The Green Bay Packers have collected a promising injury update on two of their most explosive offensive weapons.
Despite Christian Watson and Matthew Golden appearing on the injury report ahead of Sunday’s NFC North showdown against the Detroit Lions, head coach Matt LaFleur isn’t expressing concern about either wide receiver.
Wisconsin State Journal reporter Paul Bretl reported Thursday, Oct. 22, that LaFleur sees no reason to worry about Watson or Golden’s availability for the October 25 matchup.
“LaFleur says there is no concern about Watson or Golden’s status for Sunday’s game,” Bretl wrote.
That’s a reassuring occurrence for a Green Bay offense that has leaned heavily on its passing attack during a three-game winning streak.
The two receivers have combined for more than 1,000 receiving yards through six games, serving as a formidable pair of downfield targets for quarterback Jordan Love.
LaFleur Addresses Injuries to Watson and Golden
The Packers’ initial injury report on Wednesday, Oct. 21, raised worries about the availability of their top two receivers.
Watson was listed with an ankle injury, while Golden appeared with a shoulder issue. Both were limited participants as Green Bay conducted a walkthrough rather than a full practice.
Their inclusion was glaring because neither player appeared on the previous week’s injury report.
However, LaFleur’s Thursday comments dumped cold water on doubts regarding their availability against Detroit, which is fantastic news given their high-caliber action as of late.
Per the Packers’ official statistics, Watson leads the team with 538 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 29 receptions. Golden has added 501 yards and three touchdowns on 30 catches.
Combined, the tandem has produced 1,039 receiving yards and nine touchdowns through six games.
Watson has averaged an impressive 18.6 yards per reception. And Golden is averaging 16.7 yards per catch.
The team’s injury issues go past those two receivers, however. Love was also listed as limited Wednesday because of a back injury, while fellow wideout Savion Williams appeared with an ankle injury.
Packers’ Explosive Duo Presents Major Challenge for Lions
The critical nature of having both receivers available becomes even clearer when thinking about what Detroit is prepping to defend.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell has identified Watson and Golden as the main threats in Green Bay’s downfield passing attack.
Via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra, Campbell commended Love’s ability to spur explosive plays and mentioned the problems Watson and Golden can conjure up.
Love leads the NFL with 988 passing yards on throws traveling at least 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, according to Next Gen Stats figures cited by NFL.com.
His 32 attempts on passes traveling at least 20 air yards also lead the league.
However, without either receiver, Green Bay’s vertical passing attack takes a big hit.
Then, the Packers would rely more on the potential return of running back Josh Jacobs, who resumed practicing this week after being removed from the commissioner’s exempt list.
LaFleur has declined to guarantee Jacobs will play, leaving some dubiety surrounding Green Bay’s backfield.
But the outlook for his leading receivers is definitely more pleasing.
Packers Get Good Injury Update on Explosive WR Duo Before Lions Game