GREEN BAY – Matthew Golden made one of the biggest plays in last Sunday's game between the Packers and Cleveland Browns.
But the rookie first-round pick knows it could've been even bigger.
Golden flashed his speed, smooth route-running and soft hands when he snuck behind the coverage of four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward to haul in a reception on third-and-8 early in the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Field.
Working off play-action from his own 4-yard line, Packers quarterback Jordan Love placed a deep ball over Golden's outside shoulder for the longest completed pass by either team.
In real time, Golden felt the safety coming and let momentum pull him to the Packers' sideline for a 34-yard pickup. After watching the film, however, the 5-foot-11, 191-pound wideout saw an opportunity for even more yards if he'd stayed inbounds.
"It's definitely a play I want back, man," Golden said. "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 knew the safety wasn't that close, I probably could've stayed inbounds."
The drive stopped there and the Packers punted with 9 minutes, 46 seconds remaining after Josh Jacobs was tackled for a 1-yard loss on the next play and Love couldn't connect with his Pro Bowl running back on a pair of short passes.
Cleveland responded with a 12-play, 63-yard scoring drive that produced a 35-yard Andre Szmyt field goal, the first of 13 unanswered points the Browns scored in the comeback win.
All three phases played a part in Green Bay dropping its first game of the 2025 campaign, but Golden laments not putting an exclamation point on what had been a suffocating performance by the Packers through the first 50 minutes.
Watching from the coaches' box, offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, too, thought the young wideout might have a chance for a big gain and possible points.
"I was hoping he could stick his right foot in the ground and just take off, but his momentum just carried him out," Stenavich said. "It's still a good gain, but I think as he goes in his career, he might be able to put his foot in the ground and maybe take it to the house."
The early returns have been extremely promising on Golden, whose 4.29 speed contributed to Green Bay making him the first receiver it's drafted in the first round since 2002.
The 22-year-old wideout was thrown into the fire during training camp and emerged as one of Love's most reliable targets. His role has only increased with third-year veteran Jayden Reed out indefinitely after recently undergoing shoulder and foot surgeries.
In his second NFL start, Golden led the Packers' receiving corps with four catches for 52 yards in Cleveland. After nearly connecting with Love on a pair of deep balls a week earlier against Washington, Golden can feel the breakout coming.
"I know it's bound to happen," Golden said. "I'm not pressing but I know whenever it does happen, it's going to boost your confidence. What game doesn't boost your confidence? I know whenever I get the opportunity, I'm going to take off with it."
With Cleveland in the rear-view, Golden and the Packers look to regroup against a Dallas Cowboys defense on that opposite end of the NFL rankings from the top-ranked Browns.
A 31-14 loss in Chicago last weekend saw Dallas fall to the bottom of the NFL in pass defense (288.0 yards per game) with just one takeaway (an interception) through three games.
Green Bay is still bracing for the Cowboys' best, though. The Cowboys not only boast a pair of ball-hawking cornerbacks in Trevon Diggs and Deron Bland but also former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator.
"I think the biggest challenge is there's a lot of familiarity with one another," Love said of Eberflus. "Just like you do with division opponents, there's always going to be a wrinkle, and so I'm sure he's going to have some sort of wrinkle for us."
On paper, there is potential for some explosive plays. The Cowboys have allowed six plays of 40-plus yards. No other NFL team has given up more than three so far this season.
It could be a chance for the Packers to put their first-round pick to work. A Houston native who played at Texas and has relatives in the Dallas area, Golden said he's expecting around 20-25 friends and family at AT&T Stadium this Sunday.
While signs of progress abound, the rookie receiver would love nothing more than to make a statement in his home state.
"Obviously, not going to have a perfect game but I feel like for me, I'm going out there and playing fast, getting open," Golden said. "I'm going to keep stacking. Each and every game, I'm going to try to be even better and do whatever I can do to help the team win."
