CLEVELAND — On the Inexperienced Bay Packers’ very first offensive snap, proper sort out Zach Tom aggravated the indirect damage that saved him out the earlier week, and he was achieved for the day. It did not get a lot better for the remainder of the offensive aspect of the ball.
Whereas Sunday’s 13-10 upset loss to the beforehand winless Cleveland Browns got here right down to a few particular groups performs — a blocked Brandon McManus subject objective and a game-winning 55-yard kick by the Browns all within the closing 27 seconds — the larger downside was an afternoon-long battle for Jordan Love & Co.
Love not often had time to throw, Josh Jacobs hardly had any room to run and the offensive line was a revolving door. The Packers additionally misplaced left guard Aaron Banks, who dropped out after halftime with a groin damage.
Love was sacked 5 occasions, tying for probably the most in his profession, whereas Jacobs rushed for under 30 yards (on 16 carries), his fewest yards in a sport since Week 2 of the 2023 season. Jacobs’ franchise report of 10 straight video games with a dashing landing additionally got here to an finish.
“No. 1, I feel early on they have been attending to the quarterback, so lots of these longer-developing routes, if you are going to play man protection, you’ve got acquired to have the ability to shield slightly bit higher,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur stated. “It felt like from my perspective, [Love] was underneath duress for almost all of the sport.
“So we have to have a look at simply a number of the issues we’re asking our guys to do by way of safety, we have to do it higher. We have to give you higher stuff for our guys, to place them in higher place to go on the market and compete.”
Love was pressured on 13 of his 31 dropbacks. That 42% strain charge was the very best he has confronted in a sport in his profession, in keeping with ESPN Analysis. He was solely 3-of-8 for 28 yards and was sacked 5 occasions when pressured.
However he wasn’t underneath strain on his largest mistake of the day. He noticed his regular-season streak of 9 straight video games with out an interception come to an finish when he threw it proper to Browns security Grant Delpit with slightly greater than three minutes to play and the Packers main 10-3. Whereas Love wasn’t underneath strain, he acquired the ball out of his hand rapidly, maybe as a result of he had been underneath duress all sport, and it arrange the Browns’ tying landing.
“Clearly I am attempting to get it out, but it surely’s a kind of, you’ve got acquired to have the ability to see him falling off,” Love stated of Delpit. “He did a terrific job of creating a play, I did not see him, but it surely’s one thing I’ve seen earlier than. I’ve acquired to discover a technique to see him.”
LaFleur put that mistake on himself.
“That is a nasty play name,” LaFleur stated. “We should not have known as that play. That is on me.”
The largest concern going ahead is likely to be the offensive line. Tom stated final week that his torn indirect muscle wasn’t unhealthy sufficient to require surgical procedure, however after he exited after the primary play, maybe that is likely to be obligatory now. It additionally brings into query whether or not Tom ought to have been enjoying in any respect.
“Clearly, yeah, I’d say if a man performs one play … we acquired to have some discussions about, like, we won’t enable that to occur,” LaFleur stated. “You recognize, it is disappointing when he performs one play. Banks, I do not assume that was the case. It was a special damage. So it’s what it’s. That occurs.”
However Jacobs stated he didn’t assume this can be a long-term situation. In actual fact, he believes it is going to look loads completely different Sunday in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys.
“I feel we will come out hungry,” Jacobs stated. “I actually really feel unhealthy for whoever sees this group subsequent. I can inform this bothered lots of the blokes on this room. I do know we’re gonna come out hungry this subsequent week.”