Tag: Justin Watson

Chiefs WR Justin Watson expected to miss multiple weeks with elbow injury

#Chiefs WR Justin Watson is expected to miss multiple weeks with elbow injury

The injury bug has again reared its head on one of the Kansas City Chiefs key players. The latest victim is wide receiver Justin Watson, dealing with an elbow injury sustained in last Thursday’s victory over the Denver Broncos.

Watson has been a reliable option in the Chiefs passing game because of his chemistry with quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The injury occurred in the fourth quarter, and he was removed from the game quickly afterward as the Chiefs sealed the victory.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rappaport, Watson suffered a dislocated elbow, and the following days’ X-rays were negative. Rappaport would go on to follow up his report by posting on social media the results of the MRI.

“Good news from Justin Watson’s MRI:” posted Rappaport. “There was no significant damage revealed, sources say, which means Watson should be back sooner rather than later.”

Rappaport leads the Chiefs with 21.9 yards per catch, as his absence will open more opportunities for the young receivers on the roster. Rasheed Rice, Justyn Ross, and Kadarius Toney should expect more targets in the upcoming weeks.

Chiefs WR Justin Watson injured in Week 6 tilt vs. Broncos

Veteran wide receiver Justin Watson was injured in the fourth quarter of the #Chiefs’ Week 6 matchup against the #Broncos.

The Kansas City Chiefs may be without wide receiver Justin Watson for the remainder of their Week 6 matchup against the Denver Broncos. The veteran pass catcher was shaken up after being targeted early in the fourth quarter on Thursday night and appeared to be in pain after seeing a pass from Patrick Mahomes slip through his hands deep downfield.

Watson has been an instrumental figure in the Chiefs’ offense in recent weeks as Mahomes and his receivers get on the same page through the early portion of their schedule.

One of the reigning MVP’s top targets, Watson has proven to be a steady, if not spectacular presence in Andy Reid’s passing game, and has made some highlight-reel catches through Kansas City’s first five games. His absence could affect the Chiefs’ ability to score points in crunch time and would be a major blow to Kansas City’s offensive depth heading into the meat of the 2023 season.

Did the referees swindle the Vikings?

One call doesn’t lose you the game, but it certainly didn’t help the Vikings on Sunday

You can’t blame the referees for a loss, but their influence can certainly make one more likely. That happened on Sunday afternoon for the Minnesota Vikings when they played the Kansas City Chiefs.

With six minutes left in the third quarter, the Chiefs went for it on a fourth and one from the Vikings 48-yard line. Patrick Mahomes threw a deep pass to Justin Watson and Harrison Smith was called for pass interference. That set up the Chiefs to score a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce.

The problem is this: was it actually pass interference?

The play shows Smith making contact with Watson and not looking back to the football. That is a big identifier when it comes to defensive pass interference.

However, as Will mentions in the above tweet, Smith is seen telling the ref that he was grabbed. In theory, that would prevent him from turning around to the ball. That call set up the Chiefs to score a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce.

Did the Vikings get swindled by the referees? It’s not the reason they lost, but it certainly didn’t help.

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WATCH: Chiefs WR Justin Watson makes impressive catch vs. Vikings

#Chiefs WR Justin Watson reeled in this highlight reel catch against the Minnesota #Vikings on Sunday.

The Kansas City Chiefs offense was held to just 13 points in the first half of their Week 5 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings but found their stride early in the third quarter after wide receiver Justin Watson came down with an impressive catch.

The critical play came on the Chiefs’ first offensive drive after receiving the second-half kickoff and set Kansas City up at midfield. Watson’s impressive catch converted a third and long situation that kept Patrick Mahomes on the field and gave the Chiefs a chance to jump out to a second-half lead.

Watson may be leaned on more after this effort as All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce continues to wait for his next opportunity on the sideline after sustaining an injury late in the second quarter.

Watch for Watson to continue making his presence felt against the Vikings as Kansas City seeks to earn its fifth win of the 2023 season.

WATCH: Chiefs WR Justin Watson gives young fan his gloves before kickoff vs. Lions

#Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson gave a young fan his gloves ahead of Kansas City’s Week 1 matchup against the #Lions.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 1 matchup got off to a heartwarming start on Thursday evening when wide receiver Justin Watson was seen giving a young fan his gloves ahead of the team’s kickoff against the Detroit Lions.

Watson, who has been with the Chiefs since last season, is among the most consistent receivers that Kansas City hosts. His blend of athleticism and finesse has provided Patrick Mahomes with a valuable asset in the passing game, and he is sure to make an impact against the Lions when he takes the field.

The Chiefs will be without star pass-catcher Travis Kelce in this game, so contributions from players like Watson will be critical to Kansas City’s offensive success in this Week 1 tilt.

Expect Watson to get involved early as Patrick Mahomes looks to spread the ball around to find the hot hand in the passing game and dissect Detroit’s talented secondary.

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WATCH: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes scores his first touchdown of preseason

#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes scored his first touchdown of the preseason after finding Justin Watson in the end zone against the #Cardinals.

Patrick Mahomes didn’t get many opportunities to make an impact in the Kansas City Chiefs loss to the New Orleans Saints last week but made his presence felt early against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. He scored his first passing touchdown of the preseason on a pretty pass to veteran receiver Justin Watson after methodically marching Kansas City down the field late in the first quarter.

Plays like this are expected of the reigning MVP, even in the preseason. The chemistry that Mahomes has built with his receivers in training camp has been a key talking point for fans over the past few weeks, and it is a good sign that the bond bore fruit in Saturday’s game after the disastrous start to the Chiefs’ exhibition schedule last week.

Mahomes may get more chances to show what he can do in the second quarter of this game, so fans should stay tuned to see something special should he take the field in the second quarter.

Matt Nagy likes competition brewing among Chiefs receivers

Matt Nagy told reporters that he sees major potential in the Chiefs receivers, and likes the competition that is brewing among them. | from: @LazarczykLogan

One area of uncertainty for the Kansas City Chiefs is their receiving corps. There are plenty of pass-catching options in the group, but is there one clear-cut favorite to become Patrick Mahomes’ go-to target?

Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy went into detail when asked if there is one receiver that stands out from the rest in the Chiefs’ post-practice press conference on Thursday.

“I don’t know if there is one necessarily that jumps out to me,” Nagy explained. “[It is] very similar to last year, there is an immense amount of competition, which you always love to have in that room. For these guys, the guys that were here last year that were young, getting to understand how [Patrick Mahomes] works – both in the classroom and on the field at practice – understanding [that] the play is always alive. It’s a really good group of guys that support each other when there is a lot of competition.”

Training camp has always been a strenuous time of the year for Chiefs’ players under Andy Reid’s command. Nagy understands his mentor’s thought process, and preseason games are when the coaches lower the intensity for players, especially the wideouts.

Watch for Nagy and the rest of Kansas City’s coaching staff to pay particular attention to Justyn Ross, Nikko Remigio, and Rashee Rice over the next few weeks as they formulate their game plans for the 2023 regular season.

Top quotes from Chiefs’ July 30 post-practice press conference

Check out some of the top quotes from the #Chiefs’ post practice press conference on July 30:

The Kansas City Chiefs have been hard at work during their training camp practices in St. Joseph, Missouri, and gave the media some great quotes about their preparation for the 2023 season in their post-game press conference on Sunday.

Andy Reid, Justin Watson, Donovan Smith, and Joshua Williams all addressed reporters after workouts concluded on Sunday, and shared some interesting tidbits about the method to Kansas City’s madness at Missouri Western State University:

Check out their top quotes below:

Chiefs WR Justin Watson says he always wanted to stay in Kansas City

Justin Watson told reporters about his desire to stay with the #Chiefs and his disinterest in signing anywhere else as a free agent. | from: @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive depth chart features many wide receivers that have yet to play many, if any, games in the NFL. The limited experience concerns some critics, but the Chiefs are confident in their game plan and the veterans on their roster to help educate the younger crowd that is still learning Andy Reid’s offensive system.

One such veteran is Justin Watson, who told reporters on Sunday that he had no interest in exploring free agency during the off-season. Watson, who re-signed for a second season in Kansas City back in April, spoke to the media Sunday’s practice, sharing his reasoning for not wanting to leave the Chiefs after buying into their culture.

“You know, secretly, I always knew that I was coming back here,” Watson explained. “You know, we [were] going back and forth on the numbers. But that’s why when you get into year six, and you’ve played in big-time football games and, once you experience Arrowhead and Chiefs Kingdom, you want to be a part of it.”

Watson finished last season with 15 catches for 315 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. He played a significant role on special teams and built solid chemistry with Patrick Mahomes on deep pass plays. He made it clear later in his comments that other franchises were interested in procuring his services for the upcoming year, but he had no intention of leaving.

“There [were] probably six or seven teams that were making real offers,” Watson said, “[I was] telling my agent, it was always ‘Well, let’s go back to the Chiefs. Let’s go back to the Chiefs.’ Because this is where I really wanted to be the whole time.”

Watson is a veteran alongside Marquez Valdes-Scantling and injured pass-catcher Kadarius Toney in the Chiefs’ receiving corps, a group that has been praised by head coach Andy Reid for their mentorship of younger players in training camp.

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WATCH: Chiefs WR Justin Watson building chemistry with Patrick Mahomes

Justin Watson hauled in an impressive diving catch at the Chiefs’ Wednesday workouts, building rapport with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Wide receiver Justin Watson was one of the Kansas City Chiefs’ unsung heroes in 2022 and quietly became one of Patrick Mahomes’ most reliable targets.

A veteran presence in the Chiefs’ exceptionally young receiving corps, Watson has been hard at work at training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, hauling in a highlight reel catch at Wednesday’s workouts.

It seems that Watson and Mahomes are picking up where they left off last season after this jaw-dropping effort. Plays like this will help the pair develop chemistry together that is sure to pay dividends when the 2023 regular season kicks off in September.

Watson managed an impressive 21 yards per reception last year, bringing in 15 passes for a total of 315 yards and two touchdowns en route to the second Super Bowl championship of his career. If he can continue making strides at Kansas City’s workouts, he should be considered a lock to make the Chiefs’ 53-man roster.

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