Packers finally found the secret sauce to get the offense working

Packers fans have been clamoring for an upgrade at wide receiver for well over a year. Turns out that’s all the offense needed to get back on track. 

A quick look at the Green Bay Packers‘ offensive depth chart in the preseason made it pretty obvious there was a dearth of talent at the wide receiver position. Not surprisingly, Aaron Rodgers struggled to overcome that challenge for much of the regular season.

Things took a dramatic turn for Rodgers and the Packers’ offense against the Cowboys in their Week 10 overtime victory.

Christian Watson looking good as receiving option for Aaron Rodgers, Packers

Christian Watson suddenly emerged as a viable No. 1 wide receiver for an offense that was previously starved of a big play threat on the outside. He finished the win with four catches for 107 yards and three touchdowns.

Those raw statistical numbers actually underrate the rookie wideout’s impact on the offense as a whole. Having Watson on the field has dramatically improved Green Bay’s offensive efficiency all season long. The Packers are averaging roughly 0.66 points more on drives that involve the former North Dakota State standout than when they try to operate without him.

Those numbers are obviously boosted by Watson’s breakout game against the Cowboys, but he gives Green Bay’s offense a different threat even when he’s not catching the ball. His raw speed allows him to stretch opposing secondaries vertically.

At the very least, Watson’s presence on the outside forces opponents to keep one safety out of the box. That’s crucial for a Green Bay ground game that thrives on creating numerical advantages at the line of scrimmage.

Watson’s big day against Dallas should only increase the amount of attention he receives from opposing defenses in the coming weeks. That might be a detriment to his individual production but it should benefit his offensive teammates on the whole. His presence on the field gives the Packers the sort of offensive balance they need to be effective.

Watson isn’t going to make Rodgers forget about Davante Adams anytime soon, but he does give the superstar signal-caller a dynamic weapon to work with. That might be just enough to make Green Bay a dangerous playoff team when the postseason arrives.