The last time you saw them – nearly seven months ago – the Green Bay Packers suffered a devastating 24-21 loss to San Francisco in the NFC divisional playoffs.

The Packers – the youngest team in the NFL – could hardly wait for the start of the 2024 season. On Saturday, the time finally came and the Green Bay Packers dominated host Cleveland from start to finish, winning 23-10.

“Every year is new and that’s what they have to do again this year, no matter what challenges there may be,” said Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst. “But I feel really good.”

He should. Gutekunst has one of the best rosters in the NFL, which he showed off against the Browns.

Here are the good, bad and ugly sides of Green Bay’s win.

THE GOOD

EARLY FIREWORKS: Packers quarterback Jordan Love was asked on Tuesday what makes a successful first preseason game.

“Go down quick and score,” Love said. “I think that would be nice. To be able to put a drive together, not have three and out, just have a successful drive and score a touchdown would be nice.”

Mission accomplished.

On the third play of the game, Love scored a 65-yard touchdown against wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks.

The Packers lined up with three wideouts on the right side on third and fifth downs. Wicks was the middle receiver and had safety Ronnie Hickman as his opposite number.

Wicks blew right past Hillman and Love threw a strike that the sophomore wide receiver caught at Cleveland’s 35-yard line. From there, Wicks rolled in, giving Green Bay a 7-0 lead just 82 seconds into the game.

That was it for Love’s day, he completed 2 of 2 passes for 63 yards, a touchdown and a perfect passer rating of 158.3.

READY TO DEPARTURE: Defensive end Lukas Van Ness, the Packers’ first-round draft pick in 2023, is off to an impressive start this summer. Van Ness followed that up Saturday with a sack and three tackles for loss.

Van Ness scored his sack when Devonte Wyatt pressured quarterback Jameis Winston and the sophomore defensive end cleaned up.

Last season, Van Ness played in all 17 games, had four sacks, 10 quarterback hits (fifth on the team), 32 tackles (24 solo), eight tackles for loss (second on the team) and one pass defensed.

“As everyone knows, sophomore year is a big year for me and I’m excited,” Van Ness said. “I know the goals I’ve set for myself and I’m excited to go out there and prove it.”

“But I just have a little more confidence even when I walk into the building. I know the coaches. I know the players. Just being in this building is – again – comfortable, that’s probably not the best word, but it’s just comfortable to be in the building and yeah, I’m excited.”

IT’S MORE LIKE THIS: Green Bay Packers No. 2 quarterback Sean Clifford had a rough start to training camp as he operated on the No. 1 offense after Love completed his contract extension.

Clifford has been better in recent training and had a solid debut in preseason.

Clifford led the Packers to two scoring drives during his four series — one touchdown and one field goal. He completed 10 of 19 passes for 111 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

“I look at it as an opportunity, and that’s how I look at life,” Clifford said of his chance to shine against Cleveland. “I look at it as an opportunity to always do your best, and when you mess up, you own it, you charge right into the storm, and that will always be the opportunity to come out the other side faster, stronger and just better.”

GRANT DUBOSE: DuBose, a seventh-round draft pick in 2023, spent all of last season on the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad but made a big jump this summer.

He continued his upward trend on Saturday with his team’s best numbers in caught passes (five) and 66 yards on six attempts.

“I really like what I’m seeing,” Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said of DuBose. “He plays with good speed. He’s a big target. He’s got good hands and is a willing blocker in the run game as well. I like what I’m seeing from Grant right now.”

EMANUEL WILSON: The Packers will almost certainly keep only three running backs, and Josh Jacobs and third-round rookie Marshawn Lloyd are highly likely to stay.

AJ Dillon, Green Bay’s leading runner last year, is also a good option, but second-year Emanuel Wilson will be a tough pick to pick.

Wilson had a solid day, rushing 13 times for 67 yards and scoring a 5-yard touchdown run that gave the Packers a 14-3 lead late in the second quarter.

Wilson averaged 6.1 yards per rushing attempt last year and had 12 carries in the postseason.

“I feel more comfortable,” Wilson said this week. “I feel more comfortable being myself now that I know the playbook a lot more. Now that I know what I’m doing, I play faster and just feel a lot more confident in what I’m doing.”

EARLY DOMINANCE: The Packers managed 209 yards in the first half, Cleveland only 86. Green Bay also had a 10-5 lead in first downs, averaged 6.0 yards per play, the Browns only 3.3, and had a 157-54 lead in passing yards.

Cleveland had to sit out 26 players, including quarterback Deshaun Watson, wide receiver Amari Cooper, defensive end Myles Garrett, cornerback Denzel Ward and guard Joel Bitonio. This quintet has made 22 Pro Bowls between them.

With these and several other players sitting out, the Packers dominated the first half.

OPPORTUNIST EVAN: Rookie safety Evan Williams has made play after play throughout training camp, with four interceptions being his highlight.

And Williams continued like this on Saturday.

On the first play of the second half, Williams forced a fumble from John Kelly Jr. after an 11-yard pass. Linebacker Kristian Welch recovered the ball.

“I think he’s done a lot of great things for us as a defense and as a back end, as a unit,” safety Xavier McKinney said of Williams. “He’s been fun to watch.”

The kick battle continues: Anders Carlson, the Green Bay Packers’ kicker last season, made field goals of 46 and 33 yards and an extra point. Greg Joseph, trying to force Carlson off the field, made his only kick, a 35-yard field goal.

In 13 training sessions, Joseph hit 46 of 53 (86.8%), while Carlson hit 43 of 53 (81.1%).

The fight will continue when Green Bay returns to practice on Tuesday.

THIS AND THAT: The Packers’ No. 1 offensive line consisted of Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Sean Rhyan and Andre Dillard. The No. 2 line consisted of Dillard, Royce Newman, Rhyan, Jacob Monk and Kadeem Telfort. … Javon Bullard started at safety opposite Xavier McKinney. Corey Ballentine started at cornerback opposite Eric Stokes. … Sean Clifford caught a 13-yard pass from Grant DuBose on fourth-and-3 during Green Bay’s second touchdown drive. … Rookie free agent Julian Hicks caught a beautiful 23-yard pass after a fade from No. 3 quarterback Michael Pratt. … Jarveon Howard, a non-drafted rookie free agent, ran powerfully, gaining 44 yards on eight carries (5.5). … Quarterback No. 3 Michael Pratt was solid, completing 5 of 7 passes for 46 yards and posting a passer rating of 89.0.

THE BAD

NO MOVEMENT: Green Bay had a fourth-and-1 attempt from its own 46-yard line on its second drive of the game.

The Packers ran AJ Dillon behind center Sean Rhyan and right guard Jacob Monk, but the duo could not clear any space and Dillon was stopped, preventing any gain in yardage.

FROM THE INHABITANT: The following Packers did not play due to injuries – offensive linemen Zach Tom (chest), Jordan Morgan (shoulder) and Donovan Jennings (knee), tight ends Tyler Davis (knee) and Tucker Kraft (chest), linebackers Edgerrin Cooper (hip) and Ty’Ron Hopper (ankle), defensive linemen Deslin Alexandre (leg) and Keshawn Banks (groin), wideout Dimitri Stanley (thigh) and cornerback Carrington Valentine (thigh).

Cornerback Jaire Alexander did not play for personal reasons.

THIS AND THAT: Sean Clifford was charged with a fumble on a jet sweep to Bo Melton in the first quarter. … Keisean Nixon allowed an 18-yard pass from wide receiver Michael Woods on the Browns’ first possession that contributed to a field goal. … Guard Royce Newman, who was battling for a roster spot, was assessed a false start penalty. … Cornerback LJ Davis was assessed a personal foul late in the fourth quarter, and one play later Aidan Robbins had a 1-yard touchdown run.

THE UGLY

NOTHING: This may be a first for the Good, Bad and Ugly column, and the Packers coaches will no doubt find plenty of flaws after reviewing the tape.

But Green Bay’s frontliners and backups have been solid in every phase. And overall, the coaching staff won’t have much to complain about.