Well, that was embarrassing. Someone needs to remind the Green Bay Packers that their vacations are over and it's time to play football.
They suffered a brutal loss to the New York Jets in the preseason opener, leaving Matt LaFleur with a harsh reality check and some tough decisions to make. The good news? It's only preseason, and wins and losses don't count for much just yet. The bad? Green Bay looked lost on both sides of the ball for much of this contest, even with the starters.
There were encouraging performances and some potentially roster-changing moments, but the negatives far outweighed the positives.
Packers' winners and losers after Jets hand them a harsh preseason reality check
Winner: Matthew Golden
The Packers have a wide receiver who knows how to catch. At last. First-round rookie Matthew Golden has received nothing but glowing praise all summer, and he showed why in limited game action against the Jets.
While his pass-catching teammates couldn't hang onto the football, Golden provided a glimpse of his strong hands with a seven-yard reception on a slant. Moments later, he beat All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner and drew a pass interference penalty.
He didn't play many snaps, but Golden looked like he belonged.
"Practice is one thing, but then you've got to go out there and do it in the game," said quarterback Jordan Love. "MG, I've seen a lot of great things from him in practice. To go out there and execute a slant route like that and then draw the PI, it's two good reps for him there."
Loser: Malik Heath
Unfortunately, Golden demonstrating his impressive catching ability only further highlighted the drops, including two from Malik Heath.
The veteran wide receiver desperately needed a strong preseason to secure a roster spot, but he made the worst possible start. He brought in one of four targets for just four yards, but his costly drops stood out.
In such a crowded wide receiver room, Heath needs to be near-perfect. He's now behind the eight-ball in a tightly contested competition for the WR6 spot.
Winner: Barryn Sorrell
Golden wasn't the only rookie to impress under the Lambeau lights. His college teammate also stepped up. The Packers may have found something in fourth-round pick Barryn Sorrell, who showed some serious pass-rush potential in his debut.
On his most impressive play, he effortlessly pushed the left tackle aside to deliver a hit on Jets quarterback Brady Cook. The rookie generated pressure and showed off some speed on the edge. He is a player to watch.
The Packers need more from their pass rush this year. It's only one preseason game, but Sorrell is showing why he can become an instant contributor.
Loser: Mecole Hardman
The Packers' most experienced receiver didn't play like it. Mecole Hardman finished the night with a dropped catch and a fumbled punt return. When he did field a punt, it put the Packers on the 5-yard line and led to Malik Willis fumbling in the end zone for a Jets touchdown. Hardman should never have caught it there.
He's a former second-team All-Pro returner, but Hardman's disappointing Packers debut puts him in real jeopardy of missing the 53-man roster.
Winner: Amar Johnson
Rookie running back Amar Johnson desperately wanted to end up in Green Bay this offseason, and he played like it. Johnson made the most of his opportunity with a seven-carry, 67-yard, one-touchdown performance that included an impressive 39-yard score.
Johnson broke one tackle and then accelerated into the open field for the touchdown on a standout play that encapsulated his performance. He outplayed Israel Abanikanda, whom he is competing with for a possible roster spot.
His Lambeau Leap needs work, but if he keeps playing like this, he'll undoubtedly get more opportunities.
Loser: Jacob Monk
Jacob Monk's disappointing performance raised alarm bells about the Packers' interior offensive line depth.
Monk looked in line to secure a roster spot and back up Elgton Jenkins at center, but the Packers notably went with Sean Rhyan at center when the second-team offense came out. Monk played at guard, and it didn't go well.
The second-year lineman drew three holding penalties and allowed a sack. His future on the team isn't as secure as it once looked.
Loser: Isaiah Simmons
Isaiah Simmons has turned heads on the practice field, but all of that goes out the window when the real football games begin. It was a concerning start for the Packers' free-agent addition. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed four catches on five targets for 52 yards to earn a team-worst 29.2 coverage grade.
It's only one game, and Simmons has shown enough during camp to deserve more time, but he needs to make significant improvements in the weeks ahead.