The key facts

  • Green Bay beat Carolina 27-19 at Lambeau Field and improved to 5-3, remaining last in the NFC North
  • Watson was taken to the hospital after a suspected chest injury but returned to the field with extra rib protection
  • Josh Jacobs scored two touchdowns; his handcuff-mimicking celebration drew criticism online

Victory at Lambeau Field

The Green Bay Packers beat the Carolina Panthers 27-19 in an NFL game at Lambeau Field, AFP reports. Quarterback Jordan Love threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns, compensating for the team's weak running game — just 66 yards on 26 attempts. The Packers defense sacked opposing quarterback Bryce Young six times.

Watson: hospital and return

Wide receiver Christian Watson made eight catches for 113 yards, despite missing about an hour of the game. After a 53-yard reception, he left the field and was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for examination due to a suspected chest injury — according to AFP, he was coughing up blood.

Course of the game

The game started badly for the hosts: a lost kickoff return allowed the Panthers to quickly kick a field goal. Love then found tight end Tucker Kraft for a touchdown, but kicker Tristan Smack missed the extra point. Chuba Hubbard answered with a rushing touchdown and celebrated it with a

Context and Jacobs' celebration

The win improved the Packers' record to 5-3, but the team, according to AFP, remains last in the highly competitive NFC North. The Panthers (3-4) hold first place in the considerably weaker NFC South. Jacobs' celebration — mimicking putting on handcuffs — immediately drew criticism online; the agency notes that he missed six games this season after being arrested for an altercation with his girlfriend, in a case in which he pleaded no contest to a battery charge. Before the game, the stadium honored baseball's Milwaukee Brewers, who presented to the crowd the club's first-ever World Series trophy, won the day before in a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.