Packers’ Preseason Debut Leaves Plenty to Be Desired

Familiar Problems

Jordan Love enters the 2025 season with several weapons returning from the 2024 season. Unfortunately, Saturday night’s game shows us that Green Bay’s pass catchers are still struggling with dropped passes after leading the league in 2024.

Rookie receiver Matthew Golden was on the receiving end of Love’s only completion of the night. Veterans Romeo Doubs and Malik Heath each failed to secure targets from Love before he was subbed out for backup Malik Willis. Love led the Packers offense for two series and went 1-5 for seven yards.

Defense Struggles

Green Bay’s defense demonstrated a complete inability to stop Justin Fields.

The Jets offense moved the ball through the air and on the ground with ease. Fields capped the Jets’ first possession with a 13-yard rushing touchdown to complete a 10-play, 79-yard drive.

The Jets’ next drive started on a similar trajectory. Backup QB Brady Cook took the Jets’ offense deep into Packer territory from their own six-yard line. Kingsley Enagbare’s fourth-down stop on the Packers’ 26-yard line bailed out the struggling unit.

Ball Security

The turnover margin often dictates the outcome of games in the National Football League.

Green Bay must do everything within their power to limit turnovers before the games start counting, as they committed two turnovers inside their own 10-yard line this week. Football games are nearly impossible to win when egregious errors like this occur.

Former Super Bowl hero Mecole Hardman and QB Malik Willis were responsible for these turnovers. Hardman muffed a punt late in the second quarter that was recovered by the Jets at the Packers’ nine-yard line. The muffed punt presents a very real challenge for the veteran WR who aims to secure a roster spot prior to the regular season. Willis’ performance was marred by a strip sack fumble that was recovered by the Jets for a touchdown.

No Need to Panic

Packers’ fans need to revisit a familiar adage and R-E-L-A-X.

This game was sloppy, undisciplined, and downright disappointing. It was also meaningless. This is what preseason contests are for. The noticeable absence of Jayden Reed, Nate Hobbs, and Xavier McKinney serves as a reminder that the preseason is not designed to show a polished product.

The lone bright spot of the weekend comes courtesy of rookie RB Amar Johnson, who contributed a beautiful 49-yard score for the Packers’ only touchdown. Johnson is a likely practice squad candidate this season.

The Packers are back at it again next weekend at Lucas Oil Stadium to take on the Colts. Let’s hope this week offers a better performance.