Dec 19, 2020; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur calls a play in the fourth quarter during the game against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
The Green Bay Packers lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here are four individuals who didn’t strengthen their job security.
The Green Bay Packers were the top seed in the NFC this season and were coming off a dominant win over the Los Angeles Rams and their league-best defense in the Divisional Round. With Rodgers putting up video game numbers this season, you’d think the Packers would have the upperhand against the fifth-seed Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
That wasn’t the case, as the Packers ended up on the losing end 31-26 to fall just short of the Super Bowl for the second consecutive season. Just like last year when they were battered and beaten by the San Francisco 49ers, there are plenty of individuals who played a role in the big loss.
Here are four individuals on the Packers who committed fireable offenses in the big loss on Sunday.
Whoever decided not to trust Aaron Rodgers
It’s hard to say head coach Matt LaFleur should be canned, considering the amount of success he’s had in Green Bay for the past two seasons. But he committed a cardinal sin in perhaps the worst possible time.
With the Packers down 31-23 late in the fourth quarter, Rodgers led a lengthy drive down to the red zone to potentially tie the game before the end of regulation. The offense did stall out inside the money territory, forcing them into a fourth-and-goal situation. Instead of going for the tying touchdown, LaFleur pulled the perennial NFL MVP off the field to go for three points. That’s right, he told Rodgers to take a back seat because he trusted the Packers to force a three-and-out on TOM BRADY!
The mind-numbing decision unsurprisingly blew up in LaFleur’s face, as the Buccaneers got the first down (with an assist by a certain Packers defensive back) to end the game and clinch a spot in Super Bowl 55.
Rodgers has been in this league for 16 seasons and has proven to be one of the must clutch signal callers in recent history. And LaFleur opted against some Rodgers heroics. Look, LaFleur won’t be fired. He will, however, feel the anger from Packers fans across the nation.