Christian Watson and Matthew Golden didn’t just help the Packers beat the Patriots on Sunday. They turned a 45-27 win into another loud statement about where Green Bay’s passing game is headed.
The Packers moved to 6-3 after handling New England in Week 9, and the final score made it look closer than it really was. Jordan Love was sharp again, piling up 372 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Watson and Golden did the heavy lifting on the outside. The two receivers combined for 17 catches, 335 yards and two scores.
That kind of production is why the conversation around both players is starting to shift. The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman raised the question directly: could this lead to All-Pro recognition at season’s end?
All-Pro teams are chosen by a panel of sports writers who vote on the NFL’s best players at each position, regardless of conference. The first and second teams are then revealed, and at receiver there are three spots on each team.
Watson has 879 receiving yards this season, while Golden sits at 783. That puts them third and fourth in the league in receiving yards, behind only Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks at 1,036 and CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys at 904. Smith-Njigba looks locked into the top spot, and if Lamb stays steady, Watson and Golden could wind up splitting the remaining first- and second-team openings.
The numbers are already strong enough to keep the idea alive, but the Packers’ passing game is what makes it feel real. Love is operating at an NFL MVP level, and he’s doing it despite an offensive line dealing with injuries and a running game that has offered little help. The most dangerous part of his game right now is what he’s doing downfield.
Against the Patriots, Love completed six of eight passes for 235 yards and a touchdown on throws of 20 air yards or more, according to Next Gen Stats. It was the second time this season he’s had six completions on 20-plus air-yard throws in a game, and no other quarterback has done that.
That connection was obvious Sunday. When Love went deep, Watson and Golden were usually the ones coming down with it.
The schedule still has some difficult pass defenses ahead, including the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams. But Green Bay also has matchups left against the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans, which leaves plenty of room for Watson and Golden to keep climbing.
With eight games remaining, the Packers have a chance to finish with the top passing attack in football. If Watson and Golden keep creating separation the way they have lately, that possibility won’t feel far-fetched for long.
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Packers Fans Shouldn't Panic Over Tucker Kraft's Quiet Role
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Even so, there is no reason to read too much into the quiet afternoon from the tight end spot. Kraft is still doing the dirty work that does not always show up in the box score, especially as a blocker, and he has not shown any physical signs of the injury concern that lingered last season. For a Packers offense that is currently finding its rhythm through speed and vertical shots, that is more a usage note than a warning sign. [Read more 🡒]