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via Imago

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Jordan Love, in his first couple of games (home) of the season, was efficient, but did not look sharp on the road. In the season opener against the Lions, the quarterback completed 16-of-22 passes for 188 yards while racking up a couple of scores. Meanwhile, Week 2 was even better. Love led the Packers to 2-0 while completing 19-of-31 passes for 292 yards and another couple of scores. But in Week 3, his game came out flat.

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Love seemed under pressure throughout the game, resulting in a 13-10 loss against the Browns despite a 10-0 lead entering the fourth quarter. The signs were clear: The offensive line was struggling to protect its quarterback as the Browns sacked Love five times on Sunday afternoon. Right after one of the upsets of this season went down, the Packers’ head coach, Matt LaFleur, addressed the obvious.

From my perspective, he (Love) was under duress for a majority of the game,” LaFleur said. “We gotta look at some of the things we’re asking our guys to do in terms of protection scheme. We gotta come up with better stuff for our guys to put them in better positions to go out there and compete.” Love finished the Week 2 showdown with 18-of-25 for 183 yards, one touchdown, and an interception.

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But his five sacks grabbed the spotlight in Green Bay more than the Packers’ first two wins, with six of the Browns’ players earning at least a half-sack. The crystal? The Packers’ offensive line suffered multiple injuries during the game. Zach Tom suited up for the game despite an oblique injury, but couldn’t last one snap. The writing was on the wall: Tom’s oblique injury wasn’t ready yet.

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Meanwhile, Aaron Banks re-aggravated his groin injury and had to leave the game. On top of that, left tackle Rasheed Walker was briefly sidelined with an equipment issue. Suddenly, the Packers were rolling out three backups on the offensive line in the third quarter. The Browns wasted no time taking advantage. They turned up the heat on Jordan Love, and he felt it.

Jordan Love talks about the turning point of the game

The Browns entered trailing 10-0 in the fourth quarter and walked out with a 13-10 win after Andre Szmyt made the game-winning 35-yard field goal as time expired. Right at the center of it was Jordan Love’s interception late in the fourth quarter. On 3rd-and-7 with 3:18 left in the fourth quarter, Love tried to hit Dontayvion Wicks on a quick slant against man coverage.

But the Browns’ safety Grant Delpit had another idea. He read it perfectly, passed off Tucker Kraft, jumped the route, and picked it off right in front of Wicks. Delpit returned it inside the 5, setting up the Browns’ game-tying score moments later. After the game, the Packers’ quarterback addressed the late fourth-quarter interception.

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What’s your perspective on:

Did the Browns expose a major flaw in the Packers' protection scheme, or was it just a fluke?

Have an interesting take?

Yeah, no, we run in a triple snake concept, and they’re back every day. Don’t try to work Wicks right there, too, and safety was guarded, Tucker fell off that pass, that pass it off. Really tough play, especially, you know, circumstances with the time in the game right there, one we’re just have to learn from,” Love said. It was a straightforward setup.

The Browns sent four rushers after Love while the rest of the defense played man-to-man coverage. A linebacker dropped into the short middle of the field to watch for quick throws, and a safety shaded toward the deep middle as backup. Delpit started out on Kraft, who was lined up as the inside receiver on the right side. But instead of sticking with Kraft, Delpit smartly passed him off to the LB, slid into the passing lane, and picked off Love’s slant attempt.

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"Did the Browns expose a major flaw in the Packers' protection scheme, or was it just a fluke?"

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