Ouch! That one hurt.
(Full disclosure, Packers’ fan and stockholder writing here):
It was a game all Packers’ fans wanted and waited to see, a home playoff game (and with fans in the stands). Lambeau was the perfect setting and the conditions were perfect too. Cold, with a wind chill hovering around zero, and blowing snow. This was going to be a perfect playoff win.
The offense came out and smashed San Francisco! The Pack marched down the field with a 10-play, 75 yard drive! Rodgers hit of 5 of 6 passes, and the drive ended with an A.J. Dillon touchdown run! A perfect start, 7-0 Pack! And then…
That was it. The offense just seemed to have quit. “This is a tough pill for us to swallow for all of us right now,” said Packer’s Head Coach Matt LaFleur in his post-game presser. “Two years in a row we were the number one seed and you lose home playoff games. Obviously, I didn’t do enough to get our team prepared to win a football game…I gotta be better than that…I thought our defense [battled] their ass off, I thought they competed at the highest level. I hurt for these guys,” LaFleur added.
No surprise to Packers fans, the special team play was, let’s say…not so special. The 49ers blocked a FG attempt and a punt, which resulted in a TD score for San Fran. “You could argue that was the difference in the game,” said LaFleur.
In the end, for Green Bay and its fans, the ending wasn’t perfect, but rather a nightmare which we can’t seem to stop having as an organization with Aaron Rodgers as QB. Rodgers is now 11-10 in the playoffs and while he has won a Super Bowl (2010-11 season), he has now lost 3 playoff games to San Francisco, and this year, he didn’t even get a chance at another NFC Championship (games in which he sports a 1-4 record).
A really quick recap:
1st Q: TD (7-0 GB). 2nd Q: no scores (7-0 at the half). 3rd Q: S.F. F.G. (7-3). 4th Q: G.B. F.G. (10-3) Blocked punt TD S.F. (10-10). S.F. F.G. to end game, 10-13…ouch.
The Facts:
49ers 13 Packers 10
Turnovers: 1 vs 1
Sacks: 5/29 vs 4/25
First Downs: 12 vs 14
3rd&4th DN: 4/12 vs 5/12
Rushing: 29/106 vs 20/67
Passing: 11/19 for 131 vs 10/29 for 225
Penalties: 5/40 vs 5/25
The Feelings:
Where should we start Packers’ fans? Better call Sydney Freedman (Bing it Kids – M.A.S.H. reference.) M.A.S.H. was a T.V. show (Bing it kids). T.V. was this thing…nevermind.
Feelings? Sadness for the loss, another Lambeau playoff loss.
Bemusement and curiosity…what the heck happened to the offense?
Encouragement. The Defense was, once again, pretty good.
(Let’s face it, most of the questions and feelings aren’t limited to this game, but to the future).
Anxiety of wondering how much time this team will have with Rodgers?
More Anxiety, will he even be back next year?
More Anxiety if he isn’t back, will Jordan Love be the guy?
Confusion, what to do about the special teams?
Anger, about the special teams and its coaches.
And personnel…questions, questions and more questions…who will return? Rodgers? Cobb? Za’Darius Smith? Preston Smith? Adams? Crosby? And so many others?
Inquiry…is Matt LaFluer the guy to coach this team.
More inquiry, what will it take for the Pack to win the Super Bowl with LaFleur as coach?
Let us know your feelings in the comments section.
Some Packers’ stockholder venting here:
So what happened? Why did the offense resemble a Green and Gold firework, exploding then fizzling out while helplessly falling to the field? Again, their head coach took the blame. “I think Aaron did everything he could…he was under a lot of duress…it’s [the faltering offense] more to do with, I didn’t put our guys in position to make enough plays…scoring 10 points is not going to get it done,” LaFleur said. In my opinion, for the Packers and fans it just was too much of not good enough.
10 points in a home game for the offense – not good enough.
Horrible special teams play – not good enough.
The Packers couldn’t capitalize on our great effort by the defense. Matt LaFleur, Aaron Rodgers and the offense – not good enough.
The O-line and rushing game getting just 67 yards on the ground – not good enough.
Rodgers, losing another home game, what happened to your mobility? Your accuracy? What about your competitiveness? Where was it Aaron – Not good enough.
LaFleur and Rodgers, two long passes against mostly single high coverage – not good enough.
LaFleur, where were the cool plays we saw all season long? The handoff to R.B. pitches we saw? The W.R. in motion shovel pass? Where was your creativity? Where was your courage as a play caller? Not good enough.
Packers’ Fans, you could’ve been louder – not good enough.
The Packers lost at home in the cold during a snowstorm! NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
The pathway to victory is always the same for every team that doesn’t win the Super Bowl and so, the Packers simply need to be better next year. And while, sometime soon, in the not too distant future, there will again be chants of “Go Pack Go” echoing throughout historic Lambeau Field, the forecast for this winter is long and cold, with no more wins in sight.
