CLEVELAND — Jordan Love has never felt better about a three and out.
Love made the most of limited playing time, throwing a 65-yard touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks on Green Bay’s third play as the Packers rolled to a 23-10 exhibition win over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday.
Love, who s igned a four-year, $220 million contract extension at the start of training camp last month, completed both pass attempts in his one series. Sean Clifford replaced the 25-year-old Love.
“I’m happy with it,” Love said of his brief appearance. “It ended with a touchdown. That was the goal.”
The Packers have faith in Love following in the footsteps of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers to continue Green Bay’s lineage of great quarterbacks. He led the Packers to 10-9 record last season in his first year as a starter.
On Green Bay’s first possession, Love waited for Wicks to get behind safety Ronnie Hickman before hitting him in stride for an easy, quick-strike score.
“We had a great play dialed up for that situation, one on one with Wicks and the safety a little bit off of him,” Love said. “He ran a great route, kind of lulled him to sleep at the top and I was able to get a pass to him.”
A fifth-round pick from Virginia last year, Wicks came on strong at the end of his rookie season, scoring four TDs in a three-game stretch before being blanked in the divisional playoff loss to San Francisco.
While the Packers got Love some work, the Browns rested starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is coming off right shoulder surgery.
Watson has thrown almost every day in camp and appears to be on track to start the Sept. 8 season opener against Dallas. But the Browns are remaining cautious with Watson, who has been limited to just 12 games in his first two seasons with Cleveland.
Backup QB Jameis Winston started for the Browns and played just one series in his debut for Cleveland, which signed him as a free agent in March. He went 4 of 5 for 30 yards.
“I thought he operated well,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “I know we talk about that word operation, but it’s getting your team from the huddle to the line of scrimmage, making the correct run checks, pass checks, that type of thing. I thought he did a nice job.”
Stefanski chose to sit many of his starters, including star defensive end Myles Garrett, the reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year, wide receiver Amari Cooper and Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur took a different approach, choosing to give many of his starters at least some playing time.
“We just wanted to get their feet wet a little bit,” LaFleur said. “Knock some rust off. It’s always good not only to go out there and play but just the preparation mentally to play a game.”
THE OTHER QBS
Clifford may have solidified his spot as Green Bay’s No. 2 QB, completing 10 of 19 passes for 111 yards. The former Penn State standout attempted just one pass as a rookie in 2023.
Seventh-round pick Michael Pratt went 5 of 7 for 46 yards.
One of Cleveland’s few bright spots was Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He went 14 of 18 for 134 yards. Thompson-Robinson, who made three starts as a rookie last season, is battling Tyler Huntley for the No. 3 job.
KICK STAND
Green Bay’s kicking competition between Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph remained highly competitive.
Carlson, who struggled at times as a rookie in 2023, made field goals of 46 and 33 yards and converted his only extra-point attempt. Joseph booted a 35-yarder and made a PAT.
Dustin Hopkins will handle Cleveland’s kicking, but the 33-year-old didn’t play. Cade York, who was cut by the Browns last season before they traded for Hopkins, kicked a 55-yard field goal.
INJURIES
Packers: Rookie RB MarShawn Lloyd went out with a hamstring injury. The third-round pick from USC had one carry for 8 yards. … CB Robert Rochell was treated in the medical tent during the second quarter for an apparent shoulder issue.
Browns: Second-year backup C Luke Wypler suffered a broken right ankle and will undergo surgery, Stefanski said. … Hickman injured his back on the Wicks TD and didn’t return. … WR David Bell went out with a quadriceps injury.
UP NEXT
Packers: At Denver on Aug. 18.
Browns: Host Minnesota for two practices this week before facing them in an exhibition on Aug. 17.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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