CLEVELAND — On Green Bay’s first offensive series, quarterback Aaron Rodgers got his helmet ripped off and punched in the face.

The Cleveland Browns hardly touched him again.

The Packers were the bullies.

‘‘One of the linemen came over and said, ’Who was it? We got your back,’’’ Rodgers said. ‘‘That means a lot to me and that means a lot to our team.’’

Rodgers threw three touchdown passes, Ryan Grant rushed for 148 yards and the Packers warmed up for Brett Favre’s first visit back to Lambeau Field next week with a 31-3 laugher Sunday over the Browns, who got over the flu but can’t shake other problems.

It would have been understandable if the Packers (4-2) had overlooked an inferior opponent with their eyes on Favre’s hyped return to Wisconsin with the Minnesota Vikings. But Rodgers and his teammates took care of business against the pathetic Browns (1-6), who have scored just four offensive touchdowns and 72 points all season.

Rodgers, who steps a little further out of Favre’s immense shadow with each win, spent the afternoon focused on the Browns — not Brett. So when did he allow himself to consider the rematch with the Vikings and No. 4, who beat the Packers 30-23 on Oct. 5 in Minneapolis?

‘‘Just now,’’ Rodgers said with a smile.

He finished 15 of 20 for 246 yards and the three TDs — a 71-yarder to Donald Driver and 41-yarder to tight end/linebacker Spencer Havner in the first half, and a 5-yarder to James Jones to cap a 99-yard drive in the fourth quarter after the Packers defense stopped Cleveland at the 1.

Browns’ stats

Green Bay 0 21 3 7 — 31

Cleveland 0 3 0 0 — 3

Second Quarter

Cle—FG Cundiff 22, 14:58.

GB—Havner 45 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 12:11.

GB—Driver 71 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 7:01.

GB—Grant 1 run (Crosby kick), 1:56.

Third Quarter

GB—FG Crosby 18, 3:34.

Fourth Quarter

GB—J.Jones 5 pass from Rodgers (Crosby kick), 9:42.

A—69,797.

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GB Cle

First downs 25 12

Total NetYards 460 139

Rushes-yards 41-202 21-58

Passing 258 81

Punt Returns 3-6 1-9

Kickoff Returns 2-36 2-69

Interceptions Ret. 1-25 0-0

Comp-Att-Int 16-22-0 12-29-1

Sacked-Yards Lost 0-0 2-18

Punts 2-43.5 4-46.3

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 3-1

Penalties-Yards 8-70 5-40

Time of Possession 35:54 24:06

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Green Bay, Grant 27-148, Jackson 9-31, Rodgers 4-23, Kuhn 1-0. Cleveland, Lewis 15-47, Harrison 3-7, Anderson 2-3, Cribbs 1-1.

PASSING—Green Bay, Rodgers 15-20-0-246, Flynn 1-2-0-12. Cleveland, Anderson 12-29-1-99.

RECEIVING—Green Bay, Jennings 5-52, D.Lee 3-39, Driver 2-84, Havner 2-59, Finley 1-16, J.Jones 1-5, Grant 1-3, Johnson 1-0. Cleveland, Harrison 4-23, Gaines 2-30, Estandia 2-10, Massaquoi 1-22, Vickers 1-10, Furrey 1-5, Cribbs 1-(minus 1).

MISSED FIELD GOALS—Green Bay, Crosby 55 (WL).