Wide receiver Christian Watson’s injury scare in Denver could have been a nightmare sequel to the Micah Parsons news, but the Packers at least got one piece of good news.
Tests showed the wide receiver avoided a major issue, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting no serious damage and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky noting there were no lung complications after a precautionary CT scan.
His status for Saturday’s showdown with the Bears will be monitored during the week, but this looks more like a bruise for Green Bay’s season than a break.
The play that sent Watson to a Denver hospital was the start of a surreal sequence. Patrick Surtain II, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, finally grabbed his first interception of the season, and what should have been a highlight for Denver instead became the moment everything flipped on Green Bay, as described by the New York Times.
Inside the Packers’ locker room, there was defiance, but also some guilt. Left guard Aaron Banks admitted he could not shake the feeling that he played a small part in Watson getting hurt.
He pointed out that teammate Eyioma Uwazurike hit the quarterback on that snap and wondered aloud if the entire collision chain would have unfolded differently without that contact, even while acknowledging it might not really be on him.
Watson had been trending toward career highs despite missing time, with 28 catches for 481 yards and five scores in eight games, and Jordan Love has repeatedly called him the explosive field-stretcher this offense needs.
On the other side of the ball, Rashan Gary made it clear the standard is not changing just because Parsons likely tore his ACL.
As Matt Schneidman relayed, Gary warned that over the final three games, fans should “watch how the front play,” effectively challenging the entire defensive line and edge group to respond after failing to sack Bo Nix once in Denver.
Between Banks owning his part in a freak moment, Gary publicly demanding more from the pass rush, and Watson dodging the worst-case scenario, the Packers head into Bears week battered but not broken, fully aware there is no margin left if they still intend to chase the NFC North.
