Green Bay Needs Christian Watson To Flash Against Detroit

The Green Bay Packers will host the 6-1 Detroit Lions this Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay's second NFC North clash in nine weeks.

The Lions are coming off a dominant 52-point performance against the Tennessee Titans. They also blew out the Dallas Cowboys 47-9, where they had offensive linemen running routes. Jared Goff has now posted a passer rating of 129.9 or higher in four consecutive games.

Detroit’s defense leads the league in Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) and ranks third in EPA/play. That unit has allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards and is second in takeaways. They have tallied 12 interceptions but have also given up the 12th-most passing yards.

Green Bay needs to control time of possession to keep the Lions’ red-hot offense sidelined as much as possible. The Packers are ninth in EPA per rush but 30th in run-blocking, per PFF.

Offenses typically rely on the run to set up play-action and open up the passing game, but Green Bay may need the opposite approach against Detroit. While a slow, methodical offense that runs the ball and drains the clock would be the obvious way to dominate time of possession, the Lions have a stout run defense. Instead, the Packers have the scheme and weapons to attack Detroit through the air, potentially turning the passing game into their primary offensive focus.

A key matchup in the game will be Christian Watson against Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph. Quarterbacks only have a 30 passer rating when targeting Branch and Joseph. Both rank among the top-five safeties in coverage grade and the top three in interceptions alongside Xavier McKinney.

Green Bay’s priority should be neutralizing Branch and Joseph. Each has coverage grades of 85 or higher, while no other Lions defensive back grades above 70. The Packers already have a blueprint to exploit two-high defenses, as shown in last year’s Wild Card game against the Dallas Cowboys. They converted two early third downs with Romeo Doubs over the middle. He was left wide open after Watson drew both safeties deep on a go route.

Green Bay ran a similar play against the Minnesota Vikings this season. Lining up in 11-personnel, the Packers faced a disguised Cover 1, which shifted to two high as the play developed. Watson pulled two defenders deep, leaving Jayden Reed open between the numbers.

The plan could hinge on whether Branch and Joseph line up near the line of scrimmage. If one or both do, Watson can exploit his speed and go deep because no Detroit cornerback can match it. If they line up in a two-shell look, Watson can position himself inside and take both safeties with him on a go route or post.

Even as a decoy, Watson’s speed will demand respect from the safeties. That focus opens up underneath opportunities where Tucker Kraft has thrived in recent weeks. It also allows Jordan Love (or Malik Willis) to work with quick, short throws over the middle, getting the ball out faster and keeping the offense in rhythm. Green Bay must prevent Detroit's pass rush from gaining momentum. They are PFF’s second-highest graded unit in the league.

Long story short, “Run, Watson, run” should be a key part of Green Bay’s game plan. The Packers need to unleash Watson’s speed, pulling safeties 30-plus yards downfield. It’s like Barry Allen in CW’s The Flash TV series. No matter how beaten down he was by villains like the Reverse Flash, Zoom, or Savitar, one simple line, "