Packers 'Dodged Real Bullet' With Christian Watson

GREEN BAY, Wis. – As Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love watched the replay while walking off the field after throwing his first interception on Sunday, he saw Christian Watson get bent backward with his left ankle trapped under a Vikings defender.

“Yeah, it was tough,” Love said on Wednesday. “It was one of those throws, I saw it when it happened and it didn’t look good. I was definitely upset that I put him in that position to get hit.

“I went right over after and I thought we were all praying that it wasn’t something very serious, and I’m glad it’s just an ankle and nothing too serious, so he’ll be back.”

Watson won’t play against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, but the Packers are fortunate that the injury wasn’t significant enough to land him on injured reserve.

“Just talking to him today, I think we got lucky,” coach Matt LaFleur said after Wednesday’s practice. “We dodged a real bullet there because it looked pretty ugly. Similar to I feel like we got lucky with Jordan, as well, at the end of the Philly game.

“He’s definitely in good spirits and he’s going to do whatever he can to get back as soon as he can.”

From one perspective, the loss of Watson against the Rams shouldn’t be a big deal. In his first three games, Watson caught only five passes. The Packers have the receiver depth to cover his absence.

From another perspective, it’s a big loss. Not that the Packers don’t have other receivers who can win down the field, but Watson is unique in his stretch-the-field ability. Because of his size and explosive athleticism, defenses have to account for him on every play, which creates room for his teammates.

Watson’s 30-yard catch helped jump-start the Packers in their Week 3 win at Tennessee. Having stayed healthy throughout the offseason and training camp, Watson looked much more comfortable. Including that catch vs. the Titans, he had grabbed 2-of-3 passes in contested-catch situations after making the play on only 6-of-18 in 2023.

Receiver is Green Bay’s deepest position; it’s not like the Chiefs losing Rashee Rice.

Jayden Reed has been dominant following a sensational rookie season with 17 catches for 336 yards and a 19.8-yard average. He ranks fifth in the NFL in yards and fourth in yards per catch.

“He’s a sparkplug,” Love said. “The biggest thing about J-Reed is just his mindset. He always wants the ball. When the ball is in the air, he’s going to go get it. He had some big-time plays there late in the game, even his touchdown. If the ball’s hanging up there, he’s going to go get it. He’s got that dawg mindset.”

Romeo Doubs is off to a relatively quiet start with 12 receptions for 169 yards. At first red-zone target last year, he did not score.

Dontayvion Wicks has run hot and cold. Plagued by drops, he’s caught eight passes for 104 yards and a team-high three touchdowns.

Bo Melton, who has game-breaking speed, caught a 28-yard pass last week. Without Watson, Malik Heath was called off the bench and caught two passes for 12 yards.

“It sucks,” Love said of losing Watson, “but it’s that mindset – next man up. We’ve got a deep receiving room and a lot of those guys have had tons of reps and game experience, so I’m confident they’ll be ready.”

Against the Vikings, the person who picked up the slack was Wicks. He was targeted 13 times – tied for the most for any receiver with Love as the starter. He caught only five but made some big plays during the comeback.

“I’m always ready,” Wicks said. “When ‘9’ went down, it happened last year, too. It’s just time to step up, step into a bigger role until he gets back. Just got to capitalize on my opportunities. I’m living, keep stacking. Keep stacking days.”

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— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 2, 2024