Packers offense fails in biggest moments, on biggest stage
Several times over the course of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game, the Green Bay Packers’ No. 1 scoring offense had a chance to take control.
Nearly every time, the Packers offense failed. And along the way, the group actually helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers build a commanding lead that held the rest of the game.
Blame for losing in a big game can never be directed at one source. But the Packers offense should certainly shoulder a large chunk of the fault for Sunday’s outcome.
Rewind the game back to late in the second quarter. The Packers, down 14-10, had the ball with a chance to score before the half and potentially double up scores on the first possession of the second half. If everything went right, the Packers could have built a 24-14 lead in the third quarter before the Buccaneers had a chance to get the ball back.
Instead, Aaron Rodgers threw an interception on a throw over the middle intended for Allen Lazard, setting the Buccaneers up near midfield and creating the opportunity for the end of half calamity that was the 39-yard touchdown pass to Scotty Miller behind the coverage of Kevin King on the final play.
It wouldn’t be the final game-altering turnover. Trailing 21-10 to start the second half, the Packers offense was back on the field with a chance to steady the ship after the insanity to end the first half.
Instead, Aaron Jones fumbled the ball away after a short catch, setting the Buccaneers up with 1st-and goal from the 8-yard line. They scored one play later, expanding the lead to 28-10.
The presumptive MVP and the Packers’ top running back helped the Bucs score 14 points at a critical point in the contest.
Turnovers weren’t the only mistakes. The Packers lost crucial points and missed key opportunities throughout the game.
In the second quarter, the Packers had a chance to answer the Bucs’ second touchdown and tie the game at 14. After a long drive, Rodgers threw three incompletions from the 6-yard line and the Packers settled for a field goal. On first down, Davante Adams received single coverage and had a back-shoulder opportunity in the end zone, but the All-Pro receiver couldn’t make the catch. It’s a play Rodgers and Adams hit 99 out of 100 times. The miss ended up costing the Packers four points.
In the fourth quarter, the Packers had a chance to tie the game again. Three more shots from inside the 10-yard line, three more misses. Once again, Matt LaFleur sent the field goal unit on for three points. Without much doubt, the Packers’ earlier failure in the red zone played a role in LaFleur kicking another field goal even though he was down eight points late in the game.
The Packers were 2-for-4 scoring touchdowns in the red zone after scoring on 80 percent of opportunities in the regular season. The two field goals from inside the 10-yard line accounted for eight lost points. The Packers lost by five.
Even after scoring back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter, the Packers threw away more points when Equanimeous St. Brown dropped the ball on a two-point conversion attempt.
Any assessment of the Packers offense has to include the two-possession stretch following interceptions from Jaire Alexander that resulted in two three-and-outs. Both times, the Packers got the ball back via takeaway with a chance to drive the field, score a touchdown and take the lead, possibly for good. Both times, the Packers threw three times, failed to pick up a first down and punted it back to the Bucs.
How many yards did the Packers gain on the six plays? Negative five. Rodgers was sacked twice, including once by Shaq Barrett on third down. After the game, Rodgers bemoaned missing Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a deep shot on second down after the second of Alexander’s interception.
This was the Packers’ chance. Each opportunity was squandered without much of a whimper from the best scoring offense in football.
The failure was both collective and uncharacteristic. Rodgers threw only his sixth interception of the season. Adams dropped a touchdown after catching 18 during the regular season. Jones’ lost fumble was only the fourth of his career. The Bucs delivered five sacks after Rodgers was only sacked 21 times all season. The group failed to score on its first possession of the contest and scored just seven points off takeaways.
“We had our chances,” Rodgers said, somberly, post-game.
He’s right, of course. The Packers offense, the bedrock of this special team, just didn’t take advantage. The failure in the biggest moments cost the Packers a chance to play for the sport’s biggest prize.
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