The Green Bay Packers have caught fire. They defeated the Carolina Panthers with ease in Week 8, but had a tough opponent on paper in Week 9 against the New England Patriots, who made it to the Super Bowl last season. Yet, the Packers made them look like flukes.
On Sunday, the Packers defeated the Patriots 45-27 to improve to 6-3 on the season. Don't let the final score fool you – the game wasn't particularly close. Quarterback Jordan Love was on top of his game once again, throwing for 372 yards and three touchdowns.
The main beneficiaries were top wide receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, who combined for 17 receptions, 335 yards, and two touchdowns.
The Packers have long waited for some star receivers to emerge of late. They banked on Watson and Golden, and they have been nothing short of exceptional this season. The Athletic's Matt Schneidman raised a valid question: Could this result in the two receivers getting All-Pro honors?
Could Christian Watson and Matthew Golden receive All-Pro nominations at season's end?
For those unaware, All-Pro teams are selected by a panel of sports writers who vote for the best players at each position across the NFL, not by conference. That then results in the first and second teams being revealed. For wide receivers, there are three players selected per team.
This season, Watson has 879 receiving yards to his credit, while Golden has 783 receiving yards. They rank third and fourth in receiving yards this season. It may only be a matter of time until they get well over 1,000 receiving yards.
The only players ahead of them are Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks, with 1,036 receiving yards, and CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys, with 904. In all likelihood, Smith-Njigba is not going to move off of the top spot, no matter who is throwing him the football in Seattle. So, unless Lamb drops off production-wise, it's likely that Watson and Golden would split across the first and second teams.
Of course, the duo would still need to keep up their production. Based on recent play, it's hard to envision them not being able to continue.
Packers' passing game helps Christian Watson's and Matthew Golden's All-Pro chances
What is working in their favor is that Love is playing at an NFL MVP level. Even though the offensive line is dinged up by injuries and the running game is non-existent, Love is surgical when it comes to passing the football. Perhaps what's most impressive is how accurate Love is when passing the football 20 yards downfield.
In the Week 9 win over the Patriots, Love completed six of eight passes for 235 yards and a touchdown on passes of 20 air yards or more, according to Next Gen Stats. This is the second time that Love has had six completions of 20-plus air-yard throws in a game this season. No other quarterback has done that.
Love showcased that against the Patriots. Nearly every time he attempted a pass deep downfield, it ended up in the hands of Watson and Golden.
The Packers face some tough pass defenses this season, such as the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams. But they do have some favorable matchups against the likes of the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and Houston Texans. So, the door is open for Watson and Golden to add more receiving yards to their season total.
The Packers have eight games left. Given how they've played as of late, the Packers could end the season with the top passing attack in football, especially if Watson and Golden continue to get open deep downfield for Love.
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