Rodgers, Watson Help Packers Beat Bears Again, 28-19
CHICAGO – Aaron Rodgers did it again. So did Christian Watson.
Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers’ MVP quarterback with the broken thumb and injured ribs, improved to 24-5 in his career against the Chicago Bears, and Watson, the indomitable rookie, scored a pair of touchdowns to give Green Bay a 28-19 victory at Soldier Field.
With the Packers nursing a 20-19 lead at the 2-minute warning, Watson motioned from right to left, took the handoff from Aaron Rodgers and was gone. Watson ran 46 yards for the clinching touchdown, punctuating the run with a dive in the end zone. Sammy Watkins had the key block and immediately celebrated with index finger to the sky. After all, when Watson hits full speed, he is uncatchable.
The Packers not only beat the Bears but they passed them for most wins in NFL history.
Green Bay improved to 5-8 with an eighth consecutive victory over Chicago. The Bears fell to 3-10 – good for their draft status, anyway.
Trailing 19-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Packers needed something big. They got it on a deep ball to Watson. Watson had a step on defensive back Jaylon Jones. Rodgers’ ball was underthrown but Jones never turned his head and ran into Watson. It was a gain of 38 to the Bears’ 26. Moments later, AJ Dillon scored on a 21-yard run.
Green Bay emerged unscathed after Jaire Alexander was beaten deep for the second time of the day when Cairo Santos either missed a 40-yard field goal or had it blocked.
The Packers then marched down the field to take a 20-19 lead on Mason Crosby’s 32-yard field goal with 4:49 to play.
The Packers trailed 16-10 at halftime. Two big plays gave the Bears a 16-3 lead, with quarterback Justin Fields running for a 56-yard touchdown before throwing a 56-yard bomb to Equanimeous St. Brown to set up a touchdown run by David Montgomery. Keisean Nixon missed a tackle in Fields’ long run and Alexander was beaten on the long ball to St. Brown, the former Packers draft pick.
Green Bay pulled within one score late in the first half on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Watson on fourth-and-4. Rodgers had plenty of time and Watson gained late separation.
Watson’s four-game touchdown streak is tied for the ninth-longest in NFL history by a rookie. Randy Moss holds the NFL with a seven-game streak in 1998; Billy Howton set the Packers record with a five-game run in 1952. He’s got seven touchdowns during the streak.
Aaron Jones topped 5,000 career rushing yards on Green Bay’s end-of-half touchdown drive.
An 8-minute scoring drive extended the Bears’ lead to 19-10 late in the fourth quarter.
Game Ball
With Aaron Jones playing hurt, the Packers rode AJ Dillon. The burly third-year back was up to the task. Dillon ran 18 times for 92 yards and added three receptions for 26 more yards. On the go-ahead scoring drive, Dillon had an 11-yard catch for a first down and a 6-yard run for another first down.
Questionable Call
Sure, Christian Watson played at North Dakota State. But how on Earth did Watson last into the second round of this year’s draft? He’s too tall, he’s too fast and too good. Watson scored two touchdowns against the Bears, giving him eight the past four weeks. This season might not be going anywhere but the Packers have their next star receiver exploding onto the scene.
The Key Stat
The Packers are now 31-2 under coach Matt LaFleur when winning the turnover battle. Green Bay finished plus-3, with the big interception by Jaire Alexander helping give Green Bay yet another win in Chicago.
The Key Moment
The Packers had just pulled within 19-17 on AJ Dillon’s 21-yard touchdown run. Could the Packers get a stop? It sure didn’t look like it when former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander was beaten deep for the second time – this time by former first-round bust N’Keal Harry, who made a leaping grab for 49. Green Bay’s defense got the stop, though, on Devonte Wyatt’s third-down tackle. Reliable kicker Cairo Santos missed a 40-yard field goal. Officially, the kick was short, though Dean Lowry celebrated as if he’d blocked the kick.
What’s Next?
The Packers will get their long-awaited bye next week before hosting the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night, Dec. 19. ESPN’s got to be loving that matchup, with two preseason Super Bowl contenders having miserable seasons. During the Aaron Rodgers era, the Packers are 8-6 after their bye. They had lost four in a row until beating the Bears 45-30 last year.
