It sure felt like the Green Bay Packers had run up the score further by the time the game was 17-10 in the fourth quarter. A missed field goal, a turnover on downs in Washington Commanders territory, and a couple of near misses on what would’ve been touchdowns for Matthew Golden had the game tighter than it should’ve been on Thursday night.
In a one-possession game on a gotta-have-it drive against the Commanders, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur showed his fortitude on back-to-back play calls.
Savion Williams played just three snaps on offense in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. The Packers were enamored with the rookie third-round pick out of TCU when they drafted him in April. Even right after the draft, LaFleur had trouble containing his excitement for all the different ways he could incorporate Williams into the offense.
You love the versatility. The ability to go in there and play Wildcat quarterback, get in the backfield and play halfback, or jet sweeps. You just want to find different ways to get him the ball because he’s so big, he’s so powerful, so explosive, and guys just have a tendency to bounce off him. He’s just scratching the surface of the playmaker that he can become.
With 11 minutes to go on Thursday night in a one-score affair, Green Bay had moved into Washington territory. On a second-and-eight from the Commanders’ 38-yard line, quarterback Jordan Love motioned out to the far sideline while Williams came into the shotgun and lined up at quarterback.
Like what Williams did at TCU, LaFleur dialed up a Wildcat Sweep with a fake reverse sprinkled in to keep the defense on its toes. The fake reverse involved Love, just as it involved a TCU quarterback when Williams ran the play with the Horned Frogs.
Savion Williams running Wildcat Sweep with a Fake Reverse for the Packers in 2025 pic.twitter.com/o8WlUO0A2n
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) September 12, 2025
Williams gained 16 yards and sent a jolt of energy through a packed house at Lambeau Field.
If that’s a negative play, or one that goes for nothing, many would’ve been scratching their heads over the call — at such a pivotal moment, no less. LaFleur showed an immense faith in Williams and the offense to execute, and they did just that.
LaFleur dialed up more brilliance on the next play.
Golden, who finished the game with zero catches on two targets, got involved in a jet motion on a sweep and gained nine yards. He nearly broke free to take it to the house.
On the Matthew Golden jet sweep the Packers ran an unbalanced set with Anthony Belton (71) at tight end and John FitzPatrick (86) at right tackle pic.twitter.com/aC6VmFcvmH
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) September 12, 2025
These weren’t pass plays called where Love went through his progressions and settled on a safety valve option in Williams or a checkdown to Golden. These were two direct calls to get the ball in the hands of a pair of dynamic rookie wide receivers on a drive where it was paramount for the Packers to put points on the board. Like the play with Williams, LaFleur put trust in Golden to get the job done, and he did.
The show of faith in two rookies in a critical juncture will only boost Williams’ and Golden’s confidence moving forward. It’s worth noting that the Packers went on to score a touchdown on that drive, pushing the lead to 24-10.
Getting Williams and Golden rolling will be important moving ahead in the coming weeks. Christian Watson remains on the PUP list, and LaFleur confirmed Thursday night after the game that wide receiver Jayden Reed suffered a broken collarbone and will miss significant time.
“He broke his collarbone. He’ll be down for quite some time,” LaFleur said. “We’ll see how fast he can recover and heal. Certainly, I would expect him back at some point this season.”
Reed and Watson’s absence means that not only is Green Bay missing two wideouts, but the team is down two of its most explosive players on offense. Both are a constant threat to take the top off a defense. LaFleur said as much after the game.
Obviously, it’s a big blow for us. He’s a guy that’s a catalyst for our offense and our football team, quite frankly. The energy he brings. He’s a dawg. He comes out there and he’s gonna compete. He plays tough, physical, and he’s a playmaker.
Williams and Golden will now have to pick up the slack. Romeo Doubs is a hell of a wide receiver, and Dontayvion Wicks had a great game against Washington. Still, neither is the vertical threat that Watson is, nor does it get involved in the orbit and jet motion that Reed does.
Golden can burn a cornerback, and we saw Williams’ versatility on display Thursday. They’re rookies with only two games under their belts. But with the injuries piling up early at wide receiver, they’ll be relied upon more in the coming weeks. Thursday night, LaFleur showed a lot of faith in both during a crucial drive, and it was rewarded. That’s good, because he’s going to need to trust them even more over the coming weeks.