The Green Bay Packers committed too many mistakes on offense and allowed a costly blocked field goal on special teams. That resulted in a 13-10 Week 3 road loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Green Bay committed 14 total penalties, its most in a regular-season game since a Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears in 2010. The offense became overly conservative because of Myles Garrett, which played into Cleveland’s hands. Still, the most disappointing performance of the day came from the offensive line, which struggled in an area where they’re usually very reliable: pass protection.
It was arguably the worst pass-protection performance of the Matt LaFleur era. The Packers allowed nine total pressures in the first half alone. For context, they gave up just five total against the Detroit Lions and 11 against the Washington Commanders. Mason Graham recorded a 43% pass-rush win rate, while the average for a defensive tackle is just 9%.
Jordan Morgan, Sean Rhyan, Elgton Jenkins, Rasheed Walker, and Anthony Belton each allowed three pressures. Morgan also had a couple of false starts. Jenkins, who came into Week 3 having played 371 snaps as a starting center without allowing a sack, gave up a sack on Sunday. To make matters worse, Zach Tom reinjured his oblique on the first snap; who knows how much time he will miss.
We can go over the numbers all we want, but the tape shows just how bad Green Bay’s pass protection was. Early in the game, the Packers faced a second-and-two from their own 28. Maliek Collins immediately beat Jenkins, while Mason Graham, lined up against Sean Rhyan, executed a stunt. Both got to Love for the sack, setting up a third-and-long and eventually a fourth down.
The Packers faced an obvious passing down before the field goal that would have put them up 3-0. Jordan Love lined up in the shotgun with Savion Williams as an H-back to his right. The interior defensive lineman came through the A-gap untouched, forcing Love to throw under pressure and leading to an incompletion to Dontayvion Wicks.
Late in the second quarter, Green Bay faced second-and-10 from Cleveland’s 38. Alex Wright came off the edge and got a chip from Tucker Kraft, who then became a checkdown option. Jordan Morgan lowered his head, which is poor technique, and got beaten on the play. The Browns sacked Love, setting up a third-and-long.
A few plays later, the Packers faced third-and-22 at midfield. Aaron Banks got beaten on the inside. Meanwhile, Garrett beat Luke Musgrave and Rasheed Walker on a double team. Love had no chance, and Cleveland sacked him again.
Early in the third quarter, the Packers assigned Kraft, Josh Jacobs, and Walker (lol) to block Garrett, and they neutralized him. The problem? They forgot to account for everyone else on the play.
The Browns got their final sack on the last play of the third quarter, which Green Bay could have prevented. The Packers would have had the interval between quarters to set up a play, convert, and march into Cleveland territory. Instead, they snapped the ball.
Love is culpable for the sack because he should have thrown the ball away. Still, Morgan, playing left guard, got beaten far too easily.
It’s no surprise that Green Bay’s pass protection struggled. The Browns entered Week 3 as the sixth-best defense in pass-rush win rate and a top-10 unit in pass-rush grade. Still, the performance from Green Bay’s front line left a lot to be desired, even against a formidable front.
“It felt like, my perspective, that [Love] was under duress for the majority of the game,” Matt LaFleur said after the game. “We have to look at some of the things we’re asking our guys to do.”
Packers fans shouldn’t lose any sleep over the offensive line’s performance. Cleveland is a very well-coached group, and bad games happen in the NFL. Just two weeks ago, they allowed only five pressures against a defense that was top-eight in pass-rush grade last year. They’ll be fine because they’ll watch the tape on Monday and learn from it.
