Packers Beat Panthers 27-19 as Christian Watson Returns From Hospital Trip

The Green Bay Packers beat the Carolina Panthers 27-19 on Thursday night at Lambeau Field, and the night belonged to Christian Watson. He went to a hospital with a chest injury in the second quarter, came back by ambulance, returned to the game late in the third and finished with a team-high eight catches for 113 yards.

Green Bay moved to 5-3. Carolina fell to 3-4.

Watson's round trip

Watson was hurt on a 53-yard catch down the middle from Jordan Love with 9:19 left in the second quarter. Panthers cornerback Will Lee III was also injured on the play. The Packers ruled Watson questionable with a chest injury, then said he was being taken to the hospital for precautionary testing (our earlier story).

He was back at Lambeau in the third quarter, still in uniform, and checked back in with 4:01 left in the quarter.

How Green Bay built the lead

The Packers dug themselves an early hole. Coleman Owen fumbled the opening kickoff, which set up Ryan Fitzgerald's 39-yard field goal. Love answered with a 12-yard touchdown to Tucker Kraft, but Trey Smack's extra point hit the left upright. Chuba Hubbard's 1-yard run early in the second quarter put Carolina up 10-6, and Watson lost a fumble at the Carolina 37 on the next drive.

Then Green Bay took over. Josh Jacobs scored from 1 yard out after Watson's long catch, Ty'Ron Hopper intercepted Bryce Young on Carolina's next drive, and Love hit Matthew Golden for a 24-yard touchdown with 1:46 left in the half for a 20-10 lead. Golden, who was active, had seven catches for 79 yards. Love's 4-yard touchdown to Jacobs in the third made it 27-10.

Carolina got within 27-19 on Fitzgerald's 50-yarder and Young's 26-yard touchdown to Jalen Coker with 5:37 left, but the Panthers turned it over on downs on their next possession. The game ended on a lateral play that Brenton Cox Jr. recovered.

The numbers

Love finished 30 of 41 for 288 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, which Zakee Wheatley picked off at the Carolina 2 early in the fourth. He wasn't sacked. Kraft had six catches for 53 yards and a score. The run game stalled again: Jacobs had 39 yards on 21 carries, and Green Bay ran for 66 yards on 26 attempts.

Young was 22 of 40 for 200 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and he was sacked six times by six different Packers, Hopper among them. Hubbard ran 22 times for 81 yards and caught seven passes. Tetairoa McMillan had five catches for 50 yards. Green Bay outgained Carolina 354-249 and went 3 for 3 in the red zone.

Injuries

Besides Watson and Lee, Carolina's Chris Bullock was hurt in the third quarter. Green Bay played without tight end Jonnu Smith, who was inactive, and Carolina had placed cornerback Akayleb Evans on injured reserve before the game.

What's next

Both teams are off until Sunday, Nov. 8. The Packers visit the New England Patriots (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox), and the Panthers host the Denver Broncos (1 p.m. ET, CBS).