The Packers managed a win over the Colts in Week 2, a slow-paced, run-heavy game with Jordan Love out because of a knee injury and Malik Willis making just the fourth start of his NFL career. Green Bay put just 16 points on the scoreboard, and handed off the ball an astonishing 53 times.
Willis—known more as a runner himself rather than a passer—had only 14 pass attempts, mostly for short yardage. That left the Packers’ top deep-ball threat, speedy wideout Christian Watson, mostly left out of the game plan. Watson not only had zero catches on the day, he was not even targeted.
That was part of a frustrating start to the season for Watson, who was targeted on five occasions during the Packers’ opener in Sao Paolo in Week 1, but made three catches for just 13 yards.
Watson, though, professed no frustration. He said he understood that the game plan had to be altered in Week 2, and the fact that the Packers got a win was what mattered in the end.
“The motivation to win a football game is enough for me,” Watson said this week. “I can only speak for myself but I am going to do whatever it takes to win the football game. Everyone wants the ball and everyone wants to make plays, but that’s really out of my control so I just go out there and do what’s called.”
Packers’ Jason Vrabel: ‘His Time Will Come’
For the Packers coaching staff, Watson’s approach is spot on. In fact, passing game coordinator Jason Vrable had a pretty clear message for Watson: Just keep running routes the same way, and the ball is going to find you.
Said Vrabel: “Everybody wants the ball, especially if you believe in yourself, because you think it’s going to help the team win. … His time will come.”
Vrabel specifically pointed to the now-famous play in late in the first half of the Colts win when Willis wound up running on a third-and-7 play that was designed to be a pass to Watson. But the play was broken from the beginning of a rather unique reason: because center Josh Myers threw up on the ball.
“The play where the throw up occurred, I don’t know if you guys saw the tape, but before Malik had to wipe off his hand, Christian was five yards behind the corner,” Vrabel explained, via the Packers website. “That play was tagged for him and I was standing on the sideline saying this is going to be a touchdown to Christian.
“Corner was sitting flat-footed, we thought we could run by him, he didn’t get the ball. But when we watch the tape and talk about it, you ran this route good, you ran that route good, it’s going to go to you eventually.”
Christian Watson Finally Healthy
Watson is hopeful of a big year in 2024. For the first time in his career, he is coming into the season with a full bill of health, after battling hamstring problems for his first two years.
Watson missed three games with hamstring problems in 2022 as a rookie, then missed the first three games last season with a hamstring injury. He had outstanding back-to-back games in huge Packers wins over the Lions and Chiefs in Weeks 10 and 11 (165 yards and three touchdowns on 12 catches), but again injured his hamstring against Kansas City and missed the final five weeks of the regular season.
He put extra time and effort into keeping himself healthy and strengthening his hamstrings to avoid injuries this year. So far, so good. Watson missed no time whatsoever going back to OTAs in May.
Of course, the problem now is that Love is injured. But with Love possible for a return this Sunday against the Titans, things may finally be ready to break the Packers’ way.