The Chicago Bears are entering a massive matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. While Chicago’s play should be the determining factor, they may not be able to feel like the Packers’ injury list plays in their favor.
The Packers have been hammered with injuries since the last time they met as Micah Parsons, Zach Tom and others have wound up on the sidelines after last week’s loss to the Denver Broncos. But while the loss of Parsons and the questionable status of Tom are worth monitoring, so is the status of Christian Watson, who left last week’s game with a chest/shoulder injury.
While it looked like the Bears might get a reprieve from Green Bay’s most explosive weapon at the beginning of the week, Matt LaFleur told reporters on Wednesday that Watson “is fighting to play” and returning to practice per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. If that happens, it could elicit a groan from Halas Hall and another obstacle Chicago will have to overcome on Saturday night.
Christian Watson’s Potential to Play in Week 16 Remains Big Problem for Bears
In the last meeting between the Bears and the Packers two weeks ago, Watson was one of the players that determined the outcome of Chicago’s 28-21 loss. Watson caught four passes for 89 yards but two of them were long scores; a 23-yard catch from Jordan Love put the Packers on the board in the second quarter and a 41-yard pass from Love to Watson gave Green Bay a 21-11 lead in the third quarter.
While the Bears fought their way back and tied the game on Caleb Williams’s touchdown pass to Colston Loveland with eight minutes left, Watson's TDs were two of the biggest plays of the game. They also helped Green Bay maintain control and get the game-winning touchdown run from Josh Jacobs with 3:32 to go.
In addition to Watson’s two scores, the air was the biggest weakness the Packers attacked in that game. Love finished the game completing 17-of-25 passes for 234 yards, three touchdowns and an interception and the Bears allowed a 45-yard score to Bo Melton that gave Green Bay a 14-3 lead going into halftime.
With so many big plays allowed through the air and the status of Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson still unknown, not facing Watson would have been a major break. But while Watson did not practice on Tuesday, it feels like he’s going to do everything he can to play, giving the Bears one more thing to worry about going into a game that could decide the NFC North.