It looks like the Green Bay Packers will be without wide receiver Christian Watson for the start of the playoffs, and quarterback Jordan Love still needs more time to recover and get full feeling back in his throwing hand before the team faces the second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles next weekend.
In the second quarter of Sunday’s 24-22 loss to the Chicago Bears in the regular-season finale, the Packers lost Watson to a right knee injury. Just three plays later, Love also got hurt, suffering a right elbow injury.
Malik Willis replaced Love for the rest of the game and completed 10 of 13 passes for 136 yards.
Watson was carted off the field after his right knee injury, which happened on a non-contact play. He was ruled out for the rest of the game at the start of the third quarter.
“I’m not super confident about that right now,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said when asked about Watson’s status.
Love wasn’t officially ruled out, but he didn’t return to the game. He was seen throwing footballs on the sideline during the second half. While LaFleur said Love was “good to go back in,” Love didn’t sound as sure.
Love explained that he landed on his right elbow and that his throwing hand “pretty much just went numb.”
“Same thing after halftime,” he added. “I came back, was trying to get some throws and the same thing happened. Kind of outside of my hand and pinkie, I couldn’t feel it, it was pretty numb. We just made the decision to hold me back.
Later on in the fourth, Malik had his hand [hurt] — something happened there — so we weren’t sure if he was going to finish it out, so I was trying to get warmed up and throw.”
When asked about how he felt during his postgame news conference, Love said, “The same.”
However, he didn’t hesitate when asked if he felt good about his chances to play against the Eagles, saying, “Yes.”
“They said it should [go away],” Love said about the numbness. “They did. I’m not sure when, but it’s feeling better.”
The situation was more concerning when discussing Watson. The Packers’ deep-threat receiver injured his knee while running a route. It was a non-contact injury, and the ball was thrown to Dontayvion Wicks on the other side of the field. Watson needed help getting off the field, and after being checked in the sideline medical tent, he was carted to the locker room.
“That’s a tough one,” Love said. “Obviously, I’m not sure of the exact circumstances, but just seeing it on the field, him going down non-contact like that, it’s tough. It’s really tough, especially with Christian trying to bounce back from what he’s been dealing with, and then to have that happen, it’s tough. I feel for Christian.”
Watson had missed the previous game due to a knee injury, but it was to his left knee.
LaFleur decided not to rest his starters in Week 18, even though some players, like running back Josh Jacobs, didn’t play in the second half. LaFleur might have kept Watson out completely if receiver Romeo Doubs hadn’t come down with an illness the day before the game and been inactive.
“Yeah, that had a lot to do with it, yep,” LaFleur said.
After the loss, the Packers are set to be the No. 7 seed in the NFC, as the Washington Commanders won 23-19 against the Dallas Cowboys to claim the sixth seed. Even if the Packers had won against the Bears, they still would have been the No. 7 seed. Now, they enter the playoffs on a two-game losing streak. Despite winning 11 games, they finished 1-5 in NFC North games this season.
“It is kind of the mindset of, it’s a new season,” Love said. “We’re going into the playoffs. We’ve got to kind of flush the season and have a clean slate.”
