National Football League

Colin Cowherd: 'The Packers have an unsolvable issue'

Updated Dec. 27, 2021 7:08 p.m. ET

It hasn't been pretty, but the Green Bay Packers are now owners of four straight wins after their 24-22 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday.

The Cleveland win wasn't a treat for the eyes of Green Bay and its fans.

Despite forcing Baker Mayfield into four interceptions, the Packers' defense surrendered 10 unanswered points in the second half, including a late touchdown to Anthony Schwartz, one that brought Cleveland within two near the four-minute mark. After Schwartz's score, the Browns drove down the field again after forcing a G.B. punt and had a chance to win the game on a field goal after climbing near the 50-yard line prior to Mayfield's decisive giveaway.

Another late slip-up sealed the Packers' victory in the game prior to edging Cleveland. With Lamar Jackson sidelined, Baltimore's Tyler Huntley went tit-for-tat with Aaron Rodgers. And Huntley was excellent, throwing for two TDs and rushing for two more, including a scramble that brought Baltimore within a point with 42 seconds to play.

But Huntley couldn't complete the upset on the Ravens' ensuing two-point try, as Eric Stokes batted away his attempt to Mark Andrews to stamp the Packers' win.

Still, a theme is beginning to take shape for Matt LaFleur's gold and green regime. The Packers trailed 14-7 in the early part of their matchup with Baltimore, and although it defeated Chicago in the game prior, G.B. fell to a 27-21 halftime deficit in that tilt as well.

And whether it's falling behind early, or faltering late (the team was outscored 10-3 in the second half by Cleveland), the Pack has been unable to substantiate a convincing effort for the entirety of several recent wins.

For Colin Cowherd, that's a reality that foreshadows imminent trouble for Rodgers & Co.

"Green Bay is the fighter that wins on points," Cowherd metaphorically outlined Monday on "The Herd."

"I've seen them outplayed by Cleveland this year and Aaron saves them. Outplayed by Cincinnati and San Francisco, and Aaron saves them. The defense against Tyler Huntley saves them. Green Bay's point differential, for a 12-3 team, is plus-59. And 43 of that is two games against the Bears, and one against the Lions. They're 11th in the NFL, and thank God they played the Lions, or they'd be about 17th in points differential."

In Cowherd's view, Green Bay is a team that has survived one too many close calls and could be running low of luck.

"Half of their wins are one-possession, and I don't want to hear about injuries. This whole league is hurt — it's COVID, injuries — I don't want to hear about excuses. Cleveland threw four picks at Lambeau, and using backup tackles, had a chance to win that game late. That's not good enough. [The Packers] are 31st in yards allowed per carry. They're going to get absolutely controlled by San Francisco if they met them in the playoffs.

"You start looking at the Rams, San Francisco, Tampa — be very careful if you're Green Bay.

The Packers are now 6-2 in games that have been decided by eight points or less, while moving to 7-0 at home on the season. They are also 12-0 in December games under LaFleur and have won 12 consecutive home contests dating back to last season.

The NFC race is primed to go through Lambeau Field, so that spells well for Green Bay, but its offense and defense are mid-level across the league in a number of facets.

The Pack ranks 13th in scoring offense (25.5 PPG) and 15th in total offense (357.1 YPG). On defense, Green Bay is tied for 12th in scoring defense (21.6 PPG) and 11th in total defense (331.3 YPG).

Those numbers have been good enough in the regular season — but the postseason is a different beast, as Green Bay knows all too well, considering the Packers have lost in the NFC Championship in each of the past two seasons and four times in the past seven years.

In other words, Green Bay might need to abandon its jab as the championship rounds approach.