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Rob Demovsky, ESPN employees author
GREEN BAY, Wis. – There may be at the very least one one that hasn’t misplaced religion in Christian Watson, and it is most likely the one that issues most: Inexperienced Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love.
Love mentioned Wednesday that he has quite a lot of confidence within the second-year receiver, who was anticipated to construct on his sturdy efficiency final season and grow to be a go-to participant for the quarterback in his first season as a full-time starter, however as a substitute struggled at occasions with each accidents and manufacturing.
“My message to Christian is: maintain your religion, by no means let issues like that occur [make] your confidence is wavering or one thing like that,” Love mentioned. ‘I’ve full confidence in Christian. I do know he is aware of this, however I belief all my receivers. The ball will come out anyway. Simply maintain that confidence.
“If you lose, lots of people level fingers and issues like that. It occurs. It is a part of it. He is knowledgeable. He is aware of that. So is everybody within the locker room. I advised him to maintain that confidence.” up, maintain making performs and transfer on to the following one.”
The disconnect between Love and Watson was clearly seen in Sunday’s loss to the Steelers. Each of Love’s interceptions got here off throws to Watson, though the second was extra of a desperation effort on the ultimate play of the sport. However Watson solely caught two of the seven passes he obtained and in addition had a drop. Half of Love’s interceptions this season have been on throws to Watson.
“Plenty of it is not his fault,” Love mentioned. “I could possibly be higher for him and stuff like that. Preserve that belief up. I belief these guys to rise from right here.”
Watson, a 2022 second-round decide, has simply 14 catches for 236 yards and a landing in six video games; he missed the primary three weeks with a hamstring damage. In line with ESPN Stats & Info, he got here out of Sunday’s recreation with the bottom catch charge (42%) of any receiver with at the very least 30 targets this season. This after posting eight touchdowns (dashing and receiving mixed) in Weeks 10-13 final season, tied with Randy Moss for essentially the most ever by an NFL rookie over a four-game span.
“Sooner or later it can click on,” Watson mentioned Wednesday. “It is mentally exhausting realizing it hasn’t occurred but, however on the finish of the day I am unable to management or change something that occurred previously. I am simply targeted on the following one.”
Watson mentioned he cannot pinpoint one factor that has slowed his manufacturing this season, however the Packers’ passing recreation as a complete obtained off to a gradual begin in Love’s first season, maybe partly as a result of Watson and fellow second-year professional Romeo Doubs are the one veterans within the recipient group.
“I believe, initially, the higher we will play as a complete workforce, the extra alternatives everybody will get,” Watson mentioned. “So whatever the success or lack of success I’ve had this 12 months, I believe as soon as we get going as a workforce, everybody will probably be extra glad with the manufacturing.”
