Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Christian Watson had a memorable first play of his NFL career. Unfortunately, it was memorable for all the wrong reasons. In his very first snap against the Minnesota Vikings, Watson burned corner Patrick Peterson on a deep route but dropped what would have been a 75-yard touchdown. Rather than shrivel up after a big play slipped through his fingers, Watson responded by staying level-headed for the rest of the game, according to head coach Matt LaFleur.
“I never got the feeling, just looking at him throughout the course of the game, where that was weighing on him,” LaFleur said. “He flipped the script pretty quickly, and that’s what you have to do in this league. I was proud of him for that.”
Watson went on to catch two passes for 34 yards and also added a carry that totaled seven yards. There were probably more chances to get him the ball if not for missed reads from quarterback Aaron Rodgers and protection issues from an offensive line that wasn’t at full strength.
After the game, Rodgers was asked about the deep throw to Watson but chalked it up as a missed opportunity.
“Obviously, it’d be great to have a 75-yard touchdown to start the game, but drops are going to happen, it’s part of the game,” Rodgers said.
Watson didn’t shy away from talking about the play, either. Reporters asked him about the drop at his locker postgame, and he answered questions with a mature demeanor.
“I just know it’s a play that I’m going to make 99 times out of 100,” Watson said. “Going forward, I’m going to make that play every single time.”
How Watson has handled the drop is exactly what you want to see from a wide receiver, especially as a rookie. Wide receivers need to have a short memory when a play doesn’t go their way, and Watson certainly showed that in week one.
