GREEN BAY – Bo Melton never envisioned playing all three phases in the NFL.
But once again there was the Packers' receiver-turned-cornerback-turned-receiver seeing big-time snaps in a big-time NFC North matchup with the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Green Bay's jack-of-all-trades playmaker helped get the offense going with a career-long 45-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter of Sunday's 28-21 victory over Chicago.
Melton practically went uncovered from where he lined up in the slot. Quarterback Jordan Love proceeded to fire a deep ball to Melton that arrived a moment before defensive back Jaquan Brisker could recover.
"When I broke and I seen J-Love wind up … I knew he was gonna put the ball on the money," Melton said. "I just felt (Brisker) running. I was just like 'All right, hopefully get there, get there' and it got there. I'm just happy he saw me downfield."
The Packers have used Melton in all sorts of ways since the team switched the 5-foot-11, 189-pound playmaker to cornerback at the start of training camp in July.
A core member of the special teams units, Melton began playing more on offense last month after a slew of injuries at wideout. Melton says he's currently splitting his practice reps between both positions.
With Savion Williams (foot) out and rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden in his first game back from a wrist injury, Green Bay called Melton's number again against Chicago.
The second-year veteran responded with his first regular-season touchdown since his breakout game nearly two years ago against Minnesota (six catches for 105 yards and a TD).
"I was so happy for Bo," receiver Christian Watson said. "It's actually crazy, we ran the same play twice in a row. I ran it the first time and obviously I was tired, so Bo goes out there.
"Bo brings a different energy to that wide receiver room. Obviously, he's been back and forth between the corners and the wide receivers. I love seeing him get in the end zone."
The Packers have been getting healthier at receiver, as Watson (knee), Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Jayden Reed (foot/shoulder) have all recently returned to the lineup.
The overall depth of the room has allowed Head Coach Matt LaFleur to sprinkle in Melton here and there on offense and it's turned into a productive change-of-pace.
"I do enjoy it just because it's an opportunity," Melton said.
"It's been fun just going out here and playing both sides, for real, all season and getting into the game and being able to play offense, play special teams and maybe defense some time.
"It's something I never thought I would be in in my career, but I get to tell my son, when he gets older, about it."
Game ball for Watson: The Packers' fourth-year receiver earned a game ball after catching all four of his targets for a season-high 89 yards and two TDs in the win over Chicago.
Both scores came on third downs – a 23-yard touchdown on third-and-10 in the second quarter and then a third-and-3 slant in the third in which Watson pulled away from C.J. Gardner-Johnson for a 41-yard touchdown.
Watson tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the 2024 regular-season finale against Chicago. Since his return in late October, Watson has caught 25 passes for 452 yards (18.1 yards per catch) and five touchdowns in six starts.
"It means a lot to me, for sure," Watson said. "Honestly, I tried not to think about it that much, but as the game was kind of getting going, it was definitely creeping in my mind a little bit. I'm just so thankful and blessed to be able to do what I do, and I'm glad that today panned out how it did, for sure."
Watson's second touchdown came at a critical time in the third quarter, as Chicago had just cut the Packers' lead to 14-11 after a TD and successful two-point conversion.
Like Melton's touchdown, it was just another instance of Love feasting on man coverage.
"We've got a lot of dogs, a lot of guys who play with a lot of confidence and '10's' got a lot of confidence in all of us," Watson said. "It just allows us to go out there and play fast and play free and make plays when our number's called."
Not to be denied: Running back Josh Jacobs produced one of his best runs of the season when he cut back inside on a third-and-2 pitch and made two defenders miss en route to a 21-yard gain.
Three plays later, Jacobs charged his way into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown that put Green Bay up 28-21 with 3:32 left.
"I knew I wasn't going to get outside," said Jacobs, who finished with 20 carries for 86 yards and a TD. "I was, OK, press it as long as you can and then just try to get the first. When I stuck my foot up, I'd seen the guys flowing and I'd seen them kind of hesitate, I knew we were going to have a big play."
Reed's return: Green Bay wasted no time reintroducing the third-year receiver to the offense, as Reed touched the ball three times on the Packers' first seven plays of the game.
In his first game back after fracturing his collarbone vs. Washington in Week 2, the 5-foot-11, 187-pound wideout registered six touches for 53 total yards.
"It's good to get my feet wet again. It's been a long time," Reed said. "I felt really weird at practice this week. Thank God everything worked out today and it's just a blessing to be back out there."
A big "incompletion": Safety Evan Williams opened the game with a big play when he punched the ball out of Bears tight end Colston Loveland on what would have been a 17-yard completion.
But honestly, the second-year veteran felt like it could have been even more.
The play was initially ruled a catch but LaFleur successfully challenged the play to an incompletion. Williams felt like he actually intercepted it since he dislodged the ball from Loveland's grasp and brought it to the ground with him.
"It felt like I punched the ball out," Williams said. "It's kind of loose, I roll over and I have it in my hand and I'm holding it. I show it to the ref that I'm holding it. Then somebody hits it out of my hand and then they called it incomplete.
"I didn't see the clear instant replay or whatever it was. It's obviously different when you slow it down a little bit. That one hurt my feelings, for sure."
Enagbare comes through: Kingsley Enagbare not only was responsible for the Packers' only sack of Caleb Williams but also stopped Kyle Monangai for no gain on his third-and-1 carry in the final minute of the game.
The Bears went for it on the next play, resulting in Keisean Nixon's game-ending interception.
"They put themselves in a position where they were able to control the fourth quarter, but we were able to get two big stops," Enagbare said. "That third down and then on fourth down 'Kei' was able to get the pick to finish it off and that was that."
