Everyone in Green Bay has been smiling since the Packers acquired pass rusher Micah Parsons just before the season began. (Green Bay Packers)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Green Bay Packers
Sunday, 1 p.m., in Huntington Bank Field
Record: 2-0.
Last game: Defeated Washington Commanders, 27-18, in Green Bay.
Coach: Matt LaFleur, 72-38, seventh year.
Series record: Packers lead, 14-7 (counting post-season).
Last meeting: Packers won, 24-22, December 25, 2021, in Green Bay.
League rankings: Offense is 12th overall (18th rushing, 12th passing), defense is third overall (second rushing, 10th passing) and turnover differential is plus-1.
Things to watch
1. After impressive home wins against NFC playoff contenders Detroit and Washington, the Packers could be regarded as the NFL’s early “best” team. But they are not without their own issues. They’re missing two starters on the offensive line, right tackle Zach Thom (oblique) and left guard Aaron Banks (ankle and groin). They also have lost two relevant players from their deep receiver room, Jayden Reed (collarbone) and Christian Watson (knee). Obviously, the Packers haven’t been bothered by these injuries through two games but over the long haul they are something to watch.
2. You wouldn’t know it by their No. 2 defensive ranking against the run, but the Packers may be vulnerable stopping the run. They lost their best two run-stopping tackles – T.J. Slaton to Cincinnati via free agency and Kenny Clark to Dallas via the Micah Parsons trade. So why is their defensive run ranking so high? The Packers jumped out to 17-3 leads against both opponents. And even before those two-score leads, Detroit and Washington seemed infatuated with throwing against the Packers rather than running the ball. Another factor is the Packers have an excellent pair of speedy linebackers in Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper.
3. Matt LaFleur has shown an uncharacteristic desire to aggressively throw the ball downfield early in games. Perhaps it’s his goal to get early leads to protect his run defense. Perhaps it’s the pre-occupation of opposing defenses to load up to stop running back Josh Jacobs. In any case, the early offensive strategy meshes well with the gunslinger personality of quarterback Jordan Love. LaFleur isn’t shy in letting Love stretch defenses on moderate situations like third-and-5, also.
4. Parsons’ impact has been immense in the first two games. Unlike the Cowboys, the Packers have so far lined up Parsons primarily at right or left defensive end. Sometimes he will rush in the middle of the defensive front, but he’s not been used as a stand-up linebacker in the Green Bay defense. The Packers are tied for second in the NFL with eight sacks and are first in pass rush win rate. They were 17th a year ago in that category. Parsons’ snap counts increased from 45% of total defensive snaps in Game 1 to 67% in Game 2.
Did you know … ?
1. The Packers essentially have had three franchise quarterbacks over the past 33 years – Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love. Favre won a Super Bowl in his sixth season at the age of 27. Rodgers won a Super Bowl in his sixth season at the age of 27. Love is 27 and in his fifth season.
2. The Packers traded first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027 + defensive tackle Kenny Clark to Dallas for Micah Parsons. It was the first time the Packers traded a future No. 1 for a player since Hall of Fame GM Ron Wolf gave up a No. 1 to Atlanta for Favre in 1992.
3. The Packers would have been interested in a similar deal for Myles Garrett if the Browns had made him available when he requested a trade at the Super Bowl, per media sources. Because of the age difference – Garrett is 3 ½ years older than Parsons – Green Bay might not have given up two No. 1s and a starting player. But the deal could have been sweetened in other ways. The Packers made Parsons the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a four-year deal for $188 million ($47 million a year) with $120 million fully guaranteed. Garrett’s new deal with the Browns was for $160 million over four years ($40 million a year) with $123.5 million guaranteed.
4. Long known for their acumen in finding excellent receivers in the middle rounds of the draft, the Packers used their first-round pick in 2025 on Texas receiver Matthew Golden. That ended a 23-year franchise drought in picking a receiver in the first round – longest in the NFL.
5. The Packers have six plays of 20+ yards v. two by their opponents. The Browns have five plays of 20+ yards.
Small world: Team president Ed Policy is the son of former Browns CEO Carmen Policy … Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was a defensive assistant with the Browns in 2014-15 … Defensive backs coach Ryan Downard was on the Browns’ defensive staff in 2014-15 … Tight end Luke Musgrave is the nephew of Browns quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave.