Packers take some revenge on Bears

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 defence, 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 dialling 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 11 of 19 for 108 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 defence kept attacking. Chicago turned the ball over on four straight second-half possessions.