packers defense pick off baker
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| 2021 week 16 ; packers vs browns |
PACKERS VS. BROWNS
The Packers defense beats Baker Mayfield 4 times on its way to a 24-22 win over the Browns
The Green Bay defense was damaged throughout the game, but the minor team came up with four turnarounds in time to give the Packers their 12th win of the season.
In the Green Bay Packers game against the Cleveland Browns on Christmas afternoon, both quarterbacks presented gifts to Packers fans in the first half.
Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdowns, setting a new record for touchdown passes, while Baker Mayfield gave the players three gift-wrapped interceptions before the break.
After the first half ended, the Packers put in a poor effort in attack and defense, allowing Cleveland to strike back.
Green Bay opened the half with a field goal to take the lead 24-12, but the offense won only once in the next three series.
That gave Brown a chance to cut back the lead, but with the score being 24-22 and the Cleveland leading, Mayfield threw his fourth pick of the game—and his second to Messenger Douglas—to effectively seal the Packers' win.
The Packers' running defense was an issue throughout the game, allowing the Browns to lift 219 yards on just 25 gigs.
The Packers outpaced offense by a margin of 408 to 311, but turnover made the difference.
Green Bay turned each of Mayfield's three first-half interceptions into touchdowns, and struggled greatly to get the football moving for most of the game.
But those points - and a missed PAT followed by an attempt to convert two missed points later - proved to be meaningful late in the game.
Those two points ended up being the margin of victory, sending the Packers into Week 16 with at least a full-game lead over the rest of the NFC court.
Record-breaking Rodgers went for Allen Lazard in the first quarter, entering the game and tying with Brett Favre in the franchise lead at 442.
He finished the game with 202 yards while Davante Adams scored the other two goals.
Adams led the way with 10 hits for 114 yards, but made a decisive drop shortly before the two-minute warning as the Packers attempted to overclock or extend their lead.
Instead, it created more championships from Douglas, who came up with his second pick of the season.
The Packers can now head into a slightly longer week than usual on a four-game winning streak and hold the record 12-3.
The Packers defense opened the game in a similar fashion to what they played last week in Baltimore.
Nick Chubb got off to a strong start with a 41-yard screen pass on the opening drive, assisted by a block by Nick Harris' center, which looked like an gratuitous contract.
Darnell Savage's safety was flagged to a low block for the second game in a row, giving the Browns an extra 15 yards, and Chubb eventually plunged into the end zone for a one yard and a quick 6-0 touchdown by the Browns (after Pat was missed by new kicker Chris Carpenter) .
Green Bay was attacking in their first offensive streak, but not until after turning 4 and 1 deep into their territory.
A throw on Aaron Jones earned him two yards on that play, but Rodgers mistook a pass for Allen Lazard in third, leading to a kick by Cory Bogorkees.
Cleveland was called to get a block in the back of the punch, which led them to start inside their ten-yard line.
At first, Baker Mayfield handed his arm back to the Packers, as his deep ball for Donovan Peoples-Jones fell into Savage's waiting arms.
Rodgers delivered a record touch pass on the next road, hitting Allen Lazard for 11 yards.
That gave him a 443rd for his career, breaking Brett Favre's franchise record and giving Green Bay a 7-6 lead.
Long after by Chubb on the next drive, Mayfield will make another gift to the Packers defense, this one deep inside the Packers territory.
He sailed to Jarvis Landry from his backfoot, and took Chandon Sullivan from the high pitch.
Rodgers would then hit Allen Lazard with a picture-perfect throw in the next play for 34 yards before Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon and Lazard had a long run, and Rodgers hit Davante Adams for a 9-yard drop and a 14-6 lead.
However, Rodgers' injured toe would flare up in the first half.
He was spotted limping heavily after he appeared to have been kicked in the foot twice, once by Brown's Miles Garrett and again by right-hand guard Royce Newman.
Rodgers didn't leave the match, but he was clearly in pain for much of the match after that.
Brown will bounce back, picking up yards on their next drive.
Cleveland had gains of 17, 11, 24 and 14 yards to reach the goal line, and would hit Mayfield with a tight finish on Harrison Bryant for a short touchdown.
However, Eric Stokes broke a pass for Peoples-Jones in a two-point conversion attempt, and kept the Packers ahead at 14-12.
This could be a major gouging, as Brown chases these two points throughout the second half.
In a sense, this will be the second game in a row decided by Packers opponents who failed on a two-point attempt.
Immediately after that, the Packers went three times, but Mayfield was delivering again, throwing an interception for Rasul Douglas near the midfield inside the two-minute warning.
This allowed the Packers players to double their first half break.
They will introduce the first part of the double, as Rodgers and Adams push a two-player match along the way.
Adams caught five passes on the next drive, including a one-yard touchdown to deliver a 21-12 lead heading into the break.
In the first play of the scrimmage after the break, Aaron Jones sent a jolt to the offense at 27 yards.
Snap 12 yards Another on the ground and 10 in the air to help the Packers make their way into the red zone, but the Packets had to rest on a field target.
Brown's response was strong driving force but Casey Rashan Garry in third forced Cleveland to three points of their own.
Three more times for the Packers led to the Browns again, but back-to-back sacks by Preston Smith and Dean Lowry put an end to the series and forced a kick.
But three straight runs from Aaron Jones gained just nine yards for the Packers' third treble and out of the game with Cleveland down nine points.
This progress wouldn't last long, as Brown cut it to two points.
Mayfield hit Anthony Schwartz in a short touchdown pass, with Messenger Douglas and Secondary Packers mixed in on a mission.
It came after one play after D'Ernest Johnson cut 30 yards off the right to pare the Packers advance.
With much of the game thought out, AJ Dillon entered the game to try and help the Packers kick the ball and take out as much of the 4:30 as possible.
Dillon took a quick hit at first, but the packs got back into the passing game with the time remaining, and he burned them out.
Davante Adams dropped a wide open pass in third after a two-minute warning, giving Cleveland football again with a chance to drive for the winning score.
Cleveland's running game continued to destroy the Packers, sending them into the midfield.
But Mayfield's fourth pick went to Douglas, targeting People's Jones.
Douglas seemed to have quite a few jerseys, but in a game that virtually saw no touchdown flags in high school, no penalty was called.
Two rounds from AJ Dillon gave the Packers a third and an inch to finish the game, and Rodgers worked his magic, pulling the Browns offside with his tough count to give Green Bay its first loss and win.
With the victory, the Hazams move to 12-3, ensuring that they continue for a full game the rest of the field in the NFC.
Wins over Minnesota and Detroit would give the Packers the top seed in the conference.
In the meantime, Brown dropped to 7-8 with the loss, potentially ending their qualifying hopes in all practical aspects.
They will be two games away from the leaders in the AFC Football League this weekend.
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