Packers Periscope: Week 14 vs. Cleveland Browns

The Green Bay Packers invade Cleveland this Sunday to face the vaunted Browns.  OK, it's neither an invasion nor are the Browns vaunted.  But the two teams do face each other this week.

At the beginning of the season, this game was the most boring, on paper.  An Aaron Rodgers-led Packers team boat races the Browns, regardless of whether it's in Green Bay or in Cleveland.

But this is still Brett Hundley's team, for at least this week and possibly longer.  The Browns are winless but history says there's a good chance that they'll win one of their next four games.  Is is possible that this week is that "one"?

Let's take a look at this match up through time.

The Past

The Packers lead the all-time series 12-7.  The two teams have only faced each other twice in the past decade, as is typical of NFC-AFC match up's under the current NFL schedule format.

The series dates back to 1953 with the Browns winning the first three meetings.  The latest meeting was in Green Bay in 2013, just two weeks before Rodgers would break his collarbone that season.  The Packers got the win, but lost tight end Jermichael Finley to a serious back injury, an injury that ended his playing career.

The Browns have struggled over the past two seasons.  Current head coach Hue Jackson has just one win in his nearly two years with the team.  Despite high picks over the last several years, the Browns have not been able to keep or develop top talent.

The last time the Browns beat the Packers was the lowly 2005 season when the Packers found a thousand-and-one ways to lose a game.  

The Present

On paper, these two teams are currently not that far apart.  In terms of passing and rushing yards, less than 10 yards per game separate the Packers and Browns.  The biggest difference is that Green Bay has six wins and the Browns are posting a goose egg in that column so far this year.

Browns rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer has definitely taken his lumps this season and in learning the ropes.  He has just six touchdown passes to 15 interceptions.  Kizer does have five rushing touchdowns.

On the Packers side is Hundley, who we never seem to be able to predict week after week.  He posted stellar outings against the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers on the road but could not generate much against the Baltimore Ravens or Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home.

Despite less than 90 yards passing last week against Tampa Bay, Hundley and the Packers still got the win.  That win kept their season alive, for all intents and purposes, with a tight race for playoff spots currently brewing in the NFC.

It looks like it's going to take 10 or more wins to reach the postseason this year and that would mean the Packers need to win their four remaining games.  They're favored by three points against Cleveland but there has been no shortage of talk about a letdown and this being a classic "trap game".

Fortunately, the Packers enter this game with a red-hot run game featuring two rookies who have both taken home the FedEx Ground Player of the Week award this year.  Last week it was Jamaal Williams after Aaron Jones won the award earlier this season.

Cleveland is giving up less than 100 yards per game on the ground so the Packers rushing attack will test that this week.  Green Bay will certainly want to establish the run early on and get their defense rested.  After less than 100 yards passing, it's not likely that head coach Mike McCarthy comes in looking to let Hundley throw it 40 times.

The Browns have two good receivers in Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon, who returned last week after a multiple-year absence.  Coleman had been on injured reserve with a broken hand, his second in as many seasons.  Both are top targets for Kizer. 

While he hasn't played much, receiver Bryce Treggs is on Cleveland's roster.  You may recall him from the preseason when, with the Philadelphia Eagles, he laid a vicious crack back block on Damarious Randall which led to a concussion.  It looks like Randall will outshine Treggs in TV time this week.

The Packers will be without rookie cornerback Kevin King, who was placed on injured reserve with the shoulder injury that has been bothering him most of this season.  Davon House and Damarious Randall will head up a shorthanded and depleted cornerback unit.

Green Bay activated corner Demetri Goodson from the physically unable to perform list this week, but he doesn't appear ready to play yet and is likely to sit this one out.  That likely means more snaps for Josh Hawkins and with some shuffling between safeties Morgan Burnett and Josh Jones.

The Future

There is no future if the Packers don't win this game.  Not only because it effectively ends their 2017 season but it would unleash a storm of fury towards team leadership and intensify the rumors about changes to come this coming offseason.

The Packers need to draw from the mojo they brought into Pittsburgh two weeks ago and drop a "W" in Cleveland in a game that is there for the taking.  A win would seemingly prompt many tests and evaluations on Rodgers next week to determine if he can return against the Carolina Panthers.

This is surely a game that could be ripe for Cleveland to win but I'm going with the Packers on the road here.  They love this scenario and have come through in the regular season when their backs have been up against the wall.  

What they do beyond these 17 weeks is another story, but I have the Packers giving their hopeful fans an early holiday gift - a win and "Rodgers watch" next week.

 

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Jason is a freelance writer on staff since 2012 and also co-hosts Cheesehead TV Live, Pulse of the Pack and Pack A Day podcasts.  You can follow him on Twitter here

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Comments (54)

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NickPerry's picture

December 08, 2017 at 06:27 am

Atlanta winning last night put another nail in the Packers coffin regardless if the "Win Out". Now they get a team on the road who hasn't won a game all year AND hired a new GM yesterday.

Just about every Browns player will be trying out for Dorsey starting Sunday. Every single player will be trying just a little bit harder to impress in hopes of having a job next season. The Browns STOLE who I thought should have been the GM of the Packers in 2018, might just steal one in Cleveland.

Now as much as I hate to say it, I believe it will be another year of Ted Thompson draft picks and UDFA. The Packers had the chance to bring in Dorsey and call him a consultant or something this year, anything to get him under contract. THIS will be one of the most interesting off seasons in GB in a long, long, time. How do they keep Wolf from signing anywhere else? Is Wolf even "The Guy" once Thompson does step away or is it someone else? With SO MUCH ammunition in the draft this year I'm really dreading another gutter ball by Ted Thompson. Lets hope this next draft Thompson can leave on a high note after 2018. Our ability to win a SB next season and beyond will depend on it.

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 08, 2017 at 06:51 am

"Atlanta winning last night put another nail in the Packers coffin regardless if the "Win Out". "

How did Atlanta winning last night put a nail in the Packers coffin? It no doubt wasn't good, but it doesn't mean the Packers are done. Not yet...

Currently the Panthers and Seahawks hold the wild card spots. Atlanta is ahead of Green Bay.
Packers beat the Seahawks, and they play the Panthers.

Seahawks remaining schedule is At Jaguars, Rams, At Cowboys, Cardinals
Atlanta's remaining schedule is at Bucs, at Saints, Panthers.
Panthers remaining schedule is Vikings, Packers, Bucs, At Falcons

Seahawks could lose 2 of those games.
Atlanta could lose 2 of their games.
Panthers could lose 2-3 of theirs.
Packers have to at least tie with Seahawks and Panthers to get in.

Its not over yet...

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fastmoving's picture

December 08, 2017 at 11:05 am

if it was a nail, we will just know at week 17.
But I checked the schedule out and the other teams (CAR, SEA, ATL....NEW ORLEANS) have harder schedules and play each other a couple of times.
When we win out and thats a big if, like aways we should be in.
CAR gets an L from us and maybe already one at this weekend against the Vikes. So we have the tiebreaker against CAR. Our bigger problem is, how get one of the other 3 teams two Ls...just one of them. and thats a good chance.
other than that, maybe we have a chance in a 3 way tie with ATL and CAR too. Dont know....but it still seem wide open. If we win out...

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 08, 2017 at 07:16 am

That is it. It 'could' be a nail. But it takes more then one nail to shut a coffin.... But we won't know until week 17.

What we know is we have to win out... And honestly, the only way we will win out is if Rodgers comes back... Thats a big IF. The only way Rodgers has a chance of coming back is IF we beat the Browns this week. IF we beat the Browns, Rodgers will get tested. IF the test comes back good, then he will play Carolina.

Packers have to win out to have a chance at the playoffs. They will need help. We need 1 loss from Seattle, and 2 Losses from Carolina. We play Carolina so that would be 1 loss. It's do able...

It can happen. I am not throwing the towel in now. There are a lot of IF's, but that doesn't mean much to me. We have a chance, and that's all we need.

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fastmoving's picture

December 08, 2017 at 07:38 am

We need 2 L from SEA......or from ATL.......the Saints are still in danger too. And there is a lot of stuff what can happen over 3 way ties........

If we win out, we would be more likely in than not............

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 08, 2017 at 07:42 am

Sorry, you're right too... I looked at the records wrong...

Regardless, they have a lot work to do and need help. Perhaps they won't get the help they need. But it can happen.

I saw on twitter a week ago that if we won out and got to 10-6 that we have a 90% chance of getting in.

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NickPerry's picture

December 08, 2017 at 07:37 am

I didn't say it was over anywhere in that comment, I said it was another nail. By Atlanta winning last night it put the Packers in a worse position to get in than they had 5 minutes before kickoff.

Like I've mentioned more than once this week especially, I don't "Want" the Packers to lose. I'm a fan, I love the Packers. But I'm also a realist and with the current crop of CB's on the Packers and the rest of that defense I'm in no hurry to be humiliated in the playoffs again. Getting humiliated sucks!

The Packers barely beat the Bucs and were dominated in the process. They are only a 3 point favorite against Cleveland which means it's a pick-em game. Do you honestly believe if somehow this team makes the playoffs they have a chance? With ALL the injuries. With THOSE CB's? With THAT defense? UGH!!!!

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fastmoving's picture

December 08, 2017 at 07:47 am

You could wrote that before the last Lombardi as well............
Is always about, luck, momentum,...thats what so cool about the NFL and the parity there......

I dont think we get humiliated a lot in the playoffs (maybe in SEA in the last 5 min) in the last couple of years. It was always close and with less bad luck and a braver MM we would have more hardware to show for.....

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NickPerry's picture

December 08, 2017 at 01:00 pm

2011...37-20 and it wasn't that close

2012 45 to 31 and that wasn't that close. KAPERNICKED!!!

2013 23 - 20.....Hey what do you know..Close game though was there ever a doubt SF wans't giving us the ball back while they drove down the field and ate up the last 6 plus minutes?

2014..MELTDOWN!!!!!...I actually watched this game this week on Youtube. I STILL want to break things when I watch it!!!

2015...Close game again. Lost in OT in TWO PLAYS

2016...44-21 and the game was over by halftime.

You were saying...Common Bud, they get F'ing POUNDED in the playoffs

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fastmoving's picture

December 08, 2017 at 02:10 pm

if you want to go pack till 2011...I give you that for sure.
2012 same thing...he burned us......Ar was not that special either

2013 was closer than everyone thought before....good fight...just one droped INT away....AR does not carry them

2014 was a pretty good game (AR on one leg, D forced a lot of TO...) till it gets ugly........if our guy with the INT (was it Burnett??) used that green gras around him, he may easy score. never forgave Peppers that go down sign.
But most of the game they played better than expected.

2015 better than expected too, pulled nearly an upset against a pretty good team with the 4 and 5th WR and other injuries
2016 just coming up short against an red hot team

thats what I felt, but I understand if you seen something different. but 2013, 2014, 2015 was not all bad.........

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Finwiz's picture

December 08, 2017 at 03:44 pm

You put WAAAAY too much blame on Peppers for telling Burnett to go down. He was the guy WITH the ball, and presumably went to college and had the ability to make his own decision. He made the wrong choice, no matter who told him to do what. For that, I will NEVER forgive Burnett, and can't view him as an intelligent player. He's vastly overrated, relatively unintelligent, and completely lacking in football instincts, which is WHY you rarely see ANY big plays out of him.

Bottom line - he's no Charles Woodsen, Leroy Butler or Willie Wood. Either is Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix. What separates these players is their lack of ability to make BIG plays. The players we have in the secondary now are just guys, except for perhaps King and Randall. The rest? Nah.

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fastmoving's picture

December 08, 2017 at 04:04 pm

some of that is right, and yeah he should do the return no matter what. but I can also understand that it is difficult (especially as an young guy) when you get some kind of order from your defencive captain. its hard to ignore it.
so I still tent to blame peppers more than Burnett......

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 08, 2017 at 07:52 am

Sorry. I read it wrong....

It was not good for the Packers that Atlanta won last night no doubt. The Saints were right there for the win.
On a sidenote, I wish we had Deion Jones. Imagine having Deion Jones with Blake Martinez as our 2 ILB's.

I'm not saying you want the Packers to lose. I know your a fan. Like I said I read that sentence wrong...

Like I brought up the other day. How many times have the Packers been Humiliated in the Playoffs? The last true time was 2012 against San Fransisco. I don't consider last year humiliating.

Packers barely beat the Bucs because their QB was HORRIBLE. Hundley missed a WIDE open Allison for a TD. He missed a number of others. I mean he threw for 84 yards. That says it all... With Rodgers I have no question they blow out the Bucs.

Honestly. I do believe that with Rodgers this is a different team. With Rodgers they just need the defense to make a few stops or turnovers... No the CB's aren't great, but with Rodgers on the opposite sideline it puts more pressure on opposing offenses. They know they have to score and take more chances. Which favors the Packers defense...

In the offseason they have to upgrade the defense. No question. They have key players in place, just need to upgrade it and get a new scheme/coordinator.

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Razer's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:14 am

...In the offseason they have to upgrade the defense. No question...

What have they been doing for the last 5-6 years? How many top draft picks have we devoted to this defense?

I think people are getting a little tired of waiting for this improvement

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:39 am

I think they need to get a new Defensive Coordinator.

I think other Coordinators would get more out of the players they have.

We have good players and good enough players to be more effective IMO. Running a different scheme i think would go a long ways.

When Capers first came to Green Bay he brought his blitzburgh defense. A defense that blitzed a lot and you had no idea where it was coming from. We rarely see that now. And when they do blitz its almost like the offense knows its coming. When they played the Lions, Stafford said they knew what was coming. When your defense becomes predictable its easy to beat.

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HankScorpio's picture

December 08, 2017 at 09:08 am

Razer said:

"I think people are getting a little tired of waiting for this (defensive) improvement"
=======================

You win "Understatement of the Decade" for that one. The natives are well beyond restless and ready to riot. I think 95% of that is about the lack of defensive improvement. The only real question is how deep the changes need to go in order to finally get some defensive improvement.

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dobber's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:21 am

"Honestly. I do believe that with Rodgers this is a different team. With Rodgers they just need the defense to make a few stops or turnovers"

If the Packers continue to run the ball effectively, and a returning ARod isn't gunshy or overly rusty, this is a team that could average 33+ minutes of possession per game.

A solid run game from here on gives me hope that the Packers could protect #12 enough to get him and his balky collarbone through the rest of the season.

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fastmoving's picture

December 08, 2017 at 11:03 am

Sure a ATL loss would be better for now. But the Saints can still drop 2 also. They have a hard schedule too......so you never know

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HankScorpio's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:39 am

" Do you honestly believe if somehow this team makes the playoffs they have a chance? With ALL the injuries. With THOSE CB's? With THAT defense? UGH!!!!"

Yes. A healthy Aaron Rodgers is good enough to lead this Packer team to 4 straight playoff wins, IMO. And in order to get there, he'd have to be healthy and not showing any lingering effects of the injury

And my question for anyone that doesn't believe it is this: If Rodgers is not good enough to give you that belief, what is the point in shutting him down for the rest of the season even if he is cleared?

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Duneslick's picture

December 08, 2017 at 10:36 am

Packer Greg says if we beat Cleveland can a rusty Aaron Rogers lead the packers to victory over the Panthers. He is not sure Greenbay with a healthy Rogers can beat Minnesota. Detroit is no push over either unless Stafford is injured. Tough to win out.

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Finwiz's picture

December 08, 2017 at 11:28 am

You guys are all assuming the Packers can win out.
I highly doubt they get through the rest of the season without another loss, with or without Rodgers.
It just wasn't their year in 2017, have to face the facts.
This year has been an unmitigated disaster.
On to 2018!

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fastmoving's picture

December 08, 2017 at 12:19 pm

We dont knew if they do.....but for sure they have a chance......maybe not even a good one............but they can......and thats all we hope for

If there is still a chance I would always like them choose fighting.

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Finwiz's picture

December 08, 2017 at 01:56 pm

Actually, I think as of today, the Packers odds of making the playoff's are about 7%, and they go up progressively after each successive win, but clearly it's a long shot. Don't shoot the messenger, this is Vegas talking, not the fan since '63.

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HankScorpio's picture

December 08, 2017 at 02:22 pm

Lloyd Christmas sums it up nicely...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMRrNY0pxfM

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cuervo's picture

December 08, 2017 at 06:53 am

Agree on the Packers "hopes" have essentially ended (not that they were ever really obtainable). If MM plays Rodgers this year, he should be ashamed.

It will be an interesting offseason. Let's hope at a minimum there is a shake up with at least the defensive coaching staff, although I would prefer MM is canned....he has proven now that the emperor has no clothes.
Along with the probable cutting or restructuring of several overpaid vets, the littany of draft picks could make the offseason more entertaining than the last few games have been.

TT isn't going anywhere yet, but I'm sure his eventual replacement is already in house...Wolf, Gutenkust, or Ball.

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dobber's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:02 am

Anytime anyone ahead of the Packers wins, it's a potential nail. In this case, you're talking about two teams that have already beaten the Packers. Unless Carolina goes on a run, one of these teams is a division winner and the other is probably WC #1.

WC #2 is the target for the Packers, which means they're really focused on Carolina, who they can get the tie-break on by beating them next week and push their conference record below .500 (which could help in other tie-breaks).
Best-case scenario: Packers win out, Carolina, Atlanta, and Seattle go into a funk. Packers are #5 seed.
Second best scenario: Packers win out, Carolina and Seattle crawl to the finish. Packers are the #6 seed.
Third best scenario: Packers lose to Cleveland, ARod isn't healed enough to play, Packers finish 7-9 (with a win over the Vikings at Lambeau) and pick somewhere around #14.
Worst case scenario: Packers win out; lose tiebreaks, miss playoffs and get a pick around #20; ARod gets his collarbone shattered celebrating the game-winning TD as time expires in the Detroit game; DC returns as DC; TT announces his desire to continue as GM and signs a 4-year contract extension effectively covering the remainder of #12s career as a Packer; Lambeau is hit by a tornado, burns down, and is then encased by a freak glacier for the next 100 years; Johnsonville announces that they've replaced all bratwurst products with liver pate; a freak biochemical accident wipes out all yeast, and all beer as we know it disappears from the face of the earth.

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:02 am

'Worst case scenario: Packers win out; lose tiebreaks, miss playoffs and get a pick around #20;'

Currently if the season was over today they would be picking 19th. 2 spots away from the playoffs. 21 is the lowest playoff spot available.

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cuervo's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:40 am

My preference at this point is scenario #3. I wonder what a liver pate brat would would taste like? Probably as bad as having Capers return.

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dobber's picture

December 08, 2017 at 04:14 pm

Braunschweiger?

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rdent's picture

December 08, 2017 at 09:19 am

Dobber, lmao! Love it!

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4zone's picture

December 08, 2017 at 02:35 pm

This off season will as boring as usual.

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RCPackerFan's picture

December 08, 2017 at 07:06 am

The only thing that matters is the Packers beating the Browns. It doesn't matter if its an ugly win. The only way we even have a chance of seeing Rodgers coming back this year and making a playoff run is if they beat the Browns.

This game is on Hundley. He has to be a lot more consistent. He has to keep drives going. Can't have 3 and outs. I don't want him to solely rely on his legs, but if he can't make the throw and has room to run, I hope he takes off.

This is the game to rely on the running game. While I know that the Browns have a good run defense, the Packers run offense is the best its been in a while. And they have 2 different style RB's that can be effective. I hope they find one that gets hot and is to tough for the Browns to stop.
In the last 3 weeks the Browns have given up 111 yards to Fournette, 114 to Mixon, 77 to Gordon. Packers have 2 RB's that are capable of going over 100 yards in this game. Williams has really turned it on and Jones is special.
Its time to run the offense through the 2 rookies.

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dobber's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:10 am

"This game is on Hundley."

Hundley's got to be able to complete some passes downfield without putting the ball up for grabs. We've been saying that for weeks. If he can't do that, I don't think the Packers win on Sunday.

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dobber's picture

December 08, 2017 at 07:38 am

"On paper, these two teams are currently not that far apart....The biggest difference is that Green Bay has six wins and the Browns are posting a goose egg in that column so far this year."

The biggest difference is in the +/- department: Packers, even with Hundley chucking ducks, are +5. Cleveland is -19. I'll let that sink in...-19!!! That's almost the same as my total rushing yards in high school.

"The Browns have two good receivers in Corey Coleman and Josh Gordon, who returned last week after a multiple-year absence."

This is my fear...that the Browns, even with their terrible QB play and inability to force TOs, will end up with a few big plays to gash the Packers and put them on their heels. Packers can't play from behind in this one. I'll be curious to see what the defensive game plan is come Sunday. Can't let the Browns establish the run: Isaiah Crowell isn't a dominant back, but he's credible. Duke Johnson is a really good receiver out of the backfield: dude has 52 catches already. We all know how well the Packers cover RBs. If I'm the Packers, I'm probably playing more base than normal to stop the run (and hide my lack of DBs) and trying to make DeShone Kizer throw the ball downfield to beat me...which he just might do.

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fastmoving's picture

December 08, 2017 at 07:51 am

"If I'm the Packers".......

................sometime I think you are.

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dobber's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:07 am

They way they've been playing, I just might be.

I learned from a pro...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAzD83dgkQg

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cuervo's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:44 am

"If I'm the Packers, I'm probably playing more base than normal to stop the run (and hide my lack of DBs) and trying to make DeShone Kizer throw the ball downfield to beat me...which he just might do."

Change Packers to Cleveland and Deshone Kizer to Brett Hundley and you have the same game plan for Cleveland. Difference is, their defense is ranked much higher than us in rushing and passing defense.

Pretty sure this will be an ugly game offensively for both teams...it's a pick 'em as far as I'm concerned.

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Razer's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:09 am

It was not the kind of drama that I was hoping for this season. I thought we'd be winning our fair share and positioning ourselves for homefield advantage. Last thing I could image is scraping and clawing for a win against the 0-12 Browns. Funny and sad.

If we could count on our defense, like the Vikings count on their defense, to play solid, I wouldn't worry about this game. But, as most of you realize, we are roughly back to the same shitty secondary that we finished last year with. Will we get a pass rush? It is so variable that that we gotta watch just for the surprise of the event.

The selfish side of me wants to win because I want our season to continue and to mean something. A more rational side of me wants to see Rodgers heal completely, evaluate some of our young talent and our team get some good draft picks. I just don't see how this team can compete for the big prize.

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carlos's picture

December 08, 2017 at 09:44 am

It’s sad to see how far the Packers have fallen.

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Tundraboy's picture

December 08, 2017 at 10:17 am

"The selfish side of me wants to win because I want our season to continue and to mean something. A more rational side of me wants to see Rodgers heal completely, evaluate some of our young talent and our team get some good draft picks. I just don't see how this team can compete for the big prize."

My dilemma as well.

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HankScorpio's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:29 am

I don't think it is possible for the Hundley-led Packers to play a "trap game". For me, a trap game requires one team being clearly superior to the other. I just don't see that being the case with Hundley taking the snaps.

This version of the Packers is 2-4 (2-5 if you count Minny). Their scoring margin is -35 without Minny and -48 with them. In the 7 games in which he's played, Hundley is statistically more likely to post a QB rating under 50 than over 50. That has contributed to a bad defense looking even worse. A team with numbers like that doesn't play a 'trap game'.

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Since'61's picture

December 08, 2017 at 09:24 am

The fact we are discussing the Packers desperate need to defeat the Browns tells me how far this team has fallen. The Browns have won one game in 2 seasons and we could actually lose to them. That's just about as embarrassing as it would be to actually lose to them.

This game is on the Packers OL. They need to dominate the LOS and clear the way for an effective running game.
The weather in Cleveland may not be very conducive to an effective passing game so success on the ground could be imperative.

Hundley has played better on the road and he has done a good job in reducing turnovers. If he is smart with the football and if our ground game is effective we can control this game. The Browns are 0-12 how good can there defense be?

As usual our defense is the question mark for this game.
But again how good can a 0-12 Browns offense be? With 15 picks Kiser is obviously mistake prone. If we can get our pass rush going (a big IF) maybe we can force a few bad throws and get some picks. If House can go then I would go with House and Hawkins at CB and leave Randall at his "star" position. If House can't go then we might need Randall on the boundary (cringing as I type).

In any case this game is about running the football and stopping the run because neither QB can win through the air. Both QBs can hurt their opponent with their legs so hopefully Capers keeps a spy on Kiser.

I'm still having a hard time thinking of this game like a pick'em game. Ridiculous. No excuses for losing this game. Go Pack Go! Thanks, Since '61

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rdent's picture

December 08, 2017 at 01:09 pm

Since '61, " The fact we are discussing the Packers desperate need to defeat the Browns tells me how far this team has fallen."
Sad but true.

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cuervo's picture

December 08, 2017 at 09:36 am

Since '61, " The fact we are discussing the Packers desperate need to defeat the Browns tells me how far this team has fallen."

And that is the reason MM needs to be fired. He is a below average head coach and he's proven it without doubt this year.

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4zone's picture

December 08, 2017 at 02:43 pm

I think John Fox will be available soon eh.

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al bundy's picture

December 08, 2017 at 09:23 am

It's amazing how some of you are brushing off the Panthers and the Vikes as just, two very winnable games. Even if Rogers comes back, he has his hands full and then some.
Both those teams are playing very good football right now and are also hungry for home field advantage. This team barely beat the bucks and will be in dog fight against the browns. Blame Ted for not having a decent back up seems he is never prepared. I mean Spriggs protecting your fanchise QB? Get real.

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Since'61's picture

December 08, 2017 at 09:28 am

Al - you are correct about the Panthers and Vikings games but one game at a time. The point is that if we win the Browns game and IF Rodgers comes back we at least have a chance to run the table. I think we all know that if Rodgers is not ready to return we have little chance to defeat the Panthers and Vikings and that our season is over. Thanks, Since '61

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Tundraboy's picture

December 08, 2017 at 10:05 am

Packers win. How can they not? If they lose this game then things are far worse than I imagined and MM and especially Capers do not deserve to finish the season. Injuries or no injuries.

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fastmoving's picture

December 08, 2017 at 12:22 pm

First of all: I dont get the drama about the draft position. Does it make any difference if you pick at slot 15 or 25?? Maybe there is a gap between pick 1-5 and the rest, but probably only in the first round. Then you pick after every 32 players again.
It is espacialy not big deal if you think your GM is teribble at drafting anyway.
The callorbone is just fine, cause the plates and screws give the stabiltity. Easy thing and would it be other than that our ultra conservativ medical stuff would AR never ever allow to play. As they said he got that much screws inserted, I knew he was coming back pretty fast..

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Pauly's picture

December 08, 2017 at 08:05 pm

2018 Draft,, Packers have 12 picks. 10 of them are suppose to be in top 5 rounds.
This post shows why drafting high is good.
Hopefully TT will bundle picks together to end up with perhaps 8 picks in top 3-4 rounds!!
I know he likes a lot of picks, but look at success rate of rounds 6 and 7 and then remember he cut 3 of his 10,, 2017 picks.

Historic Success Chart... Originally written on SB Nation for John Dorsey while at the Chiefs.
(Only 25% of drafted players became starters)
What the stats tell us about drafting positions by round from 10 years worth of draft data on all positions. The information was taken from Pro Football Reference.

This post has a simple criteria:
How many players were drafted by position and round over the last decade and what percentage went on to become a starter. The numbers show us the following outline for finding consistent starters.

What we find is that from 2005 until 2014:

2,465 players (non-kickers) were drafted.
629 (( 25%)) of those drafted became starters for at least half of their NFL careers
Of the 2,465 players:
122 were QBs, 207 were RBs, 421 were OL, 143 were TE, 317 were WR, 442 were DL, 303 were LB, and 510 were DB.

1st Round - OL (83%) LB (70%) TE (67%) DB (64%) QB (63%) WR (58%) RB (58%) DL (58%)

2nd Round - OL (70%) LB (55%) TE (50%) WR (49%) DB (46%) QB (27%) DL (26%) RB (25%)

3rd Round - OL (40%) TE (39%) LB (34%) DL (27%) WR (25%) DB (24%) QB (17%) RB (16%)

4th Round - DL (37%) TE (33%) OL (29%) LB (16%) WR(12%) DB (11%) RB (11%) QB (8%)

5th Round - TE (32%) DB (17%) WR (16%) OL (16%) DL (13%) RB (9%) LB (4%) QB (0%)

6th Round - TE (26%) OL (16%) DL (13%) WR (9%) DB (8%) RB (6%) LB (5%) QB (0%)

7th Round - DB (11%) OL (9%) QB (6%) WR (5%) DL (3%) LB (2%) RB (0%) TE (0%)

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TXCHEESE's picture

December 08, 2017 at 11:09 am

The forecast for Cleveland on Sunday is for a high of 32, with wind and snow showers. Going to be running game weather. Wouldn't put any money either way on the winner, but you gotta love watching football in the elements. I believe the carrot is a little bigger for the Packers, so I give them the nod.

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Cartwright's picture

December 08, 2017 at 02:41 pm

The Packers get better as the season rolls on. Look what we did last year. If Hundley can hit on a long ball or two of 15 yards or more, I think we got this game, every thing else should fall into place. It will make them respect the pass, or do we get no respect on that no matter what? I suspect the Brown's will be stacking the box even if Hundley turns into Darryl Lamonica.

Hope it snows, will be thinking about Paul Warfield and Leroy Kelly and the hard games they used to play against the Packers. It used the be a rivalry if I recall. Too bad we've only played them twice in 10 years.
Go Pack

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4zone's picture

December 08, 2017 at 02:47 pm

Listen folks, get it through your heads, GB will NOT fire MM or TT. Ain't gonna happen. And MM likes DC too much to fire him so unless he up and retires, expect exactly the same staff back next year.

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Finwiz's picture

December 08, 2017 at 03:36 pm

I'd say you are 100% correct on MM or TT.
There is a chance they suggestively push Capers into retirement, but I'd only put that chance at about 25-30%. They'll rationalize it with the injuries as the excuse.

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