The Good, Bad And Mostly Ugly From The Packers’ Preseason Loss To The Jets

August 10, 2025 adminsr

Green Bay wide receiver Mecole Hardman fumbles a punt during the Packers’ loss to the New York Jets Saturday night.

Storms rolled through Green Bay Saturday afternoon, knocking out power for thousands in the area.

The hometown football team took the field a few hours later and were every bit as powerless.

Green Bay had a dreadful performance in its preseason opener, struggling in all three phases and dropping a 30-10 decision to the New York Jets. The Packers’ No. 1 offense managed just two first downs in two series, the No. 1 defense allowed a 79-yard touchdown drive and return man Mecole Hardman muffed a punt.

The result was a dreadful performance before an announced crowd of 71,501.

Here’s the good, bad and ugly from the Packers’ loss.

THE GOOD

DANIEL WHELAN: You know it’s a brutal night when your MVP is your punter. That was the case for Green Bay, though, as punter Daniel Whelan had a big game.
Whelan was incredibly busy, punting six times. He averaged 52.0 yards per punt with a long of 63 and his net was 46.5.

“I think he’s done a tremendous amount of work in the offseason,” Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said of Whelan. “He’s been getting the ball out of his hand.

“He’s worked really hard on his footwork, with his directional punts and some situational football. It’s going into Year 3 for him so he should get better at that as well. We’re excited with the direction he’s going.”

IMPRESSIVE RUN: Rookie free agent running back Amar Johnson turned some heads with a 39-yard fourth quarter touchdown run.

Johnson got a big block from rookie second round pick Anthony Belton, then broke a tackle in the hole from safety Dean Clark. Johnson, who has 4.39 speed in the 40-yard dash, then cut left and beat safety Jarius Monroe to the endzone.

THIS AND THAT: Rookie wideout Matthew Golden beat cornerback Brandon Stephens on an inside slant for a 7-yard gain on third-and-7. … Brandon McManus — who was 44-of-46 on all kicks this summer — drilled a 46-yard field goal. … Kristian Welch dumped Braelon Allen for a 1-yard loss on a 4^th-and-1. … Colby Wooden deflected a pass by Jets’ No. 3 quarterback Adrian Martinez. … Tight ends Ben Sims and John FitzPatrick both had 17-yard receptions.

THE BAD

THREE-AND-OUT: The Packers’ opening drive on offense couldn’t have gone much worse.

First, rookie defensive lineman Barryn Sorrell was flagged for holding on the opening kickoff. Love then went 0-for-2 that included a drop by wideout Romeo Doubs.

And when Love fired incomplete for Doubs on third down, the Packers punted after just three plays.

Do not defend: Green Bay’s No. 1 defense was sieve-like on the Jets’ opening possession.

New York marched 79 yards in 10 plays and capped the drive with a 13-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Justin Fields. On the TD run, Fields escaped pressure, then whipped cornerback Keisean Nixon in the open field on his way to the endzone.

Fields went 3-for-4 for 42 yards on the drive, while the Jets had six rushes for 37 yards. Former University of Wisconsin and Fond du Lac standout Braelon Allen ripped off a 14-yard run on the drive.

TAINTED LOVE: Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love had a rough night. Love went just 1-of-5 for seven yards and had a 39.6 passer rating.

Don’t make too much of it, though, as the Packers played without Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs and wideouts Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Savion Williams.

Still, Love and the rest of the “No. 1” offense would have liked to do much more.

WILLIS STRUGGLES: Packers’ No. 2 quarterback Malik Willis had a tough night himself.

Willis, who went 2-0 as a starter last year, was just 4-for-9 for 39 yards and had a 57.2 passer rating.

SCREEN DOOR WIDE OPEN: Jets’ No. 3 quarterback Adrian Martinez threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Stone Smartt on a perfectly executed screen pass.

Smartt blocked defensive end Barryn Sorrell, then released. Downfield, Isaiah Simmons, Isaiah Dunn and Johnathan Baldwin all got stuck on blocks and Smartt waltzed into the endzone.

THIS AND THAT: Guard Jacob Monk was called for three holding penalties. One wiped out a big run by running back Amar Johnson. … Wideout Malik Heath, fighting for a roster, had a costly drop. … Wideout Julian Hicks dropped a high pass from Malik Willis on an out route. … Guard Donovan Jennings had a holding penalty on a third-and-1 that killed a drive. … Safety Kitan Oladapo allowed a 26-yard reception to wideout Quentin Skinner.

FROM THE INFIRMARY: The following Packers didn’t play due to injury — wide receivers Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Savion Williams and Christian Watson, cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Kamal Hadden, safety Xavier McKinney, running backs Emanuel Wilson and MarShawn Lloyd, linebacker Quay Walker, defensive end Collin Oliver, offensive linemen Rasheed Walker and John Williams, WR Savion Williams.

THE UGLY

ROUGH NIGHT: The Packers signed veteran wideout Mecole Hardman in free agency in March, but gave him just $150,000 in guaranteed money.

That might have been too much.

Hardman had a brutal night, where his biggest foul up was muffing a punt at his own 9-yard line that New York’s Ja’Markis Weston recovered. That play led to a Jets’ field goal.

Hardman also made the curious decision of fielding a punt at his own 5-yard line, then was blown up for no gain. And Hardman dropped a well-thrown pass from Malik Willis on an out route.

FIRST QUARTER BLUES: The Jets dominated the first quarter — one in which the Packers played their No. 1 offense for both of its series.

New York had nine first downs to just two for Green Bay. The Jets outgained the Packers, 139-21, and averaged 7.7 yards per play vs. just 1.9 for Green Bay.

TOUGH SLEDDING: Green Bay had a third-and-7 on its own 8 midway through the second quarter. Jets tackle Leonard Taylor overpowered center Sean Rhyan and stripped the ball away from quarterback Malik Willis.

New York’s Jay Tufele recovered in the endzone to give the Jets a 14-3 lead.

TOTAL DOMINATION: The Jets outgained the Packers, 403-188. New York also had 21 first downs to just 12 for Green Bay, and had 256 passing yards to just 64 for the Packers.