Okay, so for three weeks straight we all just figured Christian Watson was gonna keep hitting the end zone for the Packers. Week 4 against the Buccaneers? Nope, not this time. But man, did Green Bay drop a couple of other scores that show exactly why you can’t just focus on one guy, and one of them was an absolute clinic.
Matthew Golden’s Goal Line Trickery Left The Bucs Spinning
First up, let’s talk about that play in the second quarter, 4th & 2, with 12:58 left on the clock. The Packers are at the goal line, running 11 personnel: one running back, one tight end, three receivers. They line up in a Nub formation, meaning three receivers to one side, with an in-line tight end on the other. And boom, a bunch formation on the right side with Sky Moore, Matthew Golden, and Christian Watson. Before the snap, Golden shifts outside, and you can practically see the Bucs’ defense adjust, trying to cover it.
At the snap, Moore goes on a shallow drag, Watson releases vertically, drawing attention, and Golden takes a step in like he’s following Watson. It’s a classic Shield concept look, where Watson would be the shield for Golden underneath. Keionte Scott, the inside defender, is looking for that slant from Golden. But nah, Golden runs a quick out! Love sees Scott jump underneath Watson and just drops the ball over him in the end zone. Golden goes up, snags it, and it’s six points. What a play call and execution, exploiting the defensive read perfectly!
The Packers’ Next Goal Line Surprise
Then in the third quarter, 10:39 remaining, 2nd & 2. Green Bay is back at the goal line, this time in 12 personnel with a balanced formation. Watson shifts into an insert position before the snap, right there under the line between the tight end and the tackle. When you see that, you’re thinking run to the right side, right? The Bucs definitely were. Teams have been scoring touchdowns like crazy off this insert position with receivers releasing through the line on vertical routes. Hell, Watson himself scored two TDs this year (Week 1 and Week 3) off this exact move, going to a corner route. Zyon McCollum from the Bucs was absolutely keying on that. He stayed home in the deep part of the field, just waiting for it. But for the Buccaneers, the bad news was: there was another option. Tucker Kraft [85] is the TE to look for. They really had the Bucs defense totally caught off guard trying to cover that Watson route.
So what’s the takeaway from their win over the Buccaneers? The Packers are showing they’re not a one-trick pony, and they’re cooking up some serious misdirection at the goal line. When Love can distribute the ball like this and other guys are stepping up to score, that’s how you keep winning in the NFL. You just gotta wonder what defensive headache they’ll unleash next week.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
Leave a Reply