GREEN BAY – There's no getting too high or too low with Anthony Belton.
Whether it's playing on an NFL offensive line or living everyday life, the Packers' rookie tackle just is who he is.
"There ain't much to me. I just be chillin'," said Belton with a smile. "You can't really get too much out of your composure, especially I feel like when stuff goes bad. If you get out of your composure, it's just going to keep building. You have to stay level-headed and control the chaos."
At 6-foot-6, 326 pounds, there's a whole lotta Belton with which to control. It's a big reason the Packers drafted the 24-year-old in the second round (No. 54 overall) this past April.
Belton's first summer in Green Bay has been spent largely serving as the understudy at right tackle to one of the pillars on the Packers' offensive line, fourth-year veteran Zach Tom.
But after Tom's consecutive games played streak ended at 39 last Thursday against Washington due to an oblique injury, Belton was called on to make his first start in his second NFL game.
Belton was flagged on the Packers' opening possession for holding Commanders defensive lineman Dorance Armstrong, wiping out a 39-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jayden Reed.
After that, however, Belton was lights out. The Packers even began to feature him at right tackle in the second half after starting the game in a rotation with Darian Kinnard. All told, Belton played 51 of 68 offensive snaps in the 27-18 victory.
He even made a few highlight reels on social media over the weekend for flattening some Washington pass rushers.
"Outside of the one penalty, I thought he played really solid football," Head Coach Matt LaFleur said. "He was physical. He was straining. There was great effort. For his first game, especially a game where there's really no practice – you walk through, but there's no live practice – I thought he went in there and did a really outstanding job."
The Packers may need to lean on Belton again with Tom's status unclear for Sunday's road trip to Cleveland to face the Browns and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
Green Bay was without both Tom and left guard Aaron Banks (ankle/groin) but still posted 404 total yards against a formidable Commanders defense. LaFleur isn't ruling out either veteran yet, saying they'll take the week to determine their availability.
On paper, the Browns present a much more difficult matchup. Cleveland has allowed the fewest total yards (383) through the first two weeks while joining the Packers as the only two NFL teams that have yet to concede 100 rushing yards.
It starts with Garrett, whose 3½ sacks are tied for most in the NFL with New England's Harold Landry. Garrett also has six tackles for loss – no other NFL defender has more than four.
Like Packers' All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, Garrett can rush from anywhere and everywhere on the defensive front.
"He's a game-wrecker," LaFleur said. "You've got to be really intentional about what you're trying to get done, because if you have a bad matchup, forget about it. This guy can make it ugly in a hurry. So you've got to be really conscious of where he is aligning, but also what you're asking your guys to do."
Belton, from North Carolina State, admits he never played an edge rusher quite like Garrett in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Few have, even in the NFL. But Parsons has provided the rookie with good work in practice since his arrival while Tom and left tackle Rasheed Walker have lent support.
Last month, Walker famously gave Belton a clementine during the Packers' preseason game against Indianapolis to help the rookie clear his mind after a few early penalties.
What Belton learned from that experience is the importance of playing with a short memory. Because if you don't stay composed, "(stuff) is going to happen."
"If you have a bad play, you can't really dwell on it because that's not going to do nothing but slow your mind down and affect the rest of your game," Belton said. "You try your best to forget about it and not let it happen again."
If Tom can't go Sunday, Belton knows the Browns may look to test his youth and inexperience but isn't running from that possibility. The main thing is growing his own game and using this four-day practice week to dial-in the details.
Reviewing the film, Belton felt he had some technical stuff to clean up from the Washington game, but overall, it was a good day – especially on a short, practice-less week.
The initial nerves wore off after the first snap, and it was business as usual. When Belton is on the field, the Packers can expect that same even-keeled mindset.
"I feel like the more you play and the more you're out there you kind of get a feel for the game of who you're going against," Belton said.
"My biggest thing is consistency, so that's still something I'm striving to see. I want to be able to come in and take what's been coached from (individual drills) to team and when the opportunity is presented try to take it over to the game."
