Not only did Christian Watson make the 53-yard catch, the star receiver returned to the game after being checked out for a chest injury at the hospital. Broken rib and all, he trotted back from the locker room to the Green Bay Packers' sideline to the Lambeau crowd's vocal delight.
Watson was definitely a winner in this one, and so was his team, 27-19 victors over the Carolina Panthers. Green Bay fans, though, could have done without an opening kickoff fumble and the game getting a bit dicey late.
The good fortunately overshadowed the bad, but there was enough of each to provide a fairly even ledger of winners and losers. The Packers will take it. It's Thursday Night Football. You get the win and get out.
Packers' winners and losers from Thursday's win over Panthers
Winner: Christian Watson
Watson already had six catches for 100 yards when he was injured less than six minutes into the second quarter. He returned, a feat amazing in itself, in time to finish with a season-high eight grabs for 113. It was also Watson's third game with at least 100 receiving yards and a 50-yard reception.
Especially as Matthew Golden wrestles with drops, Watson continues to be vital for Green Bay's gung-ho passing attack. His escape from any serious injury was perhaps the biggest win of the night. Hopefully, his rib fracture has time to heal in the Packers' 10-day interval between Weeks 8 and 9.
Winner: Ty'Ron Hopper
With Edgerrin Cooper done for the year and Zaire Franklin out for a second straight game, Hopper and Isaiah McDuffie once again suited up as the Packers' starting linebackers. Both delivered solid performances, but Hopper, especially, made his mark.
He flew around like a mini-Cooper, making a strong tackle here, getting a pressure there, breaking up passes and even deflecting one to himself for an interception - his second of the year.
As with Cooper, the Packers deployed Hopper in a variety of ways. He made plays in coverage, against the run, and as a blitzer. Hopper's box score accurately reflects his versatility: a sack, the INT, three passes defensed, two QB hits, and eight tackles.
Winner: Packers' pass rush up front
Everyone contributed. Lukas Van Ness delivered a crucial third-down sack that forced the Panthers to settle for a field goal late in the third quarter. On Carolina's penultimate drive, he teamed up with Devonte Wyatt on a first-down tackle for loss that put the Panthers behind the sticks to set up a four-and-out turnover on downs.
Wyatt had a sack of his own and another TFL. Brenton Cox was consistently involved behind the line of scrimmage. Dani Dennis-Sutton joined the sack party and added two TFLs. The fourth-round rookie looks like more of a steal every week.
Don't forget about Barryn Sorrell. Nice to see him making plays after a quiet start to his sophomore campaign.
Sacked six times in all, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young never looked comfortable in the pocket, rushing throws and looking generally miserable. How many times was Young's slender 5-foot-10 frame engulfed within a Green and Gold wave? Jordan Love, on the other hand, was not sacked at all. For once, the Packers weren't on the wrong side of an imploding offensive line.
Loser: Trey Smack
Four days after missing field goals from 26 and 35 yards against the Detroit Lions, Smack botched an extra point - loudly off the upright - on his first kick of the day. Not exactly the bounceback game Packers fans had in mind.
That was his only blemish in the box score, but tellingly, head coach Matt LaFleur opted to punt from his own 37-yard line rather than attempt a game-sealing 55-yard field goal with under 30 seconds left. Smack's time may not be up, but he's in timeout for now.
Loser: Packers' run game
The notion that Josh Jacobs' return would rejuvenate the run game has been dashed like Cinderella's pumpkin carriage after just two games. More time isn't what the offensive line needs; it needs new personnel. Until then, Jacobs, who, for his part, looks to be in football shape, will have to pick his way the best he can among splattered pumpkin pulp and shell shards.
Against a dismal Panthers run defense, he carried 21 times for 39 yards. Packers running backs collectively averaged under two yards per carry. Savion Williams put some lipstick on the stat line with 18 yards on a toss play, Green Bay's only gain of more than six yards on the ground. This isn't getting better.
Loser: Packers' fourth-quarter frustration
Green Bay's three turnovers would have been a much bigger story in a loss, but the even bigger one would be offensive stagnation and the return of Fourth Quarter LaFleur. Thought you were safe with a three-score lead and half a quarter left? Well, no, Packers fans don't think that way.
The home team led 27-10 with under eight minutes left and the Panthers facing a third-and-10 at Green Bay's 44-yard line. Blink, and Carolina had the ball back down 27-19 at their own 44, with all three timeouts and over four minutes to work with. The hell?
The Packers scored a touchdown on their only third-quarter drive. Their next three possessions: interception, three-and-out, three-and-out for minus-15 yards, with Daniel Whelan punting from his own 12. Perhaps most egregiously, the third possession took less than a minute off the clock and left the Panthers with all their timeouts.
This was more about sloppiness than playcalling, but we've seen this movie too many times before. If you want to terrify Packers fans, tell them they have a fourth-quarter lead and the ball. Whether due to time management, playcalling, or simple lack of execution, this team can't seem to put the opponent away. Fortunately, they held on in this one.
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