Given that the Green Bay Packers 1. Clinched a playoff berth last night and 2. Did so by throwing the NFL's first shutout of the season, you'd think the postgame mood would have been a little more cheery. Yet, after the 34-0 win on Monday night, Matt LaFleur didn't exactly sound thrilled when asked about Christian Watson's health.
Watson left the game in the second half after getting hit awkwardly on a carry near the goal line, and didn't return to the game. LaFleur started pulling starters early in the second half anyway, so there was a bit of confusion as to why Watson didn't return. Things got even worse when, in his postgame press conference, LaFleur said the Packers had concerns about Watson's knee.
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Yet, on Tuesday, Watson's outlook looks way better. LaFleur told reporters that the team thinks Watson avoided any sort of serious, season-ending injury, instead "just" suffering a knee bruise. Not only that, but there's a not-insignificant chance that Watson could play in this week's game against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers think that Christian Watson avoided a major injury in Week 16 win over Saints
Matt LaFleur says the Packers got good news on Christian Watson. Just a knee bruise. Could potentially play Sunday in Minnesota.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) December 24, 2024
That's the sound of every Packers fan you know deeply exhaling. That's the sound of their holiday vacation being saved. The Packers can't really afford even more injuries – even though most are on the defensive side – and the idea that they were going to go into one of their more important games of the season without their full lineup of starting pass-catchers, once again, made Sunday's chances look pretty bleak.
It'll be interesting to see which way LaFleur and the rest of the Packers' coaching staff lean in regards to Watson's playing time. Obviously, beating the Vikings in Minnesota would be a huge boon heading into the playoffs, but the Packers' seed is all but solidified, and it's not like they can win the division anymore. All things considered, it wouldn't be totally surprising to see Watson in a limited role, if even that. But he's not going to miss playoff games (knock on wood) and that's what counts.