That's more like it. The Green Bay Packers bounced back from a shaky start to the preseason with an emphatic win over the Denver Broncos.
Wins and losses don't matter in August, but the Packers will certainly enjoy a victory inside a stadium that has produced nothing but nightmares for them over the years.
As always, coming out of the game healthy is the most important thing, and the Packers mostly did, but they can get back on the flight to Green Bay with several positive takeaways.
Instant takeaways from Packers' impressive preseason victory over the Broncos
1. Trey Smack. That is all.
1b. OK, seriously, let's talk about Smack. All those concerns from early in training camp have evaporated. The rookie remains perfect in the preseason, and he looked good on Friday night, booting field goals from 59, 51, 43, and 38 yards. Smack also made all three of his extra-point tries.
1c. I mean, they were all down the middle and probably good from the parking lot. OK, fine, we'll move on to the second takeaway.
2. Jordan Love did Jordan Love things during his only drive. He went 5/7 for 56 yards and a touchdown pass to MarShawn Lloyd. Love looks so comfortable at the line. He consistently wins pre-snap.
3. Speaking of MarShawn Lloyd, it was another good night for him. Not only did he stay healthy for another week, but we also saw plenty of explosiveness against the Broncos. He needs to be a little more decisive, but the talent is obvious. Lloyd also displayed his pass-catching talents with an 11-yard touchdown. Note to defensive coordinators: Don't cover Lloyd with a linebacker or edge defender and expect to get away with it.
4. Brandon Cisse is the CB1. There's no doubt about it. Hopefully he's OK after reportedly limping off after the first drive, but it sounds like he was moving fine on the sidelines. Cisse blanketed veteran wide receiver Courtland Sutton the one time Bo Nix challenged him.
5. Pierre Strong may have done enough to make the 53-man roster. He rushed eight times for 37 yards and enjoyed a 68-yard kick return. Watch this space.
6. Skyy Moore is also proving why the Packers signed him. He had a 30-yard kick return and a 16-yard punt return while showing off some versatility on offense with a seven-yard catch and a six-yard rush on a jet sweep. Matt LaFleur may have found his next Tyler Ervin.
7. Will Sheppard has a mountain to climb when it comes to the 53-man roster, but he continued to impress with a six-catch, 47-yard, one-touchdown performance. He may have taken the lead in the race for a practice squad spot, assuming he clears waivers after the preseason.
8. Tyrod Taylor threw a nice touchdown pass, but 4/8 for 17 yards? Every yard felt like hard work during his brief stint in the game. That's the second week in a row Taylor has struggled. We're far from a QB2 controversy, but the Packers need a lot more from the 37 year old.
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