By Robert Marvi
Copyright newsweek
The Green Bay Packers‘ stunning acquisition of superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons a few weeks ago made them one of the favorites to capture this season’s Super Bowl championship, according to many pundits. But after they lost 13-10 to the Cleveland Browns last weekend, it is now clear that while the immediate future is very bright for them, they still have plenty of work to do.
While their defensive metrics are outstanding (they’re first in points allowed), their offense, especially their passing attack, has left something to be desired. One particular issue the Packers have on offense is penalties, especially those that have been committed prior to the snap.
Tight end Tucker Kraft publicly warned his teammates that they cannot keep shooting themselves in the foot offensively, and therefore putting more pressure on the squad’s defense.
“We have the best defense in the NFL,” Kraft said. “So we just have help them out. We’re beating ourselves up and we’re getting behind the sticks with pre-snap penalties. We’re fed up with our own mistakes.”
Tucker Kraft: “We have the best defense in the NFL. So we just have help them out… we are fed up with our own mistakes.”The tight end says it’s time for the offense to own the moment to pull its weight this weekend.#Packers #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/MjUSlpNx5D— Dave Schroeder (@SchroederWBAY) September 25, 2025
Read more: Packers Rank Second in Two Dubious Offensive Categories
According to NFLPenalties.com, Green Bay is tied for the second-most false start penalties with seven, which have cost it 35 yards. It has also committed seven offensive holding penalties, which is also tied for the second-most in the NFL, and it has lost 69 yards as a result.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 12: Tucker Kraft #85 of the Green Bay Packers looks on from the field during an NFL football wild card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 12, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Against Cleveland last Sunday, the Packers led 10-0 with under four minutes left and seemed to be cruising to a 3-0 record. But they gave up the last 13 points of the game, and part of the reason was four penalties that they committed during that span.
There was a 10-yard offensive holding call against linebacker Lukas Van Ness when Cleveland kicked off following a made field goal. Quarterback Jordan Love threw an interception deep in their own territory shortly afterward, and on the following snap, Evan Williams was called for pass interference.
Cleveland scored a touchdown on its next snap to tie the game, and while Love was able to get the Packers close to the red zone with just over a minute left, offensive lineman Rasheed Walker’s false start penalty moved them back five yards before Brandon McManus’ field-goal attempt was blocked.
Parsons was then called for a neutral zone infraction that gave the Browns five yards on the start of their final offensive series. That moved them into Green Bay territory and helped set up Andre Szmyt’s game-winning field goal.
Read more: Packers Get Major Jordan Love Warning Before Cowboys’ Matchup
Green Bay will face the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium this weekend, which means Parsons will return to the stadium he called home for the first four seasons of his NFL career. While most expect Green Bay to emerge victorious, the Cowboys have enough offensive talent to pull off an upset if Green Bay isn’t careful, even without star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who has an injured ankle.
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