The first ten games of the 2022 NFL season did not start the way the Green Bay Packers would have wanted. For Christian Watson, the infancy of his NFL career has been anything but glamorous. From the dropped would-be touchdown pass on the first offensive play from scrimmage against the Vikings to the injuries. It has been a rough start for the athletically gifted receiver from North Dakota State. However, Sunday against the Cowboys, Christian Watson’s star performance lead the Packers to victory. 

Win Over Dallas Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive

After what one would like to believe is the Packers’ rock bottom, a loss to Detroit on a putrid offensive display. The Packers needed a victory against the Dallas Cowboys to have any chance of keeping their playoff hopes alive. 

They didn’t come out and blow the doors of the Cowboys. In reality, they trailed most of the game. However, they fought hard, the offense and defense played complementary football, and they didn’t do themselves in with mistakes. Well, almost. Amari Rodgers tried his best to derail things. 

Watson’s Star Performance Ruins McCarthy’s Return to Titletown

Despite the fact that this game was billed as Mike McCarthy’s return to Titletown. Above all, it was the Christian Watson coming out party. Watson’s four catches for 107 yards and three touchdowns made the difference. It’s the kind of performance that Brian Gutekunst thought Watson was capable of when he traded up to snag the receiver in the second round of the 2022 draft. 

As much as Gutekunst believed he has something in Watson. Thus far the Packers have been desperately in need of Watson, or any receiver for that matter, to step up and dominate a game. In search of a wide receiver, Green Bay came up empty at the trade deadline. And all season long the passing game has been largely ineffective. For this reason, it would be monumental for Watson to build off this performance going forward. 

Despite the fact that Watson ended the game the hero. He began the game the goat. Dropping two consecutive Aaron Rodgers passes. After the second drop, it looked as if all hope and confidence had been drained from the young receiver. However, to Rodgers’s credit, he kept going back to Watson. Notably something Rodgers doesn’t always do when receivers drop balls. 

Run Game Sets Up Passing Game

Besides the performance from Watson. Markedly the Packers’ running game was gassed up and full speed ahead. Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon were everything Packers fans expected from the “Lightening and Thunder” duo. What was puzzling is why it took so long for the Packers to realize that the strength of their running game makes the passing game more deceptive and dangerous. 

One win doesn’t make a season. But this win, at the very least, keeps hope alive. That said, each week going forward is more or less a must-win game. And when you must win, you must have more performances by Watson, Jones, Dillon, and Aaron Rodgers like this one. There is talent on this team, and now is the time for that talent to stack some wins.