The Green Bay Packers couldn't put the Cleveland Browns away, and they paid the price.
One brutal mistake led to another, and before long, the Packers had watched a 10-point fourth-quarter lead evaporate into a crushing and humiliating loss in Week 3. A road loss to an AFC team isn't the worst thing in the world, but the manner of the defeat is concerning.
The Packers will have to regroup before a monumental clash with the Dallas Cowboys next week. Before then, they must evaluate how this fourth-quarter collapse could happen. Three Packers will receive most of the blame for the performance.
Packers who will receive the blame for the team's stunning loss to the Browns in Week 3
Jordan Morgan
In Jordan Morgan's defense, what is his best position? The Packers have asked him to play everywhere, and that included left guard and right tackle in this game.
Still, they need far more from their 2024 first-round pick. According to Pro Football Focus, Morgan allowed three pressures and a sack, earning an awful pass-block grade of 24.3. On top of that, he drew three costly penalties.
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The Packers have put Morgan in a tough spot. He is the first reserve off the bench, but his positional versatility might be hurting his development. Playing left guard and right tackle in the same game against an elite defensive line is borderline unfair. That doesn't excuse the penalties, though, and Morgan endured a nightmare performance.
Matt LaFleur
Matt LaFleur has enjoyed better afternoons. He took the blame for Jordan Love's interception that started the Packers' collapse.
"That's a bad play call. We shouldn't have called that play. That's on me," said LaFleur.
It doesn't end there, though. LaFleur admitted that the offensive line struggled to protect Love, but that didn't stop the Packers from trying to take shots downfield. Where was the pivot to the quick-passing game? LaFleur mixed in some sweeps and end-arounds, but he needed to provide far more help for his quarterback.
Love took five sacks and faced pressure all day long. The Packers didn't adjust, and that falls on the coach.
Jordan Love
Love had plenty working against him in this game, and for over three quarters, he handled it well. But he failed in crucial moments when the Packers needed him to play like a $220 million quarterback.
The interception, his first since last November, began the nightmare. Even a punt was probably fine in that situation, but the pick gave the Browns possession at the Packers' 5-yard line. Sure, LaFleur takes the blame for the play-call, but Love needed to assess the danger and keep the ball out of harm's way.
There were other questionable moments.
Take the final play of the third quarter as an example. The Packers didn't need to snap the ball as time expired, and that was the smart approach ahead of a crucial third down. Instead, they ran a play and instantly regretted it.
With Love under heavy pressure, he bought time and rolled out of the pocket, but then allowed an 11-yard sack. Love had enough time to throw the ball away and preserve field position, if nothing else.
It was 3rd-and-1. Instead of letting the quarter expire and giving themselves the interval to think about their play-call, the Packers gambled. It led to a punt.
Love certainly didn't have a bad game, but he made costly errors in the biggest moments.