🏈Opening Kickoff
The Packers fell to 2-1 in Cleveland against the Browns after a sluggish outing turned disastrous in a series of events that is a candidate for one of the biggest choke jobs in recent memory for the franchise. But is it actually time to panic?
🗞️Headline Story / Main Take
The Packers’ 13-10 loss to the Browns slipped away in the final minutes after a series of unfathomable, costly mistakes. Leading 10-3 late in the 4th quarter, Jordan Love threw an ugly interception directly to Browns safety Grant Delpit, leaving Packers fans bewildered at what he was doing and wondering if they were transported 20 years back in time to watching Brett Favre again. This set up a short touchdown drive for the Browns that tied the game. Green Bay had a chance to recover, driving into field-goal range with under 30 seconds left, but Brandon McManus’ 43-yard attempt was blocked and set the Browns up right around midfield. The Browns then moved quickly downfield, and rookie kicker Andre Szmyt drilled a 55-yard field goal as time expired, sending the Packers fanbase into disarray. Despite strong defensive play for much of the game, the Packers’ bad offense (looking at you, O-line), costly turnover, special teams breakdown, and whopping 14 penalties combined to be their undoing in the closing moments.
🤓By The Numbers
Sunday marked just the second time in 305 games since 1970 that Green Bay lost after leading by 10+ points in the final 4 minutes of the 4th quarter. The only other collapse like that? The 2014 NFC Championship in Seattle. Yuck. (H/T Rob Demovsky, ESPN)
Despite not trailing for a single second so far this season, the Packers sit at 2-1 instead of 3-0.
Green Bay posted a 15.5 PFF pass-blocking grade, the lowest for any NFL team in a single game since 2021. Since PFF started tracking in 2006, the Packers had never fallen below 39 until Sunday. (H/T Nathan Marzion / X)
The Packers' 14 penalties on Sunday was the most they have had in a game since 2010. (H/T Rob Demovsky, ESPN)
📈Stock Report 📉
Stock Up
Jeff Hafley’s Defense – Continued to play at a high level. In reality, the unit only gave up 3 points yesterday. They did their job.
Matthew Golden – The rookie doubled his catch total from the previous two weeks combined, saw his snap share jump from 59% to 71%, and was inches away from another big touchdown if Jordan Love had put a better ball on him.
Rashan Gary – Leads the NFL with 4.5 sacks through three games.
Stock Down
The Entire Offensive Line – Once thought of as a steady, reliable strength, the line is suddenly a problem area thanks to poor play and mounting injuries.
Rich Bisaccia – Brought in back in 2022 to finally fix Green Bay’s special teams, his unit still hasn’t shown real consistency and just contributed to another costly breakdown.
Jordan Love – The MVP chatter is cancelled until further notice. (It is also not time to start panicking about him either, he will be fine).
🔥 Quick Hits (Short news like roster moves)
Zach Tom was rushed back too soon; he played just one snap before leaving with a reaggravated oblique issue. Matt LaFleur admitted it was a mistake to push him out there.
Devonte Wyatt is considered day to day with a knee injury he sustained late in the game.
Javon Bullard has entered concussion protocol.
Matt LaFleur emphasized the need to “go 1-0 every week,” pushing back on any undefeated talk after Rasheed Walker’s comment the week prior that made headlines.
Jordan Love said, “We’re still a good team,” while also taking blame for his interception late against Cleveland.
🏆 The Big Take from Brian
The honeymoon is over. I was reminded this week how hilarious yet also bafflingly ridiculous the reactions of our fanbase can be to an underperformance. Look, I’ve fallen victim to it myself, I scream at my TV just like everyone else. But the amount of people I saw calling for Matt LaFleur to get fired, or declaring that Jordan Love doesn’t have what it takes to lead the Packers to the promiseland after the game yesterday caught me off guard. Where were these people when the Packers were arguably the best team in the entire NFL for the first two weeks of the season? Do we think that that Packers team that we saw annihilate Detroit and Washington doesn’t exist anymore, or something? The Super Bowl is not won or lost in September, and the majority of the product we have seen on the field so far this season is still the best we have seen since at least 2021 from the Packers, in my opinion. Consistency is a valid thing to have concern about, but every team gets at least one pass per year, especially a team who performed as well as Green Bay to start the year.
I see this loss as a good thing, in some ways. The headlines about the Packers were going a bit too crazy and it is much better to have the reality check that ANY given week any NFL team is going to be hard to beat in September, rather than when we are approaching playoff football and momentum is more important than ever. I refuse to join the panicking sector of the fanbase unless things go terribly wrong in Dallas this week. Speaking of…
👀Looking Ahead
The Packers will now look ahead to their Week 4 matchup against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in Jerry World, where Micah Parsons will make his long-awaited (well, not really — he was just there 4 weeks ago) return to face his former team. Expect to hear about that at least 500 times this week leading up to the game. The Packers opened as 6-point favorites on the road, and that was prior to the news that Dallas will be without their superstar wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. The bar is set high given Green Bay’s recent success in Dallas, highlighted by legendary playoff wins in 2017, 2024, and the fact that the Packers have never lost at AT&T Stadium. Despite this, the matchup between two of the NFL’s most marquee brands is considered a rivalry in the context of their extensive history and a matchup that both fanbases will be considering a must-win game. Perhaps if Green Bay takes yet another win, Dallas will finally willingly concede the title of “America’s Team.” Shouldn’t that go to the team literally owned by America, anyway? Regardless, expect the Packers to come out with their “piss hot” against their longtime foe after an embarassing defeat.
👇Final Thoughts
It just feels good to be back in the thick of football season, man. Packers and Cowboys going head-to-head on Sunday Night Football? Fall weather? Packers look like they can contend this year? Life is good. Savor it while we’re still in the early stages, it’s going to be December in the blink of an eye.
‘Til Next Week. Go Pack Go,
Packerscoverage
Brian Pedretti