Matthew Golden — Week 8: 13 Targets, a Third-and-13 Score
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Friday, Oct 30
Golden caught 7 of a game-high 13 targets for 79 yards and a 24-yard touchdown on third and 13 against the Panthers, and was the target on Jordan Love's interception, in Green Bay's 27-19 Thursday-night win at home.
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Matthew Golden drew the most targets in the game against the Panthers: 13, tying his season high, with 7 catches for 79 yards, a touchdown and +0.1 expected points added (EPA). EPA is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position.
The touchdown came up 13-10 with 1:51 left in the half. One snap after a deep throw to him fell incomplete, third and 13 at the Carolina 24, Jordan Love went deep left to him again and he caught it for the score: +4.5 EPA and 10.3 points of win probability, the estimate of each side's chance to win, and a 20-10 lead after the extra point. It was the only one of his five deep targets he caught. His short catches did steady work: 11 yards on second and 10 earlier on that drive, 14 to midfield with 1:15 left in the half, and 8 to the Carolina 4 to set up Josh Jacobs's touchdown in the third.
The two that cost came in the fourth. Up 27-13 on the first snap of the quarter, third and 8 at the Carolina 27, Love threw deep right for him and Zakee Wheatley intercepted at the 2, -3.5 EPA. On the next drive, third and 2 at the Green Bay 23, a short throw to him fell incomplete, -1.6, and Green Bay punted.
Per target it was below his season. Through Week 7 he had 69 targets, 36 catches, 540 yards, 3 touchdowns and +6.1 EPA, +0.09 a target; here it was +0.01.
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_Data via nflverse._
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