Green Bay, Wis. On a night when he recorded his first shutout of the NFL season and clinched a playoff berth for the second year in a row, there was just one problem. Green Bay Packers The wide receiver suffered a knee injury Christian Watson.
The injury came at the end of a 14-yard gain late in the second quarter of Monday night’s 34-0 win. New Orleans Saints at Lambeau Field. New Orleans’ two defensive backs — Alonta Taylor And Kool-Aid McKinstry — landed on Watson’s left knee as he went out of bounds at the Saints’ 6-yard line.
“There’s definitely some concern,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said after Monday’s game. “We’re going to do some more testing tomorrow.” Hopefully I’ll have an answer for you tomorrow.”
Watson returned to play seven more snaps in the third quarter before leaving the game. He remained on the Packers sideline for the rest of the game.
“It definitely hurt right away, but it felt good enough to go back, so I went back and it felt perfect,” Watson said. “But it was just kind of a little long and I couldn’t play the kind of football I wanted to play, so I had to stop it.”
Watson did not have a catch but finished with two rushes for 23 yards. Aside from Watson’s injury, it was a memorable night for the Packers.
It was their first shutout since the 2021 season and they clinched a playoff spot with two games to go in the regular season. While the Packers (11-4) may not win the NFC North, they can still earn the top wild-card seed. They close with two division games — Sunday at Minnesota (13-2) and home against the Bears (4-11) in Week 18.
According to ESPN Research, there has never been a season without a shutout in league history and it was the latest in a season with the first shutout.
“The defense played ball,” the Packers cornerback said Kezan Nixonwho had a sack in the second quarter. “Getting a shutout is the hardest thing to do in the NFL, and it’s even harder to do it in prime time, and to clinch a playoff berth is a helluva deal.”
It makes the mark. Jordan LoveSecond playoff berth in as many seasons as Packers starting quarterback. This is the fifth time in six seasons that LaFleur’s team has qualified for the playoffs.
For veteran free agent additions Xavier McKinney And Josh Jacobswho played in just one playoff game each before signing with the Packers this past offseason, is what he came to Green Bay to do.
“It’s very hard to put into words,” said Jacobs, who rushed for 69 yards and a touchdown with the Packers leading comfortably for most of the second half. “That’s the main reason I’m here.”
McKinney said: “I was telling. [Nixon] … Before I had to scratch and claw my way through the playoffs … ”
At which Nixon interrupted and said: “Welcome to Green Bay.”
The Saints, 5-10 and start Spencer Ruttler Injured replacement at quarterback Derek Carrwas shut out for just the second time since 2002, but Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi didn’t believe it was for lack of effort.
“The day I took over we were on a seven-game losing streak,” Rizzi said. “For a lot of players and veteran guys, it would have been easy, easy, especially to check out one of a kind, and I never felt that way. I didn’t feel that way today. I thought, to be honest with you, I thought we had a great week of preparation, I felt like we were locked in. We never performed in this league.
“Our performance wasn’t very good. I never felt like our guys were looking down the road and not trying because of our playoff status. I didn’t feel that once during that time. Today’s The night doesn’t feel like we’re finished.”
ESPN’s Kathryn Terrell contributed to this report.