The Green Bay Packers entered their Week 3 matchup with the Cleveland Browns as heavy favorites after beating two NFC contenders -- the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders -- without much trouble to begin the season. Meanwhile, the Browns were 0-2 and averaging just 16.5 points per game.
Despite the Packers jumping out to a 10-0 lead that they held with just under four minutes left in the game, they suffered an embarrassing loss as they choked the game away -- allowing Cleveland to score 13 unanswered points. Green Bay made several crucial errors down the stretch of the game, with the biggest being a Jordan Love interception on 3rd-and-three that set the Browns up inside the 5-yard line.
Cleveland took advantage of the tremendous field position as they punched it in for a game-tying touchdown following a pass interference call that placed the ball at the one. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur shouldered the blame for the interception, claiming that he shouldn't have called the play in that situation.
Matt LaFleur takes blame for the Packers first loss of the season
The Packers appeared to be on the verge of improving to 3-0, however, a late-game interception completely changed the outcome of the game. LaFleur blamed himself for the loss while speaking with the media following the game, stating:
"They were playing man coverage, and the guy, (Grant Delpit), did a hell of a job, he passed off (Tucker Kraft) to the inside backer and he fell off in the window. So, that's a bad playcall. We shouldn't have called that play. That's on me."
LaFleur noted that the defense was playing great, and they shouldn't have put the unit in a position where they were defending a short field. Love also took blame for the loss, claiming that he never saw Delpit before making the throw.
The pass was particularly bad as there were three defenders in the area of Packers receiver Dontayvion Wicks -- two of whom had a much easier play on the ball. Prior to the late-game miscue, Love had played 11 quarters of mistake-free football. However, his first error of the season wound up costing Green Bay the game.
The Packers will look to bounce back in Week 4 against a Dallas Cowboys defense that has allowed 30.7 points per game, the sixth-most in the NFL. Green Bay's defense has been elite, allowing a league-leading 14.7 ppg, and will face a team without its best weapon, as CeeDee Lamb is expected to be sidelined with a high-ankle sprain.
If Love and the offense are able to bounce back from their worst performance of the season, the Packers should be in position to improve to 3-1.