The Green Bay Packers will return from the bye week on Monday against the Los Angeles Rams with hopeful eyes toward the postseason. This season has been filled with tons of struggles mixed with flashes of what’s to come in the future for Green Bay. The bulk of the flashes has come from rookie wide receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. With both expected to play on Monday, what impact will a healthy Watson and Doubs have on the Packers’ offense?
The question won’t have a simple answer. While both rookies have shown to produce at a high level this season, the Packers haven’t really seen what the two can combine to produce at the same time.
Doubs, the training camp darling in Green Bay, started off his season hot with 314 yards and three touchdowns in the first nine weeks. In the last four games, Watson has dominated on the field recording 313 receiving yards and eight total touchdowns. Monday night’s game against the Rams should hopefully give the Packers some clarity as to how well this offense can look with both players on the field.
Watson and Doubs have only played on the field together for 70 snaps this season, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. While Watson missed time early in the season with various injuries, Doubs claimed all of the spotlights. However, since Doubs was sidelined in Week 9 with an ankle injury, Watson has since returned and stolen the hearts of Packers fans.
“Christian’s been balling,” Doubs said. “I can’t wait to be out there with him because we’ve been looking forward to that opportunity. We can do a lot for the offense. It will be really exciting to get back on the field.”
Exciting could be a mild way of putting it. Watson’s deep playmaking ability coupled with Doubs’ contested catching ability can finally offer the Packers’ offense the complete package in the passing game. Teaming up with the ultra-reliable weapons of Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, both of whom are ready to make a play at a moment’s notice, might tempt head coach Matt LaFleur into airing the ball out more often.
This season, the Packers have ranked 19th in passing yards per attempt and 18th in total passing yards. The formula for the Packers’ offense has been on the ground where the team ranks seventh in yards per carry and 12th in total rushing yards.
Going up against the team who has surrendered the 12th most passing yards this season on defense, it’ll be interesting to see if the Packers shift their offensive philosophy following the bye with both rookies back. It’ll be an exciting week for sure to finally get a real glimpse of the two future stars in Green Bay.
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Kole Noble is a lifelong Packers fan currently living in North Carolina and is a huge NFL Draft nut. You can follow him on twitter at @SlawSportsShow.
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