Green Bay Packers NFL Season Recap

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Aaron Rodgers will not get to compete in the Super Bowl for the second time in his career. Not after head coach Matt LaFleur elected to give the ball back to Tom Brady with just over two minutes remaining by kicking a field goal instead of going for glory. While nobody will ever know if the game-tying two point try would’ve been converted, it still wasn’t the right call be it from analytic or gut perspectives. Regardless, the GOAT never allowed Green Bay’s offense to have another chance after he and the offense milked the remaining 2+ minutes down to nothing by way of picking up a few first downs with the last coming by way of a pass interference penalty. Though the Packers battled back from an early third quarter 28-10 hole to make a game of it, the comeback ultimately came up short with the Bucs logging the 31-26 outright win and cover as field goal underdogs per the closing NFL odds. It marks the second straight season that the Packers fell in the NFC championship game; this time at home. Making the loss all the more tough is the sense of uncertainty at Lambeau Field with Rodgers sounding like this might have been his last go round in green and gold in the post-game presser. As it stands right now, the Chiefs are the only team sitting ahead of the Packers on the odds to win Super Bowl LVI at online sportsbooks. If No. 12 is no longer at the helm of the Packers offense, you can bet your bottom dollar that payoff will get a whole lot longer.

Green Bay Packers Season Recap

From an x’s and o’s standpoint, the decision not to go for the touchdown on fourth down made sense. Green Bay had the two-minute warning plus all three of its timeouts. All the team needed was a stop from Mike Pettine’s defense. But after his play calling allowed Tampa Bay to throw a window dressing touchdown on the board at the tail end of the first half, it’s hard to believe LaFleur truly had that much confidence in his DC’s ability to get a quick three and out against one of the best in the business at milking the clock. “Any time it doesn’t work out, you always regret it,” LaFleur said. “It was the circumstances of having three shots and coming away with no yards and knowing that not only you need the touchdown, but you need the 2-point (conversion). We essentially had four timeouts with the two-minute warning. We knew we needed to get a stop.”

Though the Packers ultimately failed to get the ball back from the offense, the coach hanging the team out to dry by prohibiting one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game a shot at possibly tying the game up is something that will stick in the craw of the players, coaches, fans and anyone invested in the Packers. A move like that is something that could cost a coach the locker room. We’ll have to wait until next season to see if any of that comes to fruition. But for the time being, the masses aren’t happy. “I didn’t have a decision on that one,” Rodgers said before pausing. “That wasn’t my decision, but I understand the thinking, above two minutes with all of our timeouts, but it wasn’t my decision.”

You know you screwed up when the opposing team literally goes on record and thanks you for making their job that much easier. “I couldn’t believe it, honestly, because there’s no guarantee they’re going to make it back down there again,” Buccaneers edge rusher Shaquil Barrett said. “Our offense has been pretty amazing in four-minute offense this year, not giving the team back the ball so I had the utmost confidence in them. ... If he could take it back he probably wouldn’t do that next time but I appreciate it.”

A week removed from taking the wood to the Los Angeles Rams and getting the NFC title game on their own turf, the 2020-21 Green Bay Packers season is now officially over. The team puts a bow on the campaign with a 14-4 SU record that was bolstered by an even more important 11-7 tally against the spread. Futures bettors were able to take a care free waltz back to the ticket window as the Packers went on to easily surpass their laughable 8.5-game season win total. It also went on to win the NFC North with ease as +150 choices to do so. On top of all that, Rodgers went on to have one of the finest showings of his career playing to a 121.5 QB rating by way of throwing for a tick under 4,300 yards and an insane 48:5 TD/INT ratio. His stat line currently has him locked in as the favorite to win the third MVP Award of his 16-year career. Also setting himself apart as one of the best wide receivers in the game was Davante Adams who put forth the best showing of his seven-year career by reeling in 115 catches for 1,374 yards and a league-high 18 touchdowns.

Whether the Packers are once again bonafide Super Bowl contenders next season ultimately depends on Rodgers being under center or not. Though signed through 2023, there is the possibility that upper management decides to move on and start seeing what they have with Jordan Love whom they shockingly selected in the first round of last year’s draft. “I’m going to have to take some time away for sure and clear my head and just kind of see what’s going on with everything, but it’s pretty tough right now,” Rodgers said. He later added: “It’s a grind to get to this point, and that makes the finality of it all kind of hit you like a ton of bricks.” It would be pretty surprising if indeed Green Bay decided to show him the door much like they did to Brett Favre in Rodgers’ favor back in 2008, but the media spin has already put the wheels in motion of No. 12 not residing under center in Green Bay next season.

If upper management is to keep him around and keep him enthused about staying put, they better go out and get him another reliable receiving option. Sorry, but Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard and Robert Tonyan don’t strike fear in opposing defenses. Tampa Bay exhibited that fact ad nauseum when they double teamed Adams on every crucial play and allowed Rodgers to beat it with his complimentary receivers instead. The crop of wide receivers in this year’s draft in insane! So too are the amount of quality pass catchers soon to hit free agency. Wide receiver must be a priority for GM Brian Gutekunst, and it wouldn’t hurt to add another stud cover man to help aid Jaire Alexander in shutting opposing passing attacks down.

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