Christian Watson was the headliner on the injury report and the headliner on the field. He was a week removed from a broken rib and an ambulance ride, and he put up a career-high 171 receiving yards on 7 catches with a touchdown. Matthew Golden matched him with 10 catches for 164 yards and a score. Green Bay had 2 receivers go over 160 yards with Love throwing just 29 times. That's what the Patriots' secondary looked like on a 50-degree, clear afternoon with no weather to hide behind.
The other big pregame question was Green Bay's pass rush without Micah Parsons. It turned out fine. Karl Brooks had 2 sacks and Isaiah McDuffie added another, so the Packers got home without their best edge rusher. Xavier McKinney did the rest from the back end with 2 of the 3 first-half interceptions. A Maye who hurts you with his legs was supposed to be a problem for a Parsons-less front, but he spent the first half throwing into coverage that was waiting for him.
The line score shows how lopsided this was. Green Bay scored 14 in the first quarter before New England scored at all. The Patriots got back within a score-and-change in the second, and then the Packers put up 18 in the third to make it 42-21 heading into the fourth. New England's 6 fourth-quarter points were garbage time. The extra rest the Packers got from their Thursday game against Carolina showed up early. They came out sharper, and the Patriots, a week after a rainy grind in Miami, spent the first quarter chasing.
New England is going to feel this one for a while. Rhamondre Stevenson, who was carrying the backfield with TreVeyon Henderson inactive, left with a knee injury and didn't return. Center Ben Brown was ruled out with a knee, tackle Will Campbell went to the sideline with a knee, and Brenden Schooler and Carlton Davis III both got hurt too. With A.J. Brown already inactive, Hunter Henry suited up but never became the outlet that could change the game. Green Bay didn't get out clean either. Josh Jacobs was questionable to return with a hand injury, Ty'Ron Hopper left with a chest injury, and Bo Melton is being evaluated for a concussion.
The Packers move to 6-3 and have won 4 of their last 5, and this is the kind of road performance that answers the national analysts who said they couldn't close out games. The Patriots drop to 5-4 after losing at home by 18, and they take a long injury list into the week. The preview called this the best game on the slate. It was, for about 20 minutes.
