Christian Watson's performance against Bears bigger than stats suggest

Sunday's outing against the Bears doesn't rank as Christian Watson's most overall productive performance, but it does represent the most complete game of his Packers career.

Christian Watson's three-touchdown outing against the Dallas Cowboys in 2022 put him on the national radar. The five scores he produced over the ensuing three games kept him there. Watson eventually earned Offensive Rookie of the Month honors for his efforts, a testament to the incredible production he amassed in such a short period of time.

And yet, those contests featured a raw version of Watson who, while extremely physically talented, could only affect the game in so many ways. His speed and body control led to some spectacular plays, but limitations as a route runner and reading coverages blunted his down-to-down impact. That lack of nuance reared its ugly head in 2023 when Watson again made a handful of big plays but barely managed to catch more than half of the passes thrown his way.

It took some time -- and some improved injury luck -- but Watson appears to have taken the next step in his development. That became evident during the Green Bay Packers' win over the Chicago Bears when the 25-year-old wideout delivered the most complete performance to date.

Certainly, Watson's productivity stands out. He caught all four of his targets for a career-high 150 yards. Each of those receptions occurred down the field with the shortest registering 19 air yards and the longest coming in at more than 40. When Jordan Love looked in Watson's direction, the Bears had no answer even when the receiver had defenders draped over him.

However, the numbers don't tell the full story of Watson's day.