Jordan Love was awarded the game ball for the offense after the Green Bay Packers' 31-7 rout of Chicago on Sunday, but his two top receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden could not have been far behind.
As individuals, Watson and Golden are soaring early in the season and have the makings of a very special duo, after setting a new franchise record with 871 combined receiving yards through five games, beating Javon Walker and Donald Driver’s 868 yards back in 2004.
Watson tallied over 140 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the second time this season, and has started the 2026 campaign in the same red hot form he showed in the back half of last year which earned him a long-term contract extension.
Since returning from a torn ACL in week
eight last season, Watson has racked up 1,121 yards and 13 touchdowns in 16 games including the postseason.
According to Sumer Sports, his 2.48 yards per route run (Y/RR) during that stretch is sixth in the NFL behind only Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers, Drake London and Parker Washington, just ahead of CeeDee Lamb and Nico Collins.
Watson’s two long touchdowns against the Bears were a surprise to no-one. He has always been able to burn defenses deep downfield, and has gotten even better at it over the years.
Indeed, his Y/RR has improved each year on deep passes from 4.91 in 2023 to 6.86 in 2024, 7.1 in 2025 and 7.52 so far in 2026.
The real improvement in Watson’s game though has been on more nuanced routes, as he has become more than just a vertical threat. His 6.88 Y/RR on intermediate routes is a career high and ranks 4th among all wide receivers behind London, Tee Higgins and Rashod Bateman.
Watson has become one of the premier receivers in the league over the last year, and is worth every penny of his lucrative extension.
Then there is Golden, who did not get as many opportunities or as much production as he would have liked as a rookie, but whose arrow has been firmly pointing up since the Wild Card game at the end of last season.
Golden is off to a great start in his sophomore campaign, having set a new career high for receiving yards in a game three separate times since the start of the season.
He has more targets (43) and yards (397) in five games in 2026 than he did in the entirety of last regular season (40 targets and 361 yards), and already has a pair of touchdowns after going the entire 2025 season without one before the playoffs.
Crucially on Sunday against Chicago, the pair were drop-free, having combined for seven in the opening four games. Love threw plenty of ‘trust’ balls their way, and both receivers rewarded his faith.
With Watson and Golden looking unstoppable, Love has two receivers at his disposal playing to a level which has arguably not been available to a Packers quarterback since Aaron Rodgers was throwing to Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams.
They are on pace for a combined 2,961 yards in 2026, which would set a new franchise record for receiving yards by a pair of wide receivers. Even if they somewhat plateau over the rest of the season, it is clear the Packers have two wideouts taking their offense to an elite level.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Christian Watson and Matthew Golden make Packers history vs. Bears
