Coming out of Green Bay’s opening day dud against Minnesota last week, there were question marks surrounding just how much the Packers would commit to running the football in Week 2. After all, Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon combined for just 15 carries between them, all while picking up big chunks of yardage at a time.
From the opening salvo, though, it was clear Matt LaFleur and company had a plan to get the tailbacks involved in the offense.
LaFleur’s adjustments paid huge dividends. Jones and Dillon combined for nearly 200 yards between them. And it was Green Bay’s run game that set the pace for a comfortable 27-10 win over the Bears on Sunday night.
Sunday night’s game promised to be an intriguing affair, especially given the history the two sides have with one another.
And early on, it was shaping up to a tight one. Justin Fields was finding some success on the air and on the ground, Rodgers made a few wobbly throws and the three-and-outs came rolling for each team.
However, powered by Jones and Dillon, Green Bay soon found its form. Jones found pay dirt from 15 yards out at the start of the second quarter, breaking the seal on Green Bay’s scoring. It was part of a sensational showcase by Jones, who racked up 170 yards of total offense on Sunday.
Chicago made it tough at times, getting it into the red zone with relative regularity. But as the drives wore on and on, it was clear there was only going to be one winner: the team that could put the ball on the ground.
Time and time again, Green Bay proved it could do just that. As a result, the Packers walk out of Lambeau as worthy winners.
The Sporting News tracked live updates and highlights from Sunday night’s game at Lambeau Field. Below are the results of the matchup between Green Bay and Chicago, as they happened.
Packers vs. Bears score
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 3 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 27 |
| Bears | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
Packers vs. Bears updates, highlights from ‘Sunday Night Football’
(All times Eastern)
Fourth quarter
11:04 p.m.: INTERCEPTION! It’s Jaire Alexander with the pick! Fields tried to fit the ball in a donut hole to St. Brown. However, Alexander somehow darted across the field to snag the errant pass.
That should be that.
11:01 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Crosby converts from 28 yards out, extending Green Bay’s lead to 17.
Packers 27, Bears 10
10:59 p.m.: Dillon fields a hot potato from Rodgers, gaining six yards on the play. That will make for fourth down, and Mason Crosby is stepping on the field.
10:53 p.m.: That’s the Rodgers we know and love. He fires a pinpoint pass right into Watkins’ bread basket for 55 yards. Impressive stuff from the MVP.
10:48 p.m.: After a pair of short-distance gains via the ground game, Rodgers uses his wheels to get to the first down marker. Can’t say I can remember the last time Rodgers kept a read option, but it was an effective decision there. New set of downs for Green Bay…and more opportunities to let the clock melt.
10:46 p.m.: Extraordinarily tight call here, on replay. Eberflus threw the challenge flag out but the call stands as it was made on the field. Seems like it was a tight call, but not necessarily a clear and obvious error.
DENIED ON 4TH AND GOAL! #GoPackGo comes up big. #CHIvsGB on NBC and @peacock. pic.twitter.com/QAT1GCKPC8
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 19, 2022
Green Bay has the ball at the one.
10:44 p.m.: STUFFED! Green Bay’s defense holds firm! Fields lined up in the shotgun and kept the ball on the read option, taking it close to the goal line. But the Packers’ behemoths keep him out. It’s a turnover on downs!
10:41 p.m.: Fourth and goal coming up. It seemed like Fields found the end zone with a depth defying scramble, but he was ruled just short after official review. The ball’s on the one yard-line.
It’s going to be tight here.
10:37 p.m.: The official ruling is…first down, Bears. Refs looked to have got it right.
10:35 p.m.: After getting the ball inside the red zone, Fields tucked the ball into his gut on the read option. Took it out toward the sideline and appeared to get the first down. However, the referee ruled that he was just short.
This is the difference between a new set of downs and fourth and inches. Looks like Eberflus is challenging the ball spot.
Massive decision here.
10:32 p.m.: Packers’ defense can’t stop a nosebleed at the moment. After taking Fields down earlier in the drive, Green Bay has given up gains of 28 and 27 yards, respectively. Both gains came on the ground, and both gains came from different tailbacks — Montgomery (28 yards) and Khalil Herbert (27 yards).
Not very becoming for this Green Bay defense.
10:30 p.m.: Fields launches the ball downfield, but it sails on Mooney. Second down coming up.
10:29 p.m.: Montgomery has quietly had a solid game so far. 10 carries for 72 yards, 11 of those came on his latest carry. First down for Chicago.
Third quarter
10:27 p.m.: Packers make a marginal gain on a Doubs catch in the flat. They’ll take their 24-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
Packers 24, Bears 10
10:25 p.m.: Muffed snap sends the ball spiraling into the backfield. Rodgers jumps on the loose ball and it squirts out. However, a Packers player gets on the bottom of the pile. That was a close call.
10:23 p.m.: Jones gets another decent chunk of yardage on a run through the tackles. He’s having a wonderful display thus far.
10:20 p.m.: It seemed Chicago had secured a valuable stop on third down. However, the refs throw a pair of flags on the field after a Rodgers incompletion, giving Green Bay a first down. That’s unfortunate.
10:15: FIELD GOAL! Chicago got the ball just outside the red zone. However, Fields wasn’t able to get the first on third down, forcing Eberflus to send kicker Cairo Santos on the field.
Santos finds his target from 44 yards out, giving Chicago its first points since the first quarter.
Packers 24, Bears 10
10:10 p.m.: The Monsters of the Midway are moving the ball well after getting their first turnover of the day.
Montgomery took the ball for nine and 11 yards, respectively, before Fields aired it out for another 20 or so. They’re in Green Bay territory.
10:08 p.m.: FUMBLE! Green Bay was finding it rather easy to put the ball on the ground for much of its opening drive of the third. But things change quickly.
Dillon muffs the handoff exchange with Rodgers. The ball falls on the ground and the Bears recover. Maybe that’s the bit of life Chicago needed.
#DaBears defense recovers the fumble! #NFL #CHIvsGB on NBC and @peacock.
(Via: @NFL)pic.twitter.com/sVSADXrfMh
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 19, 2022
10:05 p.m.: Jones got some decent yardage on the first two carries of the second half. He just carved Green Bay’s defense open on carry No. 3, cutting through the trenches before finding some good ole’ green gas. That’s a 36-yard gain that will give Jones 100 rushing yards on the day.
10:02 p.m.: Well…more of the same from Chicago’s offense. Another drive, another three-and-out. That will give the ball back to Rodgers and the Pack.
Chicago is going to have to spark its offense into life soon. With Rodgers and Green Bay clicking like they are at the moment, this could get ugly quickly.
10:00 p.m.: Bears get the ball to start the third quarter. Let’s see if they can mount a little better effort this time around.
Second quarter
9:45 p.m.: And that will draw a close on the first half. Green Bay dominated in the second quarter, posting three touchdowns to grab a 17-point lead.
9:40 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Rodgers’ golden arm finds his target. He flicked a side-armed pass right into Lazard’s path for six.
This is a strong bounce back display for much of Green Bay’s offense.
Packers 24, Bears 7
9:39 p.m.: Rodgers’ arm is starting to come to life. He just fizzed a 20 yard dart to Randall Cobb to get the Pack into the red zone.
Then, the reigning MVP found tight end Robert Tonyan with a floated nine-yard pass. Green Bay is on the doorstep of another TD.
9:37 p.m.: Guess who? It’s the Aaron-to-Aaron synergy that comes through on the first play out of the two minute warning. Rodgers-to-Jones nets 15 yards and that’s going to get Green Bay into Chicago territory.
9:34 p.m.: It has been the Aaron Jones show here through two quarters. He takes the ball around the left corner, chomping up 14 yards in the process. That is nearly 80 yards from scrimmage for the Green Bay workhorse.
9:31 p.m.: Amari Rodgers muffs the punt return before scooping it back up. That was a close one for Green Bay. Looks like a holding call on the return team will bring the ball back 10 yards. Not great.
9:30 p.m.: Boom! Huge hit on St. Brown. That’s another three-and-out for Chicago, its third straight such possession. Not great.
9:25 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Jones fields a dump off pass from Rodgers and takes it to the house from eight yards out.
That’s Jones’ second TD of the day. Talk about a bounce back display.
Green Bay 17, Chicago 7
9:24 p.m.: Rodgers hurls the ball to Randall Cobb for another nine yards. The Pack are pressing.
9:23 p.m.: Rodgers to Doubs! First time we’ve seen that connection link up today. That’s a 20 yard gain that puts Green Bay in decent position to get the first on third down.
9:22 p.m.: Dillon carved another nine yards of territory. However, that yardage evaporated in one play.
Gibson sent Rodgers into the turf for his second sack of the night. David Bakhtiari can’t get back soon enough.
9:19 p.m.: Green Bay is finding some success on the ground early. Jones bags an eight-yard carry after rumbling for five yards on the previous play. He’s already got seven touches, nearly equaling the eight he fielded in Week 1.
9:13 p.m.: Fields makes some magic happen with his feet, scrambling a bit before slinging the ball to St. Brown. However, he was about an acre in front of the line of scrimmage. Refs rule it an illegal forward pass and that’s another three-and-out for the Bears’ offense.
9:08 p.m.: Chicago returns the favor, forcing a three-and-out of its own. Robert Quinn makes the decisive play, flattening Rodgers after getting around the end.
Ball is headed back to Fields and the Bears offense.
9:04 p.m.: Green Bay holds on third down, prompting a punt. Gotta love a good three-and-out.
9:02 p.m.: That’s another stop in the backfield for the Packers’ defense. Darnell Mooney gets laid out behind the line of scrimmage on the screen play.
3rd and 19 coming up for Chicago.
9:01 p.m.: Fields takes a huge hit on the first play from scrimmage. Looks like it was Preston Smith. Ball bobbled on the turf, but it’s recovered by a Bears player.
That’ll do for Green Bay.
8:59 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Jones fields a toss from Rodgers, takes it down the right sideline and finds pay dirt. And into the crowd he goes! That’s the first Lambeau Leap of the season.
Packers 10, Bears 7
First quarter
8:55 p.m.: Rodgers connects with Watkins in the middle of the field. He’s got nothing but green grass in front of him and takes it deep into Chicago territory. That’s what you want to see as a Packers fan.
Quarter comes to a close shortly thereafter. Bears lead, but Green Bay is knocking on the door.
Bears 7, Packers 3
8:53 p.m.: Rodgers scrambles for seven yards, taking it down the right sideline. Looks like there’s a flag for illegal contact on the Bears, as well. That will be five more yards and a new set of downs.
8:50 p.m.: AJ Dillon made a pair of solid runs to help Green Bay a first down. However, Rodgers misses the target on a pass to Dillon, making it second down.
8:45 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN! Fields goes right and tiptoes into the end zone from three yards out.
Looking more and more confident by the drive.
Chicago 7, Green Bay 3
8:43 p.m.: A little bit of trickery from Matt Eberflus’ squad. Fields hands the ball off to to Montgomery before getting it back via flea flicker. He then dots a pass 30 yards to Equinameous St. Brown. 30-yard gain and Chicago’s in prime real estate now!
8:38 p.m.: Bears find a little success early on their first offensive series of the game. David Montgomery found a gap in Green Bay’s defense and took it 12 yards.
8:36 p.m.: FIELD GOAL! Crosby splits the uprights from 40 yards out, giving Green Bay a 3-0 lead.
Green Bay 3, Chicago 0
8:33 p.m.: SACK! Trevis Gibson puts Rodgers on his back after the Packers’ QB keeps the ball a little too long on third down. Looks like he may have had Romeo Doubs open for the first down if he got the ball out earlier. Oh well.
Mason Crosby out for the 40-yard field goal.
8:31 p.m.: Seems Green Bay is making a dedicated effort to get Aaron Jones in this game. Already got him a pair of carries on this opening drive. Now, Rodgers finds him with a delicate touch pass for a 15 yard gain. The Packers are in the red zone.
8:27 p.m.: Rodgers hits Allen Lazard for an eight-yard gain. Lazard didn’t play against Minnesota, but figures to be a big option for Rodgers going forward.
8:26 p.m.: The first throw from Aaron Rodgers is a good one. Finds Sammy Watkins on a slant route to get the Packers into Chicago’s territory.
Can’t think of too many poor Rodgers performances in a row. He’ll be looking for a big day today.
8:23 p.m.: Ball is kicked off into the end zone for a touchback. Packers will get the ball on the 25.
8:05 p.m.: Teams are headed to the field now. Kickoff coming in about 14 minutes.
What time is the NFL game tonight?
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 18
- Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Sunday’s game will take place in NBC’s prime-time slot of 8:20 p.m. ET. That’s when all “Sunday Night Football” games are scheduled to begin this season.
Mike Tirico will handle the play-by-play call. He’ll be joined by Cris Collinsworth in the booth. Reporter Melissa Stark will offer updates from the sideline.
What channel is ‘Sunday Night Football’ on tonight?
- Game: Bears vs. Packers
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 18
- TV channel: NBC
- Live stream: Peacock | NBCSports.com | fuboTV | DAZN (in Canada)
The final game of Week 2’s Sunday slate will be broadcast on NBC, although there are a lot of other ways to watch the divisional matchup.
Those with cable subscriptions can stream the game free on Peacock and NBCSports.com. Cord-cutters can also find the game on fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
Canadian fans can watch on DAZN.
Below are the top TV markets in the United States and the NBC affiliate/channel numbers for each.
| Market | NBC TV channel (digital) |
|---|---|
| New York | 4 (36) |
| Los Angeles | 4 (36) |
| Chicago | 5 (29) |
| Philadelphia | 10 (34) |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 5 (24) |
| San Francisco/Bay Area | 11 (12) |
| Washington, D.C. | 4 (48) |
| Houston | 2 (35) |
| Boston | 15 (43) |
| Atlanta | 11 (10) |
| Phoenix | 12 (12) |
| Tampa/St. Petersburg | 8 (7) |
| Seattle | 5 (48) |
| Detroit | 4 (45) |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | 11 (11) |
| Miami | 6 (31) |
| Denver | 9 (9) |
| Orlando | 2 (11) |
| Cleveland | 3 (17) |
| Sacramento | 3 (35) |
| Charlotte | 36 (22) |
| Portland | 8 (8) |
| St. Louis | 5 (35) |
| Pittsburgh | 11 (23) |
| Baltimore | 11 (11) |
| Raleigh-Durham | 5 (48) |
| Nashville | 4 (10) |
| San Diego | 39 (40) |
| Salt Lake City | 5 (38) |
| San Antonio | 3 (16) |
| Kansas City | 41 (36) |
| Columbus | 4 (14) |
| Milwaukee | 4 (28) |
| Cincinnati | 5 (35) |
| Las Vegas | 3 (22) |
| Jacksonville | 12 (13) |
| Oklahoma City | 4 (27) |
| New Orleans | 6 (43) |
| Memphis | 5 (5) |
| Buffalo | 2 (33) |