The Packers didn’t just beat the Bears on Sunday. They made sure everybody in the building understood who was in charge.
Green Bay’s 31-7 win in Week 5 had a little extra edge to it, especially once fans zeroed in on the postgame handshake between Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur. It also had a messy moment when a Packers defensive lineman was carted off, but the biggest buzz came from how long LaFleur kept pressing the issue after the game was already out of reach.
The Packers were up 14-7 at halftime, then took over from there. With the score sitting at 29-7, LaFleur’s team went for a two-point conversion. Later, with the outcome well in hand, Jordan Love was still directed to uncork a deep shot.
That didn’t go unnoticed.
FOX broadcaster Greg Olsen and plenty of NFL fans immediately picked up on the message LaFleur was sending to his new, outspoken rival. Johnson had already fueled the fire with his old line from his time as Detroit’s offensive coordinator, when he said he “kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year” - and now LaFleur got his chance to respond with the scoreboard.
“Ben Johnson pointing out the obvious, Matt LaFleur took that personally,” one fan said in response.
“Agree with Olsen…LaFleur's gonna keep his foot on the gas,” another said as the Packers ran up the score.
“Ben Johnson woke up LaFleur, he should have kept his mouth shut,” another fan said. “LaFleur is going to run up the score any time he can now, especially when it's against Johnson and Duh Bears.”
“Shoulda ran up the score more on them bums!” another added.
There was also an extra layer to the day, with the late, legendary Bears coach Mike Ditka honored during the game.
Johnson won’t be able to repeat his old claim about beating LaFleur twice a year unless the teams meet in the playoffs, and for now the Packers get to carry this Week 5 blowout into a Week 6 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau before heading to Detroit to face the Lions. This one won’t fade quickly, and not just because of the final score.
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 🡒]