INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Jordan Love bounced back from the first pick-6 of his career to throw a pair of touchdown passes to Tucker Kraft in the second half as the Green Bay Packers rallied for a 24-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
The Packers trailed 13-7 late in the second quarter after Jaylen McCollough intercepted Love’s off-balance attempt to throw the ball away and ran it in from 4 yards. But Green Bay (3-2) scored on its next three drives and benefited from a pair of turnovers to beat the Rams (1-4) for the ninth time in their last 10 regular-season meetings.
Love, a California native who grew up in Bakersfield, completed 15 of 26 for 224 yards in his second start since missing two games due to a knee injury.
Josh Jacobs had 19 carries for 73 yards and scored his first TD with the Packers.
Kraft had four receptions for a career-best 88 yards. Two plays after Xavier McKinney recovered a fumble by Rams running back Kyren Williams and returned it 7 yards to the Green Bay 30, Love connected with Kraft for a 66-yard touchdown to give the Packers a 17-13 lead.
Kraft caught the ball at the Rams 49, stiff-armed Rams cornerback Darious Williams at the 30 and eluded a diving tackle attempt near the left sideline by Quentin Lake at the 20 before reaching the end zone.
After McKinney became the first player since the 1970 merger with an interception in each of his first five games with a team, Kraft completed a seven-play drive when he scored from 7 yards out for the first two-TD game of his career.
Matthew Stafford was 29 of 45 for 260 yards with a touchdown and interception. Kyren Williams had 102 yards rushing on 22 carries and scored for the eighth straight game.
Stafford’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson — the 2-point conversion attempt failed — with 3:30 remaining pulled the Rams within 24-19.
Los Angeles forced Green Bay to punt on the ensuing possession and took over on their own 29 with 2:57 remaining. The Rams drove to the Packers 38, but Stafford was unable to connect with Colby Parkinson on fourth-and-5 with 1:01 remaining.
After both teams went three-and-out on their opening drives, Jacobs scored on a 2-yard run around right end. Jacobs originally tried to run it off left tackle before being bottled up and reversing field.
Jacobs’ score was set up one play earlier when Love and Reed combined for a highlight reel play. On second-and-10 at the Packers 45, Love completed a 53-yard pass to Reed in a tight window near the left sideline. Reed hauled it in despite three Rams defenders in the vicinity, including Lake all over Reed’s back.
The Rams evened it five minutes into the second quarter when Williams plowed in from 1 yard to complete a 13-play drive. Williams has the longest TD streak by a Rams running back since Greg Bell scored in 10 straight during the 1988 and ’89 seasons.
Crazy pick
Love’s first pick-6 came on his 761st pass. On third-and-12 at the Packers 8, Love was flushed out of the pocket when Byron Young came in unblocked on a blitz. Love scrambled to the back of the end zone and was knocked off balance when he tried to throw it away.
Instead, McCollough was able to intercept the desperation throw and scored. Joshua Karty’s extra-point attempt was blocked, which kept it at 13-7.
It was the Rams’ first defensive TD since Cobie Durant’s 86-yard interception return against Denver on Christmas Day in 2022.
Injuries
Packers: CB Robert Rochell (stinger) missed the second quarter and part of the third before returning.
Up next
Packers: Host Arizona next Sunday.
Rams: On their bye next week before hosting Las Vegas on Oct. 20.
