The 2024 Green Bay Packers made their debut under the lights at Family Night on August 3, 2024. As is tradition, the unique brilliance of Lambeau Field was the stage for this practice, the only one to touch that hallowed turf all year. It was a brilliant scene featuring the 3 Great F’s, Family, Friends, and Football. Thanks to the Packers brilliant decision to stream the game online, fans around the world were able to see this practice live for the first time and were treated to a tantalizing glimpse of the season ahead. The evening was packed with standout moments (you’ve surely seen the kid catching punts by now) but my favorite plays came from Romeo Doubs, Javon Bullard, and Christian Watson. Let’s check the highlights!
Romeo Doubs: Red Zone Sensation
I’ve already written about Romeo Doubs’ prowess in the red zone. The 2023 Packers could not have had the success they did without his specialty in the scoring zone. On Family Night Romeo Doubs again dazzled the crowd with a couple of TD grabs during the redzone period. Romeo’s spectacular leaping touchdown grab stole the show for me. Doubs’s athletic prowess was on full display as he soared high to secure the ball in the end zone, almost seeming to defy gravity, showcasing his ability to make challenging catches look effortless. This play was a testament to Doubs’ hard work and his growing chemistry with quarterback Jordan Love. Romeo makes the the difficult look routine. Look out for Romeo, NFL!
Javon Bullard: Defensive Dynamo
I have already pegged new Safety Javon Bullard as my favorite to win the starting spot next to Xavier McKinney. And I also have been bragging to everyone on Twitter everytime “Bull” makes a big play in practice that “I saw this coming!” At family night, Bullard again proved me correct and created a few pass breakups that showed what he can bring to this defense. In the play below, Bullard’s quick reflexes and impeccable positioning allowed him to deflect a pass intended for Jayden Reed that Love didn’t think he could get to. The instincts on display show he can be a game-changer on defense who give opposing offenses headaches all year long.
Christian Watson: Guess Who’s Back!!
All of those other plays are great, but the one that made me sit up in my chair and exclaim “wow!” was the TD Christian Watson caught during the 1-on-1 period. Probably no player on the current roster is facing more scrutiny going into the 2024 season than Watson. He has the most tantalizing talent on the team, a speed demon with hight to tower over defenders. In his first two years, he has treated Packer fans to some memorable moments and even matched records set by Randy Moss, hall of famer. Despite this, he has failed to reach his potential due to persistent hamstring injuries that have sidelined him for long stretches both years. Watson and Erik Stokes famously went to seek specialized treatment this offseason in hopes of putting these issues behind them. Packer fans are desperately hoping they were successful. At Family Night, Watson was paired up against Jaire Alexander, the highest paid defensive back in the league. All eyes were on him and Watson showed ability to create separation and make the TD catch in the end zone despite the incredible coverage. You could almost hear Packer fans collectively exhale. The reports out of camp have been that Love and Watson are connecting on one of these long balls at least once a practice. But seeing is believing, and if they can add this as a regular feature of their offense? The league is going to be in a world of hurt.
Next Up: Preseason
These performances not only thrilled the fans in attendance but also set a high bar for the Packers as they prepare for the upcoming season. The upcoming preseason games will be the next step in the growth of this young team. We’ll see if they can stack success against unfriendly competition. But with standout players like Doubs, Bullard, and Watson, the Packers are poised to make significant strides on both sides of the ball.
