The Green Bay Packers couldn't get the job done in Week 7. It wasn't as bad as it seemed, and the Detroit Lions were at home and coming off a bye week, so it definitely wasn't the end of the world for Matt LaFleur's team.
If anything, it feels like the Packers were a couple of big plays away from escaping with a win here. Let's not even get started on the Trey Smack debacle; there's plenty to say about that in a separate post.
Even so, some seemed particularly worried about Matthew Golden. The second-year wideout had a rare off day on Sunday, and while he didn't look good at all, he's been balling all year long, and this should be just a wake-up call.
Matthew Golden has been as good as he's been inconsistent
Golden couldn't shake off Roger McCreary in the middle of the field. He looked rattled and couldn't withstand the physicality, and while drops weren't a problem (this time), it was about time Golden's inconsistency came back to bite him.
He already has seven drops this season, and he's been the ultimate definition of boom-or-bust. He's either made a blatant mistake or broken loose for a 20-yard gain. The speed and skill are there, but he must work on the fundamentals.
Golden finished the game with six receptions on 12 targets for 39 yards. One can only wonder whether he should continue to draw that much volume in targets until he figures things out, as his numbers have been impressive at first glance because of the explosive plays, but he's not making the layups.
Maybe the Packers' passing game would be better off giving him some scripted touches, easy completions here and there. That would only open up big plays for him even more, instead of trying to force-feed him the ball and going for the home run on every single dropback.
Golden is too talented, and he's proven to be a dynamic playmaker, but the Packers must be wary of turning him into a one-trick pony. McCreary and the Lions just laid out the blueprint to stop him, and other teams will dissect the tape to rattle him the same way.
He's a very talented player, and this is the worst version of him he'll ever be. Hopefully, this dud will be just what he needs to work on what needs fixing to keep the breakout season going.
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