Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis throws a touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs during the first half of a preseason game Saturday.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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.
“Really proud of our guys today,” Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur said. “They went out there and competed and brought great energy. I think it always starts there, and I thought our effort was pretty consistent for four quarters.
“Now, obviously a lot of decisions need to be made and this is always kind of a bittersweet time in terms of you’ve got to say goodbye to a lot of guys that have busted their butt for months and months, and years. I definitely appreciate that locker room. I think we’ve got a great group of guys. We’ll be excited for the guys that make it, and certainly it’s always disappointing for those that don’t.”
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 Kalen 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.”
TAKE IT AWAY: The Packers won the turnover battle, 4-1, which led to 13 points.
Milroe lost three fumbles, while punt returner Jake Bobo lost a fumble after being run into by his own man.
“All on me,” Milroe said of the turnovers. “Every one turnover from the quarterback position you have to build on. You have to take care of the football. All of those are on me.
“I have to be better with ball security. You know it is tough in the trenches. They are going to swat at the ball. Some big, strong dudes. They are heavier than me. You have to protect the ball. It happens.”
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.
Golden, the Packers’ first round draft pick in April, figures to be a huge part of the Packers’ offense from the jump.
“I think he’s done a nice job,” LaFleur said of Golden. “I think he can help us in any capacity that we need him to, so I think he’s a guy that, he just works the right way. He comes in with the right mentality, the right attitude and he just comes to work.”
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.
“Certainly that’s one of his superpowers is his ability to get out of the pocket and create off-schedule or scramble and create big plays,” LaFleur said of Willis. “And he was able to extend that second drive a few times picking up first downs with his legs.”
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.
SACK ATTACK: The Packers sacked Milroe five times.
Linebacker Quay Walker sacked Milroe to kill the Seahawks’ opening drive. Edgerrin Cooper pressured Milroe on the play and Walker cleaned it up.
Ty’Ron Hopper and Brenton Cox both had sacks that led to fumbles. And defensive end Deslin Alexandre and defensive lineman Devonte O’Malley added sacks, as well.
“We’ve been preaching takeaways this whole camp,” Cox said. “Coming off the edge, that was the opportunity for me to get it. That strip-fumble, that’s just a portion of what we were doing the whole camp. We’ve been punching at the ball and it’s finally paying off.”
THIS AND THAT: Wide receiver Will Sheppard had a 3-yard touchdown reception from Taylor Elgersma. … Corey Ballentine recovered a fumbled punt. … Punter Daniel Whelan averaged 57.5 per punt with a net of 45.2.
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.
“I think it started off with me telling those guys, I can’t put the ball in harm’s way trying to force one down the field,” Willis said. “Initially, we say we want to get two first downs. But I said hey let’s just go in the long way and try to get in the end zone.”
Added Seattle coach Mike Macdonald: “That was a heck of a play. That was awesome.”
THIS AND THAT: The Packers had just three first downs and 44 total yards in the second quarter. … Cornerback Corey Ballentine, battling for a roster spot, was beat for an 18-yard touchdown by wideout Cody White. … Green Bay was just 6-of-18 on third downs (33.3%). … The Packers allowed a 35-yard punt return to White. … Jacardia Wright, fighting for Seattle’s No. 3 running back job, ripped off a 61-yard second quarter run to Green Bay’s 4-yard line.
THE UGLY
BRUTAL COLLISON: 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.
Afterwards, McDonald said Bobo had a concussion and Hall has a knee injury.
“Jake has a concussion,” Macdonald said. “Considering what it looked like, I think we’re fortunate that’s what we’re dealing with. That was scary.
“(Hall) has got a knee (injury). We don’t think it’s that serious. We think structurally it’s ok. So we’ll image it and we’ll get all the information. Right now the signs are positive long term with Tyler.”