The Good, Bad And Ugly From The Green Bay Packers’ Win Over Seattle

Bring on Detroit.

The Green Bay Packers wrapped up a rather quiet, almost mundane preseason with a 20-7 win over Seattle in their third and final exhibition game Saturday before 71,819 at Lambeau Field.

The Packers sat eight preferred starters, including quarterback Jordan Love, and played their other starters one series. Seattle held out all of its starters and had No. 3 quarterback Jalen Milroe handle all of the quarterbacking reps.

Green Bay must now set its 53-man roster by Tuesday at 3 p.m. The Packers will then turn their attention to Detroit, which comes to Green Bay for a Week 1 matchup on Sept. 7.

Here’s the good, bad and ugly from Green Bay’s win.

THE GOOD

HOPPER SHINES: Green Bay second-year linebacker Tyron Hopper had himself a day.

On Seattle’s second possession, Green Bay blitzed Hopper up the middle and he forced quarterback Jalen Milroe to hold the ball longer than he hoped. That allowed Brenton Cox to come off the edge, beat tackle Michael Jarrell and force a strip sack of Milroe that was recovered by end Kingsley Enagbare.

On Seattle’s next possession, Milroe ran up the middle for 3 yards on fourth-and-goal. Hopper stripped the ball away from Milroe, though, and Packers cornerback Kevin King recovered.

Hopper later sacked Milroe for a 3-yard loss on a fourth-and-2.

“I think it’s a lot to do with confidence,” Packers linebackers coach Sean Duggan said recently of Hopper. “He knows what he’s supposed to do, he knows where he’s supposed to fit. So now he’s able to play a little faster, a little more free. I think he’s a big, physical guy. One thing I really respect about him is when he hits you, like he’s going to knock you back. So I think his confidence level and I think he’s playing faster and that’s starting to show.”

GOLDEN TICKET: Green Bay rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden made a sensational 39-yard catch on the Packers’ second possession.

Golden, working against cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett, came back on an underthrown ball from Malik Willis. Golden then went to the ground to make a terrific catch.

FANCY FEET: The Packers found the endzone on their second possession thanks in part to the running ability of quarterback Malik Willis.

Willis ran for 6 yards on a fourth-and-2 for a first down at Seattle’s 35. Willis later whipped linebacker Drake Thomas and ran 13 yards for a first down.

Willis capped the 14-play, 96-yard march with a 1-yard TD pass to Romeo Doubs.

FIRST QUARTER FUN: In the first quarter, the Packers had six first downs and 100 total yards of offense, while Seattle had just one first down and two yards of offense. Green Bay ran 20 plays to Seattle’s nine, and the Packers had 55 passing yards vs. minus-3 for the Seahawks.

THIS AND THAT: Green Bay finished with five sacks and forced Seattle quarterback Jalen Milroe into three fumbles. … Wide receiver Will Sheppard had a 3-yard touchdown reception from Taylor Elgersma. … Green Bay linebacker Quay Walker sacked Milroe to kill the Seahawks’ opening drive. Edgerrin Cooper pressured Milroe and Walker cleaned it up. … Corey Ballentine recovered a fumbled punt. … Defensive end Deslin Alexandre had a 4-yard sack of Milroe. … Punter Daniel Whelan averaged 57.5 per punt.

THE BAD

POOR CHOICE: Green Bay quarterback Malik Willis threw an interception on the Packers’ opening drive.

Willis threw into triple coverage down the seam for Malik Heath. Willis’ pass was too long, though, and Seattle safety Ty Okada intercepted.

THIS AND THAT: The Packers had just one first down and 20 total yards in the third quarter. … Cornerback Corey Ballentine, battling for a roster spot, was beat for an 18-yard touchdown by wideout Cody White.

THE UGLY

UGLY COLLISION: Seattle wide receiver/punt returner Jake Bobo and cornerback Tyler Hall collided on a Green Bay punt. Both players stayed down several minutes, but got up and made their way off the field.

Daniel Whelan’s punt was short, forcing Bobo to come up to try fielding it. Hall, who was blocking Green Bay’s Corey Ballentine, then collided with Bobo.

Bobo eventually jogged to the locker room, while Hall limped off with an apparent right leg injury.