So, by now, you get the pattern, right?  The Packers start slow, fall behind, roar back to dominate the second and third quarters, then hang on by their fingernails in the fourth.  That’s been the basic formula for their 12-3 start, as they remain in the top seed spot in the NFC.  In a game where Aaron Rodgers broke Brett Favre’s record for touchdown passes, it was what he didn’t do that made the difference.  He didn’t turn the ball over.  Despite Green Bay’s offense going dormant in the final quarter, making the Cleveland Browns earn whatever they got enabled the Pack to hold on.  In contrast, Baker Mayfield was a turnover machine.  The rusty signal caller tossed four interceptions.  Those, and a couple of timely sacks were just enough to send a full house at Lambeau home happy for Christmas.

 

That being said, it is clear the late season regression of the Green Bay defense is getting worse.  In between turnovers, the Packers couldn’t stop anything, run or pass.  Cleveland passed for more yards and rushed for more yards. The Packers’ pass rush couldn’t get home, and a soft zone left Browns receivers open all night.  Minus the mistakes from Mayfield, the outcome may have been drastically different.  Never apologize for a win, but currently Green Bay is not playing defense well enough to win in the playoffs.  

 

GAME BALLS

Allen Lazard

He only caught two passes, but the former undrafted free agent made a terrific effort after the catch to stretch out to the pylon on the TD pass that broke Favre’s record.  He also hauled in a 34 yard bomb, and gained thirteen yards on an end around.  His blocking on the edge was a key reason the Packers rushed for a somewhat quiet 109 yards.  His only blip came when he dropped what should have been a second TD in the second quarter.

 

Davante Adams

Mr. Consistent reeled in ten of thirteen targets for 114 yards and two scores.  He could have saved Packer fans a lot of drama if he had not dropped a third down pass on the final possession that would have gone a long way toward putting the game away.  He also grabbed a 33 yard loop from Rodgers, showing why he was a no-brainer first team Pro Bowl selection this week.

 

De’Vondre Campbell

Thirteen tackles and a pass defensed.  Campbell played like a guy out to prove he should have been included on the NFC Pro Bowl team.

 

Rashan Gary

When you have two sacks, two tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits, you deserve a game ball.  But Gary has to stop giving up contain on his side of the field.  This is getting to be a real liability.

 

Rasul Douglas

Two more picks to add on to his phenomenal season.  The first one was particularly special, as he pulled off his man at the last minute to cut in front of an underthrown ball.  The second one?  All it did was save the game.  Ho-hum.  Just another day at the office.

 

I was conflicted as to whether the collective secondary deserved a game ball.  They did pick off four passes.  But they also left receivers wide open all day.  They need to play that zone perhaps a little tighter and more aggressively.

 

 

LAME CALLS

Fourth Quarter Offense

Give the Browns’ defense credit.  They really locked it down in the final fifteen minutes.  They forced two straight three-an-outs, and allowed just one first down on the next series.  The makeshift offensive line in front of Rodgers really struggled to hold the fort on run or pass in the late going.  

 

Run Defense

Again, the Browns deserve some credit here as well.  Nick Chubb is a terrific back, so explosive through the hole.  But Green Bay’s old habits of bad tackling and poor gap control contributed to Cleveland racking up 219 yards on the ground, 126 of them by Chubb.

 

 

AFTERTHOUGHTS

 

Aaron Rodgers (on breaking Favre’s record):  “To break a record like that on a simple play like that, just a staple of the West Coast offense, is pretty cool.  A moment I’ll never forget for sure.  I’m thankful for Favre’s message and the response from the guys and the crowd was really special.”

 

Allen Lazard (on catching the record breaker):  “It was just a matter of opportunity, and I’m obviously very fortunate to be on this side of history.”

 

Davante Adams:  “To a certain extent we got lucky…took our foot off the gas pedal a little bit, but we did enough early on to cover our butt later on.”

 

Rashan Gary:  “Everything that they had in the run game we gave them today.  Small mistakes that we can go back and fix because it’s all about fitting up in the right gaps and fitting up on the right things so we can play ball fast.”

 

 

 

 

THREE AND OUT

•  My heart jumped up into my throat when Yosh Nijman left the field hurt in the fourth quarter.  O-line is the one place where the Packers simply can’t afford anymore injuries.  Ben Braden at left tackle is downright scary.  Thankfully, Nijman returned for the next series.

 

•  Shortly before the start of the game, the Packers announced that Kevin King, La’Darius Hamilton and Shemar Jean-Charles were all placed on the Covid list and would not play.  The virus threat makes this such a crazy season, where rosters can change drastically and critically on any given day.  In addition, defensive lineman Kingsley Keke was a surprise inactive, despite not having an injury designation.

 

•  I’m sure the national talking heads will make a big deal out of Rasul Douglas not being called for DPI on the Browns’ final drive.  It probably should have been flagged, but I’ve seen much worse not get called.  And there’s no guarantee Cleveland would have continued to advance down the field to kick the winning field goal, given their turnover plays and missed extra point earlier.