Christian Watson did the hard part. Moments after the San Francisco 49ers kept themselves in the game with a touchdown pass to George Kittle, the Green Bay Packers almost produced the perfect response.
With time ticking away in the second quarter, Jordan Love threw a beautiful pass right into Watson's lap. The Packers' star receiver, who is coming off a career-best game against the Chicago Bears, had beaten his defender and looked ready to stroll into the end zone.
But he dropped it.
A potential 49-yard touchdown became an incompletion, and after two more failed attempts to go deep, the Packers had to punt. We've called for Watson to get more opportunities, and moments like this prove why. If he made the catch, Watson would've flipped momentum and put the Packers up 24-7. Few receivers in the NFL have his game-changing ability. But the drop came at the worst time.
Christian Watson had nearly 2 full yards of separation as the ball was arriving on a his drop. Would’ve likely been a 49-yard TD.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) November 24, 2024
Instead it’s 17-7 Packers at halftime.
Per @ESPNStatsInfo that was Watson’s FIRST drop of the season. pic.twitter.com/utD2QMDmPa
Christian Watson's first drop of the season hurts the Packers against the 49ers
Watson's drop brings back painful memories of his first play in the NFL. After beating Patrick Peterson in coverage, he dropped a potential 75-yard touchdown in his debut against the Minnesota Vikings. This play was eerily reminiscent.
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While fans are understandably frustrated, it's important to remember that Watson has improved his drops significantly this season. This was his first drop of the season.
Unfortunately, it could be a costly one. It was the difference between a 17-point advantage and a 10-point game, and the 49ers will get the ball after halftime. San Francisco is missing several key players, but they can never be written off. Watson had the chance to put the game away.
The positive takeaway is that Watson got open and Love found him. They did the hard part. Matt LaFleur should dial up more opportunities for Watson as the game goes on.