How the Packers Turned a Tight Game Into a 31-7 Blowout
Zaire Franklin’s Bears comments stole the show on Sunday night. The Green Bay linebacker did not just help bury the Chicago Bears 31-7 at Lambeau Field — he also torched the rival in the postgame interview room, calling the Bears “weird” and telling them to stop dissing the Packers. Then he aimed straight at receiver Luther Burden III. It was the loudest moment of a rivalry week that began with Bears trash talk and ended with Green Bay answering on the scoreboard.
The first half gave no hint of a rout. Green Bay struck for two early touchdowns, but Chicago hung around and trailed only 14-7 at halftime. Then the dam broke. Christian Watson hauled in a 53-yard touchdown strike that put the Packers in control, and the offense never looked back.
Watson finished with six catches for 143 yards and two scores. Meanwhile, rookie wideout Matthew Golden added six grabs for 123 yards, and running back MarShawn Lloyd punched in two rushing touchdowns — the first two of his young NFL career. Quarterback Jordan Love was surgical all afternoon, going 25-of-31 for 367 yards and two touchdowns with a 137.5 passer rating. Catch up on the season’s weekly action with our NFL Week 3 Sunday live scores and updates.
On the other side, Chicago’s quarterback situation fell apart. Tyson Bagent started in place of an injured Caleb Williams and completed just 12 of 21 passes for 87 yards with two interceptions before getting benched in the fourth quarter. Case Keenum replaced him and fared no better. Green Bay’s defense feasted all afternoon with five takeaways, including two interceptions by safety Xavier McKinney, a pick by linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper, and two fumble recoveries. Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt added two sacks. The win moved Green Bay to 3-2, dropping Chicago to the same record.
Zaire Franklin’s Bears Comments: “They Do a Whole Lot of Weird Stuff”
Franklin was a problem for Chicago all day. He forced a fumble after a pass completion, with safety Evan Williams recovering the loose ball. But his biggest hit came after the final whistle, when he stood in front of reporters and unloaded on the Bears.
“They do a whole lot of weird stuff,” Franklin said, arguing that Chicago spends far too much time worrying about Green Bay. He added that the Packers worry about themselves, then delivered the kicker: “Hopefully they learn to stop dissing us. Real talk.”
It was pointed, confident, and exactly the kind of soundbite that fuels a rivalry for weeks. The remarks were first reported by Matt Schneidman of The Athletic and quickly went viral, as covered by Heavy’s report on Franklin’s postgame interview. Franklin’s Bears comments landed because he had the receipts: his own forced fumble and a defense that smothered Chicago for four quarters. You can also see the full breakdown in the Packers’ official Week 5 game recap.
The Backstory: Luther Burden Said the Bears Wanted to Make Green Bay “Quit”
Franklin’s words did not come out of nowhere. Earlier in the week, Burden was asked about head coach Ben Johnson’s attitude toward the Packers. The second-year receiver said Johnson wants to beat Green Bay “really bad,” just like everyone else in the building — and added that the Bears wanted to make the Packers quit.
Franklin heard it, and he clearly filed it away. After the game, he fired back directly at Burden, saying the young receiver has never done anything in the league. Then he twisted the knife: “He quit today. He didn’t wanna play no more.”
The context runs deeper than one quote. Johnson himself made headlines last postseason with an expletive-laden anti-Packers chant in Chicago’s locker room after the Bears’ stunning comeback playoff win over Green Bay. And Franklin has personal history here too: he joined the Packers this offseason after eight seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, and he was still in Indianapolis when Chicago came back from 18 points down to stun Green Bay in January’s playoffs. In other words, this one meant something to him.
Why This Moment Matters and What’s Next in the NFC North
Beyond the quotes, Sunday said a lot about where both teams stand. The Minnesota Vikings now sit alone atop the NFC North at 5-0, while the Packers and Bears both sit at 3-2. Green Bay also showed what its defense looks like when everything clicks: relentless pressure, opportunistic takeaways, and a front that finally overwhelmed an opponent.
For Franklin personally, the performance and the platform were both statements. The 29-year-old linebacker was a seventh-round draft pick who became one of the NFL’s most productive defenders, leading the league with 173 tackles in 2024 on his way to second-team All-Pro honors. Green Bay traded for him this offseason to add exactly this kind of edge. Learn more about his journey in Zaire Franklin’s career profile.
Elsewhere around the league, the drama keeps coming — Deshaun Watson led the Browns past the Steelers earlier this week, and Travis Kelce found the end zone for the first time this season. But no storyline will carry more spice into the weeks ahead than the Packers-Bears rematch. Franklin has officially announced himself in the NFL’s oldest rivalry — and Chicago now has a bulletin-board target on its back.
