Christian Watson Had a Monster Day Against the Bears
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| Photo Credit: Evan Siegle, packers.com The Packers beat the Bears 28 to 21 on Sunday on the backs of a big performance from Christian Watson and a game-sealing interception from Keisean Nixon. The Packers now sit as the current 2-seed in the NFC behind the Los Angeles Rams and ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers were not perfect on Sunday but made the big plays when they needed to. Christian Watson had a monster game, hauling in 4 receptions for 89 yards and two touchdowns. The return of Watson to the Packers offense has been a godsend for this unit. The biggest part of Watson’s game is his deep threat ability, being able to take the top off the defense which the Packers desperately needed. His ability to beat man-to-man coverage paired with his strong hands has added an important element to this offense.
Watson signed a one-year extension early this season with the Packers as a good faith agreement, allowing him enough time to not rush back from his ACL tear.
Jordan Love had another great game (people will still say he stinks) after throwing an interception early in the game. One of the things that makes Jordan Love special is how unfazed he is in the face of adversity. Even though the interception was bad, he bounced back with three touchdown passes and finished with a 120.7 QB rating.
Jayden Reed made his return in this game and made an impact instantly, catching passes and rushing the ball like we are used to seeing. But of all the weapons the Packers have at wide receiver, Bo Melton found himself in the endzone on a 45-yard dot from Jordan Love late in the second quarter. Best two-way player in the league? People are asking…
Josh Jacobs had two massive plays in this game, including a huge first down conversion on a toss play that was extremely questionable in the moment. Following that were back to back shotgun run plays where he scored late in the fourth quarter to give the Packers the lead. Jacobs has not had the season he probably envisioned. The offensive line has struggled, and it seems like Jacobs gets hit behind the line every time he touches the ball. In the face of all that, he still makes plays because he is one special player. Shoutout to Josh Jacobs.
The Packers defense had a hold on the Bears offense in the first half. They brought pressure and held the Bears rushing attack in check. Although they had only one sack in this game (some may say there was a lot of missed holding calls), the pressure they brought against Caleb Williams had him under duress all game long. Then the second half happened. The Packers offense got a little greedy trying for the kill shot after halftime on a deep shot to Romeo Doubs. That play alone resulted in the Packers defense being on the field for the majority of the second half, and they got gassed. The Bears rushing attack stepped up and Caleb Williams used his shiftiness to escape the pocket. It was clear the Packers missed Devonte Wyatt in the second half in both run and pass defense. This was probably the most concerning part of the game. The game plan of keeping the Packers offense off the field and keeping the defense on it seems to be the recipe to win. The Packers are going to have to adapt and find a way to counter teams who come in with that mindset. However, when it came down to it on the last Bears offensive play of the game, the defense made the big play. Keisean Nixon ran all the way across the field to pick off Caleb Williams and ice the game. It is funny how Nixon, who had a rough game to say the least, came up with the play that ultimately sealed the win. His confidence is unmatched, and you want that in your number one corner.
Overall, this was a massive win for the Packers and may have been more important for them than for the Bears. With this win, the Packers are in position to possibly win out and earn the one-seed in the NFC. It may take some help, but as we have seen this NFL season, it has been very unpredictable. In the span of four weeks, Matt LaFleur has rallied this team and kept them from unraveling. He deserves his flowers, especially after people were asking him if he was coaching for his job (guilty as charged). The Packers, although they have their faults like every other team in the league, have become a very well-rounded team. Despite devastating injuries to Elgton Jenkins, Devonte Wyatt, and Tucker Kraft, this is still a championship roster.
At the end of the day, it is going to come down to Matt LaFleur and the Packers offense. Will he let his quarterback Jordan Love, who is in the MVP conversation, cook? We have seen LaFleur turtle in big games with his play calling, but now is the time to take chances. The Packers have a big test on Sunday on the road against the number one team in the AFC and in the NFL, the Denver Broncos. The Broncos are on a ten-game win streak and are fighting with the Patriots for the AFC’s top seed. If the Packers beat the Broncos on Sunday, do not be surprised if people start saying this is the best team in football, because they just might be. Real Packer Fans Know 🧀 |
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