Bad decisions and bad execution mark the Packers' regular season finale in loss to the Bears
The Green Bay Packers could have played a great game to enter the playoffs with confidence, maybe even getting the sixth seed in the NFC. They could have rested starters to avoid injuries for important players. In the end, they did neither. A bad performance resulted in a 24-22 loss to the Chicago Bears, ending […]
The Green Bay Packers could have played a great game to enter the playoffs with confidence, maybe even getting the sixth seed in the NFC. They could have rested starters to avoid injuries for important players.
In the end, they did neither. A bad performance resulted in a 24-22 loss to the Chicago Bears, ending the 11-win streak over the rivals, and at the same time quarterback Jordan Love (not that serious) and wide receiver Christian Watson (serious) suffered injuries. They finish the regular season with an 11-6 record, the seventh seed in the NFC — and an awful 1-5 record in the NFC North.
Now, it's playoff time, and the Packers will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round. They will certainly have to do much more than they have in the regular season to have a real shot.
Questionable (and costly) decision
Matt LaFleur had a tough decision to make, and he said he knew there could be criticism anyway. Well, it's not hindsight here because I wrote last week that the Packers should have sit starters.
The Packers should have sit starters. At least the most important ones.
Obviously, by the way the Washington Commanders-Dallas Cowboys game went, the Packers had real reason to believe in the sixth seed. However, this is not more valuable than the health of the team.
Beating the Chicago Bears wouldn't have changed the perception or the narrative around this team. Momentum doesn't matter that much, especially because the Packers' issues hadn't come against bad teams. And playing well against one wouldn't have altered that.
And the risk showed all its facets on Sunday. Wide receiver Christian Watson played and suffered what looked like a serious knee injury. Jordan Love injured his elbow and, while it doesn't seem like a long-term issue, that's just another concern for the playoff week.
Slow start
The Packers have had slow offensive starts all season, mostly against good teams. Well, on Sunday it happened against a bad team as well. While Jordan Love was on the field before the injury, there were drops and fumbles from the wide receivers, missed blocks, and an impressive lack of offensive efficiency.
The defense was playing at a high level and keeping the team in the game, but that's impossible to do against better competition.
The Packers only scored after Watson and Love got hurt, and Malik Willis got in at quarterback.
Without Love for the rest of the game, the offense never took off. Willis had a decent performance, but the passing game was limited with him, and there wasn't any type of consistency in the second half either.
Special teams
It might not have been as pronounced this season, but the Packers still have a special teams problem. On Sunday, the unit started the game with a penalty. And it was all down from there.
Green Bay allowed a 97-yard punt return on a trickery by the Bears, and allowed a big kickoff return. Matthew Orzech had a bad long snap, forcing punter Daniel Whelan to run around to kick it. All in the first half.
The only good news is that, at least, Brandon McManus is a helluva kicker. But this was not enough.
When you think of a complementary performance, that was the opposite of it. The defense, the only unit that played a solid game, allowed a big drive in the final seconds, and Cairo Santos converted it this time to win the game for the Bears.
Christian Watson leaves game early with non-contact injury, and the concern for the Packers is real
Wide receiver was carted off the field
