5 Big Question Revisited from Green Bay Packers v. Browns

Before each Green Bay Packers game, I come out with my 5 Big Questions facing them in their upcoming matchup. Well, now it’s time to take a look back at the Packers’ performance against Cleveland and what the answers to these key questions ended up being.

Q: Can the Green Bay Packers offense continue to play at a high level?

A: Cleveland was able to slow their passing game

I posed this question because despite the Browns’ defense ranking 14th in points per game allowed — not good but not bad either — this is a defense with talent at all three levels. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense entered Saturday’s matchup playing their best football of the season and ranking either as the best or very close to it in several key offensive categories during the previous four-game span.

Once again, the Green Bay Packers offensive line held up very well, with Rodgers having time in the pocket and the run game averaging 4.5 yards per rush. But through the air, and especially in the second half, is where the offense would be slowed down a bit. Rodgers finished with only 202 passing yards and just 5.9 yards per pass–for some context, if Rodgers averaged that over the course of the season, he would rank 30th among the 32 quarterbacks.

This Green Bay offense was also coming off four consecutive games in which they had scored at least 30 points, but the Browns held them to only 24, and Mayfield’s interceptions played a key role in giving them those scoring opportunities. The Packers converted three of those turnovers into 21 points; however, on the six Green Bay drives that didn’t result from a turnover, the Packers punted five times and kicked a field goal on the other.