Watching the Green Bay Packers' offense is a turbulent experience.
Their performance in Sunday's 27-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals was breathtaking yet disjointed. Irresistible yet pedestrian. Matt LaFleur's unit is either at full throttle or stalling in first gear, still struggling to find its identity.
Are they a power, run-first unit looking to impose its will? Do they want to trick-play their way into the end zone? Through caution to the wind and start launching the ball to the moon? The answer is some confusing blend of the three, only further complicated by a logjam at wide receiver that dissolves any continuity in the passing game.
Matthew Golden holds the answer. The Packers just haven't realized it yet.
Packers need to turn passing offense into The Matthew Golden Show after showing breakout potential
Josh Jacobs is the centerpiece of Green Bay's rushing attack. They have clarity. But it juxtaposes the chaotic revolving door on offense. LaFleur rotates his receivers and even his offensive linemen, disrupting all sense of rhythm.
Golden should change that. He is breaking out as the Packers' game-wrecker through the air, and Jordan Love is gaining more trust in his first-round rookie by the snap.
He fired Golden's way on 4th-and-6 to save the game in Dallas two weeks ago, and again on a 3rd-and-8 to ice the win against Cincinnati. Golden can provide rock and roll, but he can also play the role of Love's chain-moving security blanket.
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Green Bay's top draft choice turned three catches into 86 yards and two carries into 16 at Lambeau on Sunday afternoon. That's five explosive touches to generate 102 yards of offense, earning an elite PFF receiving grade of 90.0.
The Packers must feed him the ball. It's time for Golden to become a focal point.
LaFleur preaches balance and insists on spreading the ball around. Why have one receiver when you can have seven? But at times on Sunday, it looked like they had none. That changed when the passing game filtered through No. 0, who again delivered in the biggest moments.
Golden is more than just a deep threat. He can impact the game at every level. No Packers receiver has safer hands, runs faster, or offers his versatility. Romeo Doubs is reliable, but he has never become a true game-changing WR1. That's Golden's upside.
The rookie has 165 yards of offense in the Packers' previous two contests.
It's over to LaFleur. Golden is stepping up, but he can only reach that next level if the Packers allow him to break free from the shackles and become the focal point of the passing game.