The Green Bay Packers have always had a dynamic offense under head coach Matt LaFleur. However, with a true gunslinger like Jordan Love at the helm, they’ve been able to take it to the next level, even with constant injuries to the receiving corps. Unfortunately, the team was dealt a mighty blow as Christian Watson went down against the Chicago Bears in Week 18.
What is the latest injury update on Watson, and what does a return timeline look like for Green Bay’s deep threat?
What Is Christian Watson’s Injury?
Throughout the week, Watson was questionable for Week 18. A knee injury had kept him out the previous week against the Minnesota Vikings and two missed practices suggested that chances were slim for the regular season finale.
However, he gutted through and made it back to the lineup. Unfortunately, the situation went from bad to worse. While running a route in the second quarter, he went down with a non-contact injury, clutching his knee.
Immediately, the situation turned frightening, although he was able to walk off the field on his own. Soon, he was carted off into the locker room for further evaluation and diagnosis. It wasn’t good news for Green Bay. As Matt LaFleur put it simply, “It’s not good.”
He revealed that the wide receiver tore his ACL. Already coming in with a nagging knee, Watson will now require surgery.
When Will Watson Return From Injury?
Typically, ACLs take the better part of a year to completely heal and recover from. Given the timing and severity of his injury, Watson’s coming back next season might be in jeopardy. Depending on his progress and potential setbacks, his return could reasonably be anywhere from Week 1 to the end of the season,
However, with no ramp-up time to prepare for NFL action, it is possible that Watson won’t take the field at all in the final year of his rookie contract. Undoubtedly, a return this season is out of the picture.
Last season, Watson was out for eight games during the regular season thanks to a hamstring injury, including the final five games of the season. However, he made a comeback in the playoffs and was available for both of the Packers’ games. Green Bay won’t be so fortunate this time around.
How Will Watson’s Absence Impact the Packers?
With Watson in the lineup, the Packers were averaging 27.5 points per game. However, in the two games without him, the offense had a bit of a drop-off at 24.5 points per game. That might be explainable by his proclivity for creating explosive plays.
During the season, he averaged 21.4 yards per catch, the second-highest mark in the league. That kind of explosiveness gave the team an edge and made them a constant threat to burst out a big play and get into the endzone. LaFleur understood the impact of the loss as he elaborated during a media session.
“It’s a big-time loss, just his presence on the field alone. He’s so versatile in his ability to play multiple positions. You can put him at the X, the F, the Z. You can move him all over the place. Obviously, he’s got an element in terms of his size and speed that’s tough to replicate.
“There’s not many built like him around the league. I hurt for him. I obviously hurt for our team, but more for him just because I know how much he’s put into this thing, just like all our guys, and you never want to see that.”
The Packers have been one of the league’s elite passing offenses, as they average 1.71 yards per route run — third-best in the entire league. However, their 1.94 mark with Watson on the field would be the best in the league by a wide margin. Conversely, their mark falls to just 1.46 without Watson, which is good for 17th.
With Watson’s help, Green Bay entered the final week of the regular season ranked eighth by PFN’s Offense+ metric.
As they prepare for the Philadelphia Eagles, expect a concentrated effort on the ground game behind Josh Jacobs. Against the Eagles’ interior, it might be a tough ask, which will put added pressure on Love to target a weakened receiving corps and win the game with his arm.