnson said. “We’ll see if it’s (next week against) Atlanta or after. I think it’s going to be close.”

Green Bay moved over .500 for the first time this season by repeatedly hitting long passing plays.

Watson said he was called crazy earlier in the week when he expressed optimism the Packers could exploit the Bears' pass defense. He caught six passes for 143 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown in the first quarter and a 53-yard score in the third.

Matthew Golden added a career-high 123 yards receiving while matching a career best with six catches.

“We watched the film,” Watson said. “We saw the opportunities there, regardless of how good they were in other games against certain teams. We knew what was going to be there and took advantage of it today.”

As Green Bay got a big lead, its defense kept attacking. 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 things that we had done well in the three victories that we had this year, they didn’t show up today,” Ben Johnson said. “We didn’t take care of the football — five turnovers on offense. We didn’t execute at a very high level in the run game or the passing game. Defensively, we let the ball over our head too many times.”

Chicago cut Green Bay’s lead to 14-7 when D'Andre Swift scored from 1 yard out on fourth-and-goal in the second quarter.

Green Bay regained control after halftime on Watson's second touchdown. 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.

Chicago's giveaways prevented the Bears from rallying as Green Bay reasserted itself in this rivalry. The Packers had beaten the Bears 11 straight times from 2019-24 before losing three of the last four meetings.

“They’re still little bro, man,” Packers safety Javon Bullard said. “They’re still little bro. Sometimes big bro got to show up, and that’s what we did.”

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: DT Javon Hargrave got hurt late in the fourth quarter. LaFleur said after the game that Hargrave is believed to have an Achilles tendon injury. 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.

Bears: At Atlanta next Sunday.

Packers: Host Dallas next Sunday night.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Green Bay Packers' Christian Watson celebrates with fans after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Green Bay Packers' Christian Watson celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Green Bay Packers' Christian Watson catches a touchdown pass over Chicago Bears' Dillon Thieneman during the second half of an NFL football game in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love throws past Chicago Bears' Austin Booker during the first half of an NFL football game in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cleveland rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion suffered a concussion late in the first quarter of the Browns' 17-12 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from Minkah Fitzpatrick.

The Browns were driving on their second possession and facing first-and-10 from the Jets 25 when Deshaun Watson threw a deep pass to Concepcion. The first-round draft pick appeared to make a catch — just as Fitzpatrick put a crushing hit on the receiver, making contact with his helmet and causing the ball to drop out of his hands.

Concepcion immediately went face down on the turf and appeared to be unconscious, not moving as the Browns' training staff rushed out to him.

Several Browns teammates and Jets defensive players — including Fitzpatrick — stood near Concepcion as he was being looked at on the field.

After a few minutes, Concepcion was turned over and he eventually sat up, stood and walked under his own power to the locker room. The Browns ruled him out for the game a few minutes later.

“I saw him after the game. He was in good spirits,” Browns coach Todd Monken said. “I don’t know exactly what the rules are, but he did miss the game. I would assume he is in concussion protocol.”

Fitzpatrick was penalized for a hit on a defenseless receiver, the second call on the veteran safety on the drive. He drew a face-mask penalty a few plays earlier while dragging Concepcion out of bounds and pulling off his helmet and sending it flying in the process.

“It’s just a bang bang play,” Monken said. “Minkah’s been in this league a long time and he’s not a dirty player. Unfortunately, it happened to our guy. Not having KC is a part of it, but everybody’s missing players.”

Concepcion was the 24th overall pick out of Texas A&M in April. He had a 5-yard catch before the injury. Concepcion has 18 receptions for 149 yards in five games.

“I saw him afterward and he’s doing well,” Watson said. “He definitely was a big part of the game plan.”

The Browns also lost running back Raheim Sanders (hip) and right tackle Tytus Howard (knee) in the fourth quarter.

Jets rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq was ruled out early in the fourth quarter with a concussion, and coach Aaron Glenn said he's in the protocol.

The first-round pick caught a 6-yard pass from Geno Smith in the third quarter when Quincy Williams slammed into him and forced a fumble that Ronnie Hickman recovered at the Cleveland 7. Sadiq stayed down for a moment before getting up and heading to the sideline to be evaluated for a head injury.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Kc Concepcion (1) is helped off the field after getting injured during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Kc Concepcion lies on the field after getting injured during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Kc Concepcion loses his helmet as he is tackled by New York Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)