The Green Bay Packers have big expectations for Matthew Golden, but the team’s first-round pick will have his ups and downs throughout the course of the season. Golden flashed some of his potential with a career day, with four catches and 52 yards against the Cleveland Browns. But like many players in the 13-10 loss, he came away with a few regrets.
That includes a play with 11 minutes remaining when the Packers were facing a third-and-8 from their own 4-yard line. Holding onto a 10-0 lead, Golden got behind the Browns defense and caught the ball in stride along the sideline. But instead of dashing to the end zone for a 96-yard score, Golden casually strided out of bounds, leaving one bad memory in what should have been a day to remember.
“Looking back at it, it’s definitely a play I want back, man,” Golden said on Wednesday via SI’s Bill Huber. “I feel like the safety was a lot closer to me and I ended up going out of bounds. My momentum did take me out but, if I would’ve knew the safety wasn’t that close, I probably could’ve stayed inbounds.”
Packers’ Matthew Golden Looks to Bounce Back After Costly Mistake
That play was only a microcosm of a 43-second stretch where Golden misplayed a punt, missed a block, and came away with a 34-yard gain. It was a moment where the game officially got away from them. Had Golden raced for a touchdown, the Packers would have had a 17-0 lead. Instead, they punted, the Browns scored a field goal on the following drive, and Jordan Love’s interception set up a four-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 10-10.
In the current culture of fantasy football and betting, there may have been another wave of angst directed at Golden for the play. But Golden feels like he can do better the next chance he gets.
“For me, yeah. I’m always hard on myself,” Golden continued. “That’s just because of what I expect out of my self. I know I can do those things. It could’ve been a big play for me. It’s something that I want back but I know I’m going to have a lot more opportunities to do that.”
The Packers probably agree with Golden. After becoming the team’s first receiver to be selected in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002, Golden has six catches for 68 yards in his first two games. Golden also had a career-high seven touches in Sunday’s game and should get more as Jayden Reed recovers from a broken collarbone suffered in Week 2’s win over the Washington Commanders.
Going up against a Dallas Cowboys’ defense that is one of the worst in the league on Sunday night, Golden could have a chance to atone for his mistake and flash the potential that many saw going into his rookie year.