Why Packers' offensive struggles in Browns loss could be a long-term concern

CLEVELAND -- On the Green Bay Packers' precise archetypal violative snap, close tackle Zach Tom aggravated the oblique wounded that kept him retired the erstwhile week, and helium was done for the day. It didn't get overmuch amended for the remainder of the violative broadside of the ball.

While Sunday's 13-10 upset loss to the antecedently winless Cleveland Browns came down to a mates of peculiar teams plays -- a blocked Brandon McManus tract extremity and a game-winning 55-yard footwear by the Browns all successful the last 27 seconds -- the bigger occupation was an afternoon-long conflict for Jordan Love & Co.

Love seldom had clip to throw, Josh Jacobs hardly had immoderate country to tally and the violative enactment was a revolving door. The Packers besides mislaid near defender Aaron Banks, who dropped retired aft halftime with a groin injury.

Love was sacked 5 times, tying the astir successful his career, portion Jacobs rushed for lone 30 yards (on 16 carries), his fewest yards successful a crippled since Week 2 of the 2023 season. Jacobs' franchise grounds of 10 consecutive games with a rushing touchdown besides came to an end.

"No. 1, I deliberation aboriginal connected they were getting to the quarterback, truthful a batch of those longer processing routes, if you're going to play antheral coverage, you've got to beryllium capable to support a small spot better," Packers manager Matt LaFleur said. "It felt similar from my perspective, [Love] was nether duress for the bulk of the game.

"So we've got to look astatine conscionable immoderate of the things we're asking our guys to bash successful presumption of protection, we've got to bash it better. We've got to travel up with amended worldly for our guys, to enactment them successful amended presumption to spell retired determination and compete."

Love was pressured connected 13 of his 31 dropbacks. That 42% unit complaint was the highest helium has faced successful a crippled successful his career, according to ESPN Research. He was lone 3-of-8 for 28 yards and was sacked 5 times erstwhile pressured.

But helium wasn't nether unit connected his biggest mistake of the day. He saw his regular-season streak of 9 consecutive games without an interception travel to an extremity erstwhile helium threw it close to Browns information Grant Delpit with a small much than 3 minutes to play and the Packers starring 10-3. While Love wasn't nether pressure, helium got the shot retired of his manus quickly, possibly due to the fact that helium had been nether vigor each game, and it acceptable up the Browns' tying touchdown.

"Obviously I'm trying to get it out, but it's 1 of those, you've got to beryllium capable to spot him falling off," Love said of Delpit. "He did a large occupation of making a play, I didn't spot him, but it's thing I've seen before. I've got to find a mode to spot him."

LaFleur enactment that mistake connected himself.

"That's a atrocious play call," LaFleur said. "We shouldn't person called that play. That's connected me."

The biggest interest going guardant mightiness beryllium the violative line. Tom said past week that his torn oblique musculus wasn't atrocious capable to necessitate surgery, but aft helium exited aft the archetypal play, possibly that mightiness beryllium indispensable now. It besides brings into question whether Tom should person been playing astatine all.

"Obviously, yeah, I would accidental if a feline plays 1 play ... we got to person immoderate discussions about, like, we can't let that to happen," LaFleur said. "You know, it's disappointing erstwhile helium plays 1 play. Banks, I don't deliberation that was the ...