DENVER – The rest of this season just turned into major gut-check time for the Green Bay Packers.
While all the injury news isn't yet known, the Packers left Denver after Sunday's 34-26 loss with mounting, significant health concerns.
All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons may have torn an ACL in the second half, as Head Coach Matt LaFleur's postgame words suggested a serious knee injury that would end Parsons' season.
Receiver Christian Watson left the game, and the stadium, with a chest injury from crashing to the turf underneath interceptor Pat Surtain II in the third quarter. Watson went to a local hospital for tests but was traveling back home with the team.
Right tackle Zach Tom (knee) and safety Evan Williams (knee) also left the game, and while LaFleur didn't sound overly concerned about them for the long term, how soon they can get back is in question.
With three games left in the regular season, the Packers are 9-4-1 and will need to beat the Bears in Chicago next Saturday night to climb back into first place in the NFC North.
Doing that without all the aforementioned players, on a short week no less, will be a monumental task, not to mention the two games after that as the Packers fight for playoff positioning. This team will have to dig deeper than it has to date in what continues to be an up-and-down season.
"I think we've got a connected team," LaFleur said. "I know how our guys will respond.
"We've got a great test coming up, going to Chicago, the game came down to the wire last time we played. We're going to get their best and they're going to get our best."
Summoning that without players like Parsons and Watson and perhaps others will be the Packers' toughest test yet.
There's no quantifying what Parsons and his relentlessness up front has meant to the defense, on top of his team-leading 12½ sacks.
"We all know what type of player he is, the impact on our football team," LaFleur said. "To lose somebody like that, it's tough. But nobody's going to feel sorry for us. We've got to find a way."
Meanwhile Watson had been a revelation for the offense following tight end Tucker Kraft's season-ending knee injury, making countless big plays down the field and catching five TD passes over the past two months after returning from his own ACL injury.
Green Bay's offense clearly struggled Sunday as soon as he left the game, managing just three points in the second half after scoring on five straight drives early on.
"Since Christian's been back from rehab, he's done some great things," QB Jordan Love said. "He's been that explosive playmaker we needed.
"With him going out, we've still got plenty of depth in that receiver room. Guys have played plenty of ball and have made plays. It's tough. You want to have all your guys out there."
On the play Watson got hurt, LaFleur and Love were actually going to him as they went for the Broncos' throat, leading 23-14 after a touchdown to open the third quarter. Green Bay's defense had just gotten a stop, and the offense went for broke.
"We scored, got a three-and-out, took a shot," LaFleur said. "Got the coverage we wanted and Surtain made a helluva play. Give him a lot of credit. He's one of the best in the business."
Love liked the look as well but said he felt contact as he launched the pass, which made it come up a little short, and Surtain was able to cut in front of Watson and get his arms in position.
"I tried to step into it and got hit as I was throwing," Love said. "Pat made a really good play. He was able to track it and step in front of Christian. It's an unfortunate play, with Christian going down on that, makes it even worse. I liked the concept we had and the read we had."
Now the offense may have to adjust, once again, without Watson while the defense finds a pass rush without Parsons. Neither LaFleur nor Love seemed worried about the psyche of the team, expressing confidence in rebounding, but that'll have to be proven on the field.
"That's going to be tough," LaFleur said. "It's not going to be one individual, … it's the collective. It's everybody playing to the best of their ability.
"We're going to have to feed off one another and rally around each other. There's going to be opportunities for other guys to get in there and they're going to have to be impactful."
Leadership will matter now more than ever. The season depends on it.
"I've got a lot of confidence in our team and the guys in that locker room," Love said. "We'll be able to bounce back."
