Infuriating performance dooms Packers as defense can’t save them in tough Week 3 loss to Browns
Green Bay is not undefeated anymore.
The Green Bay Packers were ahead for most of the game, but a rough offensive and special teams performance proved to be too much for the defense to overcome.
After impressive wins over the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders, the Packers fell to Earth and lost to the Cleveland Browns 13-10 in their first road game in 2025. It included Jordan Love’s first interception of the season, a costly one late in the fourth quarter to put the Browns back in the game, and a blocked field goal to finish the game.
Infuriating struggles on offense
It’s hard to find a worse performance by the Packers’ offense, which included Love’s bizarre interception and almost a Josh Jacobs fumble late in the fourth.
The offensive line, in particular, had a tough outing. Zach Tom re-injured his oblique on the first offensive snap of the game, forcing the Packers to play last year’s first-round pick Jordan Morgan at right tackle for the first time in his NFL career. And you could see it. Morgan had two false starts and didn’t play well. Love was sacked three times before halftime.
Even the veteran players made many mistakes. Center Elgton Jenkins had a rough first half, giving up a clear sack, and Rasheed Walker had an ineligible man downfield penalty.
Aaron Banks suffered a groin injury as well, so the Packers had to move Jordan Morgan back to left guard and put rookie second-rounder Anthony Belton in at right tackle in the second half. In the middle of the third quarter, Walker went down for a few plays too because his facemask broke, so the Packers had to move Belton to left tackle and play Darian Kinnard at right tackle. At that point, every active offensive lineman on the Packers had at least one snap in the game.
Special teams mistakes, as usual
It shouldn’t be news, but the Packers’ special teams under Rich Bisaccia were an awful unit, play in and play out. That included multiple penalties and the blocked field goal late in the game. Ultimately, a Browns’ field goal decided the game, and it was easy to see which team had the best special teams unit on the field.
The Packers’ defense tried
Micah Parsons draws attention from the opposing offensive game plan, for sure. But you need the bodies to take advantage of it, and Rashan Gary has absolutely done it so far this season. Against the Browns, the former first-rounder had two huge third-down sacks to kill Browns’ drives, reaching 4.5 sacks this season.
Gary has usually generated pressure but failed to convert it into sacks; however, that hasn’t been a problem this year. When the offense’s eyes are on the other side of the formation, it certainly becomes much easier.
Parsons had a quieter game on Sunday, but Gary and Lukas Van Ness each had four pressures, and this is not a coincidence. Despite a tougher game, the defensive front was still the bright spot.
The secondary didn’t have much to do, but safety Xavier McKinney got his first interception of the season by grabbing Joe Flacco’s arm punt. And late in the fourth quarter, the Browns reached the 1-yard line, but a sequence of positive plays for the defense and penalties for the offense made the Browns settle for a field goal.
The bad news is that safety Javon Bullard got hurt late in the game, and the defense gave up two game-deciding drives down the stretch.
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