Green Bay Packers receiver Christian Watson was taken to a local hospital during the first half of Thursday night's 27-19 win against the Carolina Panthers due to a chest injury, then returned to play at Lambeau Field. Watson was injured at the end of a 53-yard, deep-ball reception during which he appeared to land awkwardly. "I think I just landed on the ball, it got me in the ribs," Watson said on "Sports Center with Scott Van Pelt." At first he couldn't catch his breath and was spitting up blood. Watson walked off the field under his own power and headed to the locker room without assistance.
He underwent tests, including a CT scan, and after those came back clean he was cleared to return. Watson came running out of the tunnel with 6:56 left in the third quarter and caught a 5-yard pass on the first play of the fourth quarter. Before leaving, Watson had six catches for 100 yards.
The 53-yarder was his third reception of 50+ yards this season, most in the NFL. Watson finished the game with eight receptions on 10 targets for 113 yards.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing