Steelers' Upcoming Opponent Christian Watson Shares An Important Update On His Status For Week 8

The Pittsburgh Steelers will face Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium. The Packers have an exciting mix of talent on offense, and the Steelers will need to deliver a stronger defensive effort as opposed to what we saw against the Cincinnati Bengals last Thursday night. The unit gave up an eye-opening 33 points to an offense that has significantly struggled to run the ball in 2025, and Pittsburgh's defensive issues have remained a problem over the first seven weeks of action.

The Steelers' secondary failed to contain Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in Cincinnati. Chase and Higgins combined for 257 yards and two touchdowns, largely due to the secondary being unable to establish themselves after the first quarter. Green Bay has had success through the air this season, and the Packers could be getting a big time receiver back from injury just in time for Sunday's contest. 

Christian Watson remained limited during practice on Wednesday, but the receiver claims he will be ready to go for Sunday Night Football in Pittsburgh. Watson has not played yet in 2025, but the receiver made his goal clear while speaking with the media after practice.

"My goal and my plan is to play this week," Watson stated.

Watson suffered a torn ACL in Week 18 of the 2024 season. Rumors circulated around social media last weekend claiming Watson could be ready to go against the Arizona Cardinals, but he was ultimately ruled out prior to the contest. The route runner will presumably return to his role as one of the Packers' top receiving options once he returns on Sunday, and eliminating Watson as a deep ball threat will be a priority for Pittsburgh.

Watson's production fluctuated throughout 2024 prior to his injury. The former second round pick caught just two touchdown passes last year and was unable to put up consistent numbers at any point last season. Pittsburgh's secondary will need to pay close attention to Watson, despite last year's struggles, due to his history of being a known long-ball threat.

Watson's likely return will make the Packers' offense all the more dangerous. The pass-catcher had originally returned to practice on October 6th with a 21-day activation period set to expire on October 27th, but Watson will presumably be activated beforehand. Jalen Ramsey and the rest of Pittsburgh's secondary will need to keep a very close eye on Watson throughout the course of the matchup as he is an athletic receiver with the capability to explode at any moment.

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin Is Not Discouraged By The Secondary Despite Watson's Return

The secondary has struggled to play well consistently this year. Pittsburgh traded for Ramsey and signed Darius Slay during the 2025 offseason, but the secondary has been lackluster against opposing teams' top playmakers over the last month and a half. Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke his mind in regards to how the secondary has performed recently, with Tomlin recognizing the constant struggles and repetitive mistakes that have been made as a collective.

The Steelers' head coach still remains confident in the group, despite facing Watson and the Packers' potent offense. Tomlin recognizes the talent of the unit regardless of the struggles, and he believes the secondary could turn things around soon if they continue to work and remain focused. The secondary collapsing and missing assignments have been a common occurrence in 2025, but the unit features multiple veterans who have faced adversity at the highest level before even arriving in Pittsburgh.

Do you think Watson will be able to make an impact on Sunday night? How concerned are you with the Steelers' defensive struggles to begin the season? Let us know what you think in the comments down below! Please feel free to send me your Steelers takes on X as well @BoicoJake and follow me.

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