Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers were the surprise of the day on Sunday’s early slate when they lost at 7.5 point favorites in Ohio to the 0-2 Cleveland Browns.

Despite holding a 10-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter of the game, with the Browns’ offense seemingly unable to penetrate what has, up until now, been one of the superior defensive units in the entire league, the Packers let Cleveland back into the game late on.

And tied at 10-10 with 30 seconds left, just as it seemed like the Packers would manage to hold off the comeback and escape with a win, Browns defensive tackle, Shelby Harris, blocked a Brandon McManus field goal, with Cleveland subsequently a 55-yarder of their own shortly after as the clock expired to come out victorious, 13-10.

Jordan Love Breaks Silence After Humbling Defeat

Speaking after the game, to a stunned, perplexed and disappointed audience, quarterback, Jordan Love had some words for the media, fanbase and his teammates.

“We’re a good team. We’re still a good team.” Love said to the media after the game.

Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Love also denied that the team was “feeling” themselves too much after getting off to a hot start in the opening two games of the season.

Love has started the season well, completing almost 68% of his passes for 663 yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception, with a 110.1 passer rating. Even today, his stat-line was far from horrible, managing 183 yards with one TD and INT apiece for an 89.3 QBR.

But the Packers’ offense looked lacklustre all day, and despite facing one of the NFL‘s most dysfunctional franchises and talent-bare passing-attacks in the league, Green Bay was never able to capitalize and put the game to bed.

And ultimately, they paid a steep price.

Matt LaFleur Encourages Team To ‘Move On’ After Humbling Defeat

The Packers’ head coach, whose team gave away an enormous 14 penalties for 75 yards on the day, issued a call to the team to keep going and move on from what was perhaps his worst defeat as a head coach with the Packers.

“That was extremely disappointing, obviously,” LaFleur said on Sunday afternoon.

“…It’s tough to deal with, but you better learn from each and every opportunity you go out there, both in the wins and in the losses, you’ve got to move on.”

Although LaFleur admitted there were some elements of the game that were executed well, especially on defense, he emphasized the need to become more disciplined in their approach, and not concede numerous, indeed double-digit penalties – which he put down to the need for better coaching in teaching the fundamentals.

The Packers will remain atop the NFC North at 2-1 heading into week 4, even if the Detroit Lions manage to pull off and upset and beat the Baltimore Ravens on Monday.

But there is no doubt that this will have handed the locker room, and perhaps even coaching staff a piece of much-needed humble pie, after much of the sports media world started annointing Green Bay as the NFC-Champions elect, and a borderline shoe-in to make the Conference Championship.

Hopefully for the Packers, this will bring them back down to earth as they look to reset against the 1-2 Dallas Cowboys next weekend.