When so many other Super Bowl contenders have stumbled in December dealing with injury and COVID, the Green Bay Packers somehow keep finding ways to win and the 24-22 Christmas Day victory over the Cleveland Browns is another perfect example.
Yes, the offense fizzled in the second half. Sure, the defense got gashed for 408 yards with an unsightly 219 on the ground where Cleveland averaged an ungodly 8.8 yards per carry. But the bottom line is the bottom line and the Packers maintained their grip on the NFL’s best record by reaching 12-3 with two games to play.
They did it with a big play defense. The pass rush dropped Baker Mayfield five times, Rashan Gary with two sacks giving him a career high 8.5 on the season. They also intercepted him four times, two more from Rasul Douglas who proved to be the finisher again with his second coming with just over a minute to play, making it a team leading five picks on the year.
The shortcomings against a short-handed Cleveland team fighting for it’s playoff life will be forgotten but the history recorded before 77,901 fans on a balmy, 35 degree Christmas Day at Lambeau Field will be remembered forever.
Aaron Rodgers broke Brett Favre’s franchise record with his 443rd touchdown pass, his first of three on the day. It was a simple stick route to Allen Lazard in the right flat. He turned the corner and dove for the pylon for the record breaking score touching off a huge celebration that featured highlight clips of some of Rodgers’ most memorable TD’s and a video message from the quarterback now in second place, Hall of Famer Brett Favre. The ol’ gunslinger congratulated Rodgers on the achievement and finished with, “Now go out and get us another Super Bowl.”
Another record fell when Rodgers hit Davante Adams on a picture perfect, 9 yard slant. It was the 66th time the 12 to 17 combination found the end zone, one more than Rodgers fired to Jordy Nelson. Adams would finish the day with 10 catches for 114 yards and two scores, making him the first receiver in NFL history to record 8 games with at least 10 receptions for more than 100 yards and multiple touchdowns. He’s also the first Packer receiver ever to record three seasons with more than 100 grabs.
Finally, Matt LaFleur has reached a dozen wins in each of his first three seasons at the helm, becoming the first Head Coach in NFL history to reach that total in his first three years. His career record of 38-9 also equaled the most wins of any coach in history in three years, matching the start of San Francisco’s George Seifert.
Christmas memories all.
But they sure made it hard on themselves.
Give Cleveland some credit. Quarterback Baker Mayfield was among 22 players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list all week and it cost them a Monday night loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Mayfield was cleared from protocols Saturday morning and arrived in Green Bay on a private plane before kickoff. He hit running back Nick Chubb on a 41 yard screen pass a minute into the game and Chubb finished off the opening drive with a one yard touchdown. The point after by practice squad kicker Chris Naggar missed wide right. Naggar was signed to the active roster hours before the game when regular kicker Chase McLaughlin tested positive.
He wasn’t the only one. Center J.C. Tretter, the former Packer, along with defensive tackle Jordan Elliott were game day scratches. Cleveland had to elevate 8 players from their practice squad just to fill their roster. The Packers had Kevin King, Shemar Jean-Charles and even practice squad member La’Darius Hunter all go on the Reserve/COVID-19 list before the game.
Mayfield hadn’t practiced all week and he turned into a generous quarterback on the second series. A first snap deep shot from his own 8 was intercepted by Darnell Savage at the Packer 47.
Adams pulled down a 33 yard grab to spark the drive and it was capped by the record breaking touchdown from Lazard on third and 5 from the 11 yard line. Mason Crosby’s extra point put Green Bay in front for good.
Mayfield drove Cleveland to the Packer 24, thanks to a 27 yard run from Chubb, but the first Rashan Gary sack led to a third and 19 call and Mayfield’s pass toward Jarvis Landry was high and swiped by a trailing Chandon Sullivan.
Rodgers took a deep shot of his own and Lazard made an outstanding one armed grab for 33 yards to end the opening quarter. On third and goal from the 9, Adams lined up in the slot with two receivers set to his left. He easily beat a safety inside and Rodgers delivered the touchdown throw to make it 14-6.
It took the Browns only 3:44 to answer with a six play, 70 yard drive. Mayfield rolled to his right and found Harrison Bryant on a one yard touchdown pass. Eric Stokes broke up the two point conversion attempt to preserve Green Bay’s lead.
Tipa Galeai then came up with his first career sack but Mayfield converted a third and 15 play hitting Rashard Higgins for 16 at the 2 minute warning. On the next snap, Mayfield was flushed to his left and made an ill advised throw that Douglas picked off and returned 11 yards.
Rodgers and Adams went to work again, connecting five times on the drive, ending it with a one yard back shoulder touchdown grab with :12 left in the half and a 21-12 lead at the break.
Taking the second half kick, Green Bay drove to the Cleveland 14 but had to settle for a 32 yard field goal from Mason Crosby to make it 24-12. That was the last of the positive work from the offense.
The Browns marched right through the defense to reach the Packer 8 but Gary’s second sack of the game forced a 37 yard Naggar field goal.
Equanimeous St. Brown got buried for a loss of 10 on the first play of the following series and the Packers punted.
A Dean Lowry sack forced Cleveland’s first punt of the day but Green Bay again failed to pick up a first down, Aaron Jones was stuffed for a loss of one on third and two.
Backup running back D’Ernest Johnson ripped off a 30 yard run around the right side and on the next hurry up snap, Mayfield beat a confused secondary by hitting Anthony Schwartz on a five yard touchdown pass to make it a 2 point game.
Looking to burn the final 4:31, the Packers finally picked up a fist down on two A.J. Dillon runs but the next third and 6 had the unthinkable happen. Adams beat the corner up the left sideline and Rodgers on target throw was dropped. Adams would later say he lost it in the lights but was furious he put the defense in a position to end the game.
The finisher did. For the third time this year, Douglas came up with the play. On third and 10 from the 50, Mayfield fired an in breaking route to Donovan Peoples-Jones. Douglas rode him hard on the break and there was contact but he beat the receiver to the spot and came up with his team leading 5th interception of the year and the job was done.
Afterwards, LaFleur wished everyone a Merry Christmas and admitted his team got way more than it wanted from Cleveland.
As for the new franchise leader in career touchdown passes….Aaron Rodgers was all smiles:
The man who caught the record breaker, Lazard said it was an honor to be a part of history. Fitting it was an undrafted free agent who even got cut by the Packers before finding his role with the team. There’s been so much talk about how Rodgers has thrown all but a couple of TD passes to a number one draft pick and that’s the Jacksonville Jaguars top pick from 16 years ago in tight end Marcedes Lewis.
As for the Adams connection, Rodgers called him the most dominant player he’s ever played with, with no slight to Favre, Nelson or Charles Woodson.
Then there’s Douglas, picked up off the Arizona practice squad in early October and he’s become one of the most incredible stories of this or any other season. LaFleur admitted he’s never seen a mid-season acquisition have this much impact on a team.
The numbers were one sided, Cleveland outgained the Pack 408-311. The Packers converted just 3 of 10 third downs. The big difference, as is usually the case, the quarterback play. Mayfield was 21 of 36 for 222 yards with two scores but he was picked off four times and sacked five ending with a passer rating of 55.3.
Rodgers on the other hand, 24-34 for only 202 yards but three scores, no mistakes and he wasn’t sacked, good for a rating of 115.1. In his last five games, Rodgers has now thrown for 1503 yards with 16 touchdowns and no interceptions for a 125.3 rating, all with a broken pinkie toe.
The Arizona Cardinals, at home, lost to the Indianapolis Colts Christmas night 22-16, dropping them to 10-5 on the year. The Cowboys, the Buccaneers and Rams have all suffered defeats in December, but the Packers have avoided the stumble, winning a 4th straight game and they’ve set the table to enter the post-season with another badly needed first round bye and take another run at the Super Bowl at Lambeau Field where the Packers have reeled off 12 consecutive regular season victories.
Sure, not all the presents unwrapped were things fans and the media liked, but not many are going to be taken back. There was just too much history on the holiday.
