The Packers didn’t just beat the Bears at Lambeau Field - they made it look personal.
Coming off a shaky start to the season, Green Bay needed a statement, and it got one against a Chicago team without Caleb Williams. Matt LaFleur’s group played fast, played physical and never let up, turning what was supposed to be a chance for the Bears to honor the late great Mike Ditka into a one-sided Packers showcase. And while Tyler Smack had a day to forget and should be held accountable, the real story was how thoroughly Green Bay controlled everything around him.
Jordan Love looked like the version of himself the Packers want to see more often. With a little more time in the pocket and more room to work downfield, he picked apart the Bears’ defense with calm and confidence, completing 25 of 31 passes for 367 yards and two touchdowns. He pushed the ball without forcing the issue, hit his receivers in stride and took advantage of mismatches all afternoon.
Christian Watson was every bit as dangerous. The Bears kept throwing different looks and different defenders at him, and none of it mattered.
He came down with catches against five different guys, finished with six receptions on seven targets for 143 yards and two touchdowns, and had one of the best catches of his career. If there were still questions about his health or his role, this game answered them pretty loudly.
There was also a notable shift in the Packers’ backfield. Kaleb Johnson kept showing more burst than MarShawn Lloyd, and that should make the playing-time conversation a little more interesting.
Johnson averaged 3.7 yards per carry to Lloyd’s 3.1, and while much of his production came on a 23-yard run, it was the second straight week he delivered the offense’s biggest explosive play on the ground. His patience and vision stood out again.
On the other side of the ball, Xavier McKinney kept doing what he’s been doing - making life miserable for opposing offenses. He was constantly around the football, erased throws over the middle and allowed just one catch for 17 yards.
He also changed the game with two interceptions, flipping field position and stealing whatever momentum Chicago hoped to build. He finished with only one tackle, but that barely tells the story.
And then there was LaFleur, who finally coached with the kind of edge Packers fans have been waiting to see. He didn’t just manage the game - he seemed to lean into it, making the Bears feel every bit of the pressure from start to finish. The score could have been even worse if not for Trey Smack’s misses, but this was still a night where Green Bay’s head coach clearly wanted a point made.
That left Ben Johnson in the toughest spot of all. His “I hate the Packers so much” attitude didn’t age well here, especially with his starting quarterback out of the lineup.
Chicago is now 0-2 in the division, and this one had to sting on top of the loss in the Wild Card round. For all the buildup, the Bears left Lambeau with a reminder of who owns this rivalry.
In Other News...
Packers Mourn The Loss Of A Champion Who Never Left Green Bay
Nelson Toburen was one of those Packers whose impact lasted far beyond his playing days. The former Green Bay linebacker was part of two NFL championship teams, and when his football career ended early, he built another life in Wisconsin as an attorney and later as a state district judge. Even after leaving the field, he stayed tied to the franchise and remained a familiar part of the Packers extended family.
Toburens story carried a toughness that fit the era and the organization, from championship runs in Green Bay to the abrupt end of his career in 1962. He went on to earn respect in the courtroom, but his connection to the Packers never really faded, which is why his passing on October 4 lands as more than just a footnote for the team. It feels like the loss of one of the last links to a championship generation that helped define Green Bay. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Need Pierre Strong Jr. More Than Anyone Expected
Green Bay turned to Pierre Strong Jr. this week, activating the running back from the practice squad ahead of Sundays matchup with the Bears. The move comes with the Packers searching for any spark they can find on the ground, a concern that has only grown as the offense has struggled to get its rushing game moving.
The timing underscores how urgent the problem has become. Through four games, Green Bay sat last in the NFL in rushing yards with 232, a startling figure for a team that expected more balance early in the season. Whether Strong can change that picture right away remains unclear, but the Packers are clearly willing to give him a look in a spot where they need answers fast. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Love Faces A Pressure Game The Packers Can't Afford
Jordan Love heads into a divisional matchup with Chicago carrying the kind of early-season numbers that can be read two ways. He has thrown for 1,041 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions, but the more telling number is his 56.5% completion rate, which reflects the uneven rhythm Green Bay has had on offense and the stretches where the quarterback has not looked fully settled.
The next test comes with the Packers needing him to be steadier in the pocket against a Bears defense that figures to bring pressure, all while working behind a patched-together offensive line. Green Bay also knows it has to help him out with the right structure, and the expectation is that the coaching staff will need to lean into a quicker passing plan to keep the game on schedule and give Love a cleaner path to answering the pressure game ahead. [Read more 🡒]