Three Reasons Why Undefeated Packers Will Beat Browns

The Green Bay Packers are 2-0 and the Cleveland Browns are 0-2. Here are three reasons why those trends will continue on Sunday in Cleveland.

Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper sack Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are 2-0 and thinking big.

“I think we can go undefeated, honestly,” left tackle Rasheed Walker.

To stay undefeated, the Packers will have to win at the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Packers are 7.5-point favorites at FanDuel Sportsbook. During the Matt LaFleur era, the Packers are 16-3 as at least 7.5-point favorites. This will be Green Bay’s first road game of the season. Interestingly, road teams since the start of the 2019 season are slightly better than .500 during the first six weeks of the season, according to numberFire.

Here are three reasons why those trends will continue and the Packers will improve to 3-0 by winning at Cleveland.

1. Packers’ Swarming Defense

Green Bay’s defense has been great, which should be a surprise to exactly nobody. Last year, the Packers finished sixth in total defense, fifth in points allowed and fourth in takeaways. To that solid group, the Packers added one of the NFL’s true impact players, Micah Parsons.

The results have been incredible. The Packers entered Week 3 ranked fourth in total defense and third in points allowed. They haven’t allowed a touchdown in the first three quarters in either game against two of the top offenses in the NFL.

Enter Sunday’s game against the Browns, who are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They are 28th in scoring and 28th in yards per play. Broken down, they are 27th in rushing per attempt and 28th in passing per attempt.

Quarterback Joe Flacco isn’t without weapons. Receiver Jerry Jeudy is coming off a Pro Bowl season with 90 catches for 1,229 yards, tight end David Njoku has averaged about 65 catches per season the last three years and rookie running back Quinshon Judkins had an excellent debut last week. But without a big-play element, this offense has shown it’s not equipped to consistently assemble 10-play scoring drives. 

Green Bay’s defense, on the other hand, has been sensational. There were serious questions about its ability stop the run after trading Kenny Clark in the Parsons deal. Instead, Green Bay is second in yards allowed per carry.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has consistently talked about play style, that it would be the key to continuing last year’s success. Parsons has fit perfectly. It is a swarming unit with equal parts skill, speed and mentality.

“I think I was probably like one of the pieces that they felt like they would feel even more confident if they had, and I’m just happy I can add to the room, really,” Parsons said. “I think this was already a really good team going into last year without me. I just think we can become a lot better with me here. I just hope we can continue to keep going to be great, and I think the guys, their approach they take every week, is the right approach. I don’t think we should have a drop-off.”

In Part 1 of our usual day-before-the-game tandem of stories, here are three reasons why the #Packers will be upset by the Browns. ⬇️https://t.co/WOIVr3xt7W

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 21, 2025

2. Packers vs. Joe Flacco

Last season, Detroit’s Jared Goff was selected to the Pro Bowl and finished fifth in NFL MVP voting. Washington’s Jayden Daniels was selected to the Pro Bowl and won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

In Week 1, the Packers sacked Goff four times and held him to an 88.6 passer rating. A week later against Chicago, he wasn’t sacked and had a near-perfect passer rating of 156.0. Daniels was sacked three times, averaged 7.8 yards per attempt and had a 98.3 rating in Week 1 against the Giants. Five days later at Green Bay, he was sacked four times, averaged 4.8 yards per attempt and had an 85.4 rating.

After excellent performances against excellent quarterbacks, Green Bay will face 40-year-old Joe Flacco. Of 31 qualified quarterbacks, Flacco ranks 28th with a 70.1 passer rating and 27th with 5.43 yards per attempt. It’s been about 50 weeks since he posted a 100 passer rating.

Flacco is one of the most immobile quarterbacks in the NFL. The Packers have one of the most ferocious pass rushes in the game. It could be a perfect storm, especially against a quarterback who has four turnovers.

Asked about facing his former team, the Cowboys, next week, Parsons said, “Man, really just getting after Flacco. I kind of like to name the hunter. I haven’t had Flacco yet. I need him. I want him. It’s time to go get him.”

It will be up the likes of Parsons, Rashan Gary and Devonte Wyatt to win their one-on-one matchups.

“He’s a Super Bowl-winning quarterback,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “He worked with my brother a little bit with the Jets, and Mike just raves about the person. And then he’s one of the purest throwers I’ve ever seen on tape. You got to be really dialed in in terms of your coverage, because it’s going to be tough to fool him. There’s nothing that he hasn’t seen.

“I think a big key is just going to be able to try to get him off the spot, get pressure to him. I always tell our guys, whether it’s our quarterback or anybody else, it’s hard to throw from your back. So, I think that’s going to be critical. But he can make every throw, he’s super-intelligent, he throws on time. The ball’s going to come out of his hand. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”

3. Big-Play Packers Are Overdue

The great thing for the Packers is they’ve delivered two powerful performances but they haven’t hit full power.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love ranks fourth in passer rating. | Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Jordan Love is only 4-of-11 on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. According to PFF, 36 quarterbacks have thrown at least one deep pass. Love is only 18th in yards per attempt.

“We’re a very explosive offense – we’ve shown that – but I think there’s still more out there for us,” Love said.

Last year, Love received the fourth-most yards after the catch per catch. This year, he’s only 15th. Last year, Josh Jacobs had 34 runs of 10-plus yards. This year, he’s on pace for 25.

Defensively, the Packers finished third last season with 17 interceptions and fourth with 31 takeaways. This year, they have only one takeaway. That great pass rush hasn’t translated to an abundance of interceptions. An offseason and training camp dedicated to stripping the football hasn’t resulted in any punchouts.

Those might be major concerns if the Packers were 1-1. Instead, they’re reason for optimism. Love and Matthew Golden are due to hit on some big passes. Jacobs or the receivers are due to get the ball in space and create a big play. Turnovers come in bunches, and they will for this talented defense, too.

The Packers have shown themselves to be a very good team. There is an obvious and realistic path to becoming great. That could happen on Sunday.