CLEVELAND – The Packers squandered a huge scoring chance and the Browns added to their lead, taking a 21-7 advantage into the fourth quarter on Sunday in Cleveland.
Here's a recap of the first three quarters.
First quarter:
The Packers and Browns traded touchdowns on their opening drives and went into the second quarter tied at 7.
The Browns won the toss and deferred. The Packers started with a 12-yard pass to WR Jordy Nelson. After a pair of 4-yard completions to WR Randall Cobb, Green Bay faked a punt on fourth-and-2, as S Jermaine Whitehead took a direct snap as the up back and ran around the left side for 7 yards.
Two runs by RB Jamaal Williams picked up 9 yards, and the Packers went for it again on fourth-and-1. QB Brett Hundley threw it out quickly to Cobb, who picked up 8 yards and another first down.
Two plays later, a scrambling Hundley found Williams wide open behind the defense for a 30-yard touchdown pass, and the Packers took the early lead.
The Browns started with a 38-yard pass from QB DeShone Kizer to WR Josh Gordon. Two runs for 5 yards total by RB Isaiah Crowell set up third-and-5, and Kizer scrambled 8 yards to pick it up. A 12-yard pass to TE Randall Telfer got the Browns to the Green Bay 21, and two plays later, Kizer found Gordon for an 18-yard TD against zone coverage to tie the game.
Browns DL Nate Orchard came unblocked and sacked Hundley on the first snap for a 9-yard loss, leading to a three-and-out. Packers LB Kyler Fackrell's zero-yard sack on a scrambling Kizer on third down produced a three-and-out for Green Bay's defense.
Rookie RB Aaron Jones lost 2 yards on the final play of the quarter.
Second quarter:
The Packers' offense hit the skids after a good opening drive, and the Browns took a 14-7 lead into halftime.
Facing third-and-12 from their own 6, the Packers caught a break. Hundley's deep pass for WR Davante Adams was incomplete, but Browns DB Kai Nacua was flagged for a personal foul after the play for head-butting Adams, and Green Bay got a first down.
The drive went nowhere after that, though, and the Packers punted.
A holding penalty put the Browns in second-and-long, but a 20-yard completion to WR Corey Coleman moved the chains. Crowell carried three straight times for 21 yards, and a 13-yard slant to Gordon on third-and-1 put the Browns on the Green Bay 24.
On third-and-11, Kizer found Coleman for 18 yards to make it first-and-goal on the 7, and Kizer's shovel pass to RB Duke Johnson was good for the score. Cleveland led 14-7 with 5:12 left in the half.
Green Bay got another gift on its next third-and-1, as Browns DB Mike Jordan was called for illegal hands to the face as Hundley's pass was incomplete. Adams dropped a low throw on a slant pass, and then a holding penalty on C Corey Linsley wiped out a third-and-10 conversion to TE Richard Rodgers, and the Packers punted again.
On the ensuing drive, the Browns threw incomplete on third-and-11, but LB Ahmad Brooks jumped offside, giving Cleveland another shot. Kizer found Johnson matched up on Brooks for an 18-yard catch-and-run to move the chains. LB Clay Matthews sacked Kizer on first down, but Kizer hit Coleman for 18 yards into Green Bay territory.
A deep shot to Gordon was broken up at the goal line by S Josh Jones, and two plays later, S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix intercepted another deep ball to Coleman with 17 seconds left in the half.
Third quarter:
The Packers' defense started the second half with a three-and-out, as Kizer's third-down lob pass for Gordon was incomplete.
The Packers finally got moving again on offense on a 9-yard pass to Nelson on third down. A 12-yard run by Williams was followed by a 7-yard pass to Williams for another first down. On third-and-5 from the Cleveland 38, Hundley stepped out of a sack attempt and scrambled for 19 yards into the red zone.
A 7-yard pass to WR Geronimo Allison set up third-and-1 on the 10, and Williams was stopped short. The Packers went for it, and it was a busted play, as Hundley looked to hand off, but no one was there, and the promising drive came up empty.
The Browns started their next drive with an 18-yard run by Crowell to get out of the hole. A pass to Johnson picked up 15 and another first down. Crowell then busted a 37-yard run up the middle to make it first-and-goal on the 6. On third down from the 2, Kizer hit Coleman right at the goal line for the score, and the Browns led 21-7 with 2:49 left in the third.
A pair of 9-yard passes to Allison and two passes for 11 to TE Lance Kendricks got the Packers into Cleveland territory. Hundley then hit Adams cutting across the middle for 15 yards to the 26. Another pass to Adams that he nearly broke for a touchdown but went for 9 yards finished the period.
