Early in the week, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur was asked about an offense that revolved almost completely around Jordan Love’s deep passing game.

“Well, you guys said you wanted to let him cook, so we’re letting him cook,” LaFleur said.

Against the New England Patriots, Chef Love was cooking. He was grilling and broiling. He was frying and was flambéing.

Led by Love’s sensational performance in front of Fox analyst and Patriots legend Tom Brady, the Packers overwhelmed the Packers 45-27 on Sunday in Foxborough, Mass.

Love, who threw his 100th career touchdown pass as part of a red-hot start, could hardly have played better.

When Love threw a touchdown bomb to Christian Watson to make the score 42-14 in the third quarter, he was 22-of-28 passing for 362 yards and three touchdowns. Watson (seven catches, 171 yards, one touchdown) and Matthew Golden (nine catches, 154 yards, one touchdown) had a combined 16 receptions out of 17 targets for 325 yards for two touchdowns while a whole quarter remaining.

The Packers, still playing without Micah Parsons, quickly losing Josh Jacobs and left with a skeleton crew at linebacker, improved to 6-3 with their fifth win in six games. They might be in last place in the NFC North, anyway, by the end of the week. They will host the first-place Vikings on Sunday.

The Patriots, who won the AFC last year, fell to 5-4.

Packers Step on the Gas

The Packers led 24-14 at halftime, but not for long. Getting the ball to start the second half, they raced right down the field and into the end zone. Christian Watson gained 28 on a deep crossing route and Kaleb Johnson ran for 10 on perhaps the best-blocked running play all season.

Finally, on third-and-7 from the 10, Jordan Love threw an exquisite pass to Savion Williams, who made a leaping catch over the shoulder of Karon Prunty for a touchdown to extend the lead to 31-14.

With Karl Brooks producing a sack, the Packers forced a three-and-out.

The Packers were right back on the move. On third-and-2, the Patriots sent the house. Love off his back foot floated one up to Watson, who made a twisting catch over cornerback Christian Gonzalez for 33. The drive stalled – Love, as perfect as he’d been all season, missed Tucker Kraft by about 2 inches on a downfield throw – but Trey Smack drilled a 51-yard field goal to build the lead to 20 with about 20 minutes remaining.

How good was it going for the Packers? Isaiah McDuffie missed a tackle on a checkdown to Rhamondre Stevenson, rallied back into position, helped wrap up Stevenson, forced a fumble and recovered.

On the first play following the fourth takeaway of the day, Watson ran a post right past Gonzalez – the highest-paid cornerback in football – for a 39-yard touchdown. Love scored the two-point play on a quarterback draw to make it 42-14 with 4:10 to play in the third quarter.  

Packers Were Cooking

Love – and the Packers – were cooking at the start.

The Packers won the toss and deferred. After Xavier McKinney stuffed Rhamondre Stevenson on first down, Drake Maye threw the ball right to him on second down. His 36-yard return gave the Packers the ball at New England’s 14.

Moments later, Love was in the end zone. Not through the air but on the ground. With a huge void in the middle of the defense, Love took off up the middle, ran through a tackle attempt at the 6 and scored on a 13-yard run.

Love had only 10 rushing yards all season.

After Green Bay forced a three-and-out – Isaiah McDuffie had a third-down sack – the Packers raced right back into the end zone. Matthew Golden made a terrific catch at the sideline for 16 against Pro Bowl cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Did he control the ball? There was some question about that, so Green Bay quickly got on the ball, the Patriots blew coverage and Golden was wide open for 49.

Eventually, the Packers faced third-and-goal at the 5. Golden broke wide open for an easy touchdown. Just 7 minutes into the game, the Packers led 14-0.

The Patriots’ next drive stalled near midfield, but they buried the Packers at the 2 with the punt. Not for long. On third-and-7, Love hit Christian Watson for 10 against Gonzalez. On third-and-5, Love coaxed the Patriots offside. A couple plays later, Golden got behind Gonzalez for a catch-and-run gain of 43.

At the end of the first quarter, Love was 7-of-8 passing for 136 yards. The incompletion was a throwaway. Golden has six catches for 126 yards.

Yeah, they were cooking.

The drive stalled in the red zone when Aaron Banks blew a stunt and gave up Elijah Ponder’s sack. Trey Smack made a 41-yard field goal to make it 17-0 with 13:37 left in the half.

Moments later, the Packers had the ball again. Maye went deep up the left sideline to Kyle Williams. NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month Brandon Cisse broke up the pass and NFC Defensive Player of the Month Evan Williams made the toe-tapping interception, seemingly as careful to not step on Cisse as getting his feet inbounds.

It was the team’s sixth consecutive game with at least two takeaways.

The offense failed to take advantage – Christian Barmore, who might be available in a trade, crushed Love for a sack. Still, it was a sizzling start against the defending AFC champions, who were 3-0 at home this season.

Patriots Finally Answer

The Packers entered the game without their top two linebackers, with Edgerrin Cooper (Achilles) on injured reserve and Zaire Franklin (shin) inactive.

The pain only intensified at the start of the game when backup-turned-starter Ty’Ron Hopper suffered a chest injury. So, the Packers had to go with Isaiah McDuffie and Nick Niemann – normally the team’s No. 5 linebacker – as the tandem.

The Patriots finally took advantage on their first touchdown, with running back Rhamondre Stevenson beating Niemann on a wheel route for a 30-yard touchdown pass from Drake Maye that cut the margin to 17-7 with 9:23 left in the half.

New England got a stop but, on the ensuing possession, Xavier McKinney struck again. After a long pass to DeMario Douglas pushed the ball past midfield, Maye went downfield to tight end Eli Raridon, but the ball hung in the ball too long and McKinney was there in an instant for his fifth interception of the season.

Love wasted exactly no time to put the Packers back up by 17. First, with superb pass protection, Love flicked one downfield to Matthew Golden for 24. On the next play, it was Love and Christian Watson connecting on a bob for 43 yards. Kaleb Johnson blasted into the end zone the next play, with Mark Redman providing the block. That made it 24-7 with 4:45 to go in the half.

The Patriots answered quickly, though, a big catch by Raridon and a big run by Stevenson set up Maye’s touchdown pass to Efton Chism against Javon Bullard.

A Big Moment

The Packers had the ball past midfield at the 2-minute warning. On third-and-2, a lateral to Savion Williams resulted in a loss of 1. On fourth-and-3, Jordan Love’s pass to Williams was too low and too far in front of him, and Christian Gonzalez broke it up.

So, the Patriots started at their 43 with 1:48 left in the half. The door was open for a one-sided game to be a one-score game at halftime.

The Patriots gained one first down, but back-to-back blitzes made it third-and-10, when Kamal Hadden dropped what should have been a pick-six. But the Packers at least got off the field without allowing any points, and the half ended with a 24-14 score.

Love ended the half 11-of-16 for 219 yards, with one touchdown pass and one touchdown run.

It's a red-hot start - and a milestone - for Jordan Love and the Packers. ⬇️https://t.co/t7RX534buk

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) November 8, 2026