Michael Lombardi's take on the NFC Championship Game

[Zool]

Well they were down 8 with 4th and 8 and 3 pretty terrible plays with goal to go. Why Rodgers didn't run on 3rd is beyond me. Had they missed the 2pt conversion, they still needed points. I can work through his reasoning. I don't agree with it, but I can see it. I thought the entire game turned in the second quarter when they got a 20-ish yard pass to Lazard. They had 2 TOs and decided to walk up to the line and call a play. They snapped it with ~:45 to go. We all know what happened the next :45. Had they just called a TO and got their heads together, that's a 10-14 point swing.

MLF is having some growing pains. I guess I'll take 26 and 6 in the regular season with 2 NFCC games in 2 years over fat Mike shitting the bed every year and going 9-7.

[George Cumby]

This was a team loss. I can't pin it on any one guy or play.

And this is why it sticks in my craw so badly.

This was a winnable game.

If the Packers play just a little bit better in all three phases, or a lot better in just one phase, they win this game.

The D shoulders some of the responsibility, the O does too, so does Rodgers, so does MLF, so does Pettine, so do the ST's.

If they played with the energy, intensity and game plan that they used against the Titans, they win.

SMH.

[King Friday]

There is a reason this dolt is doing after-the-fact analysis and no longer working in a front office.

MLF is young. Andy Reid made mistakes for YEARS, but now is held up as one of the best in the business. Give the kid a chance to learn. He's gone 26-6 during 2 regular seasons, and this moron thinks he can't put together a game plan? Yawn.

MLF will learn far more from this loss than last year's best down by SF. His offensive calls were good enough to put Green Bay in a position to win, although there clearly were items that he could've improved in retrospect. Three or four missed plays could've turned the tide in this game immensely.

[GB-Brandon]

This franchise is always too concerned looking ten years down the road that they can’t see their dick shrinking right now!!!!!!!

[RashanGary]

Funny how Rodgers gets no shit about not running on that 3rd@9 before the last FG. He had room and even admitted himself he would ran it have had he known they would not go for it on 4th down. Had he not gotten in he would have made it 4th and short, then the FG would not have happen. It was a defining moment equal to when Favre didn’t run for the first down against the Giants in the NFCC.

“You know, I felt great about the third-down call. We actually ran it early in the game,” Rodgers told reporters, via the team. “… Looking at it back, it looked like he ended up crossing late and may have been kind of back across my body (for) an opportunity. I felt like I kind of had a chance, maybe, to run it. But, I felt like there was a guy kind of closing on me.”

You're right. He gets shit for that and the two picks and being less than on point. And his salary too even. Our guys got mugged all game. It's a tough situation all around so I don't do a ton of bitching in general, but he's as worthy as anyone to get some.if were being fair.

[texaspackerbacker]

The problem wasn't Rodgers. The O Line reverted to the heaping pile of shit I used to think they were. Aaron Jones got careless with the ball - twice. That first fumble he got away with shoulda made him more careful. Adams wasn't himself although most of that was good coverage on him. Kevin King was himself - enough said. Sullivan had a bad day too - I get the impression he and his limited athletic ability were relied on too much.

I said in the other thread I don't fault LaFleur for much beyond keeping Pettine; Well, his decision to kick the FG late in the 4th was predicated on confidence in the defense - he shoulda known better than that.

[George Cumby]

^ Weird how losing an all-pro left tackle would have a negative effect on the rest of the line.

[th87]

I am not an NFL guy, just a dude with good observational skills. Pettine needs to go. Even though it wasn't all on him, I just think he is stale and we need young energy. Our D wasn't so bad in this game, they forced TB into 3 picks. Could have been better though, and Pettine is just stale.

Flower is fine. His only mistake in my book was going for 2 too early which led to the CORRECT decision to kick the FG (everyone thought it was fine to go for 2...I don't believe in that until 4th quarter). If Rodgers runs on 2nd or 3rd down we have the ball on the 2 worst case and he goes for it instead of kicking FG. If we kicked XP at end of 3rd he goes for it down 7.

Now, the biggest question I have. Down a score in 4th quarter and given three chances to take the lead or tie (2 and 1). After running a brilliant balanced offense ALL season we ran exactly one time for 9 yards (dillon). We went 3 and out twice in a row without attempting a run. We had first and goal from the 9 and didn't run the ball (including twice rodgers might have scored). Now for my question. Did Flower call more run plays? Did Rodgers audible out of run plays? Again, #1 offense in the NFL due to great balance and we ran ONE time. Down 28-10 in the 3rd quarter we kept running the ball. But with everything on the line and plenty of time left we simply abandon the run game which led to Rodgers MVP season...and TB knew it. They pinned back the ears and got to Rodgers repeatedly.

Whoever is responsible for not running in the 4th quarter likely cost us that game. Not singlehandedly, there is plenty of blame to go around, but that was DECISION vs. EXECUSION. Sometimes you aren't good enough and get beat competitively, but when you consciously make a decision like that, its an avoidable error. I'm really pissed and would like an answer. If it was the coach, he needs to be called out for it. If it was the MVP QB...well, we might have seen the last of him in GB because I still think we drafted Love because Rodgers was audibling out of run plays in 2019. Right now would be the time to move on. We can land 2 firsts for him. We take a one year cap hit. It just depends if they think Love is ready yet (he is not. We would go 9-7 at best in year one).

Spot on on everything except trading Rodgers.

- Pettine should've gone to jail last year for not figuring out this groundbreaking new offensive concept called running the ball. Keeping him this year wasted another year of Rodgers, and I always thought this was a fatal flaw (i.e. we'd never win a SB if we kept him).

- Kicking the FG was probably the right call. It's easier to stop the Bucs trying to run out the clock than them trying to drive 40 yards for a game-winning FG (if we even managed to score, which was unlikely).

- The game was indeed lost when we decided to go full MM after the interceptions. Their defense was tired. Ironically, the main reason we were able to come back was because they scored so quickly, which kept their defense on the field. They were ripe for some body blows with Dillon, which would've opened up play action and obviated the pass rush and o-line struggles. I too would like to know why they didn't.

- Rodgers is obviously one of the greatest of all time, but his performance degrades markedly right at winning time. He's usually amazing at bringing the team back to within one possession, but it's rare that he gets over the hump. I guess he starts to press and makes inferior decisions right when he's battled all the way back and has to make one last decision. He 100% runs it in if this was against the Lions and we're up 14 (or even down 14).

- Receivers were being held all game. On that last 3rd down, you can see MVS not even being able to break free from his defender (who is grabbing his arm).

- Not sure we have this opportunity next year. We got very lucky with injuries. SF will be able to retool with high picks and potentially Stafford, Seattle will remove their weak-link offensive coordinator, Cards will be better, and we're losing talent...

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't agree with the clutch angle for Rodgers. Early in his career, he was less clutch, but more a victim of a crappy defense. However, he's won a ton of close games late in the back half of his career. He just didn't get it done this time--which sucks. However, I'll go back to harping on 1) Kevin King (he almost single-handily lost this game), 2) play calling in the 4th quarter (one run; should have pounded Dillon more), 3) Dumb luck (the injury to Bakh really hurt this game--as did some poor officiating). It's hard to blame the officiating though--because if King hadn't played the worst game of his career and MLF had called a better 4th quarter, we probably overcome the officiating and Bakh's injury.

There are a handful of losses that will probably stick with me for the rest of my life. The loss to the Eagles in 2003 (Sherman not going for it on 4th and 1 and then 4th and 26), the loss to the Giants in 2007 (Favre blowing it in OT), the loss to the Seahawks (Bostick's blunder--along with numerous other missed opportunities), and this one.

[th87]

I don't agree with the clutch angle for Rodgers. Early in his career, he was less clutch, but more a victim of a crappy defense. However, he's won a ton of close games late in the back half of his career. He just didn't get it done this time--which sucks. However, I'll go back to harping on 1) Kevin King (he almost single-handily lost this game), 2) play calling in the 4th quarter (one run; should have pounded Dillon more), 3) Dumb luck (the injury to Bakh really hurt this game--as did some poor officiating). It's hard to blame the officiating though--because if King hadn't played the worst game of his career and MLF had called a better 4th quarter, we probably overcome the officiating and Bakh's injury.

There are a handful of losses that will probably stick with me for the rest of my life. The loss to the Eagles in 2003 (Sherman not going for it on 4th and 1 and then 4th and 26), the loss to the Giants in 2007 (Favre blowing it in OT), the loss to the Seahawks (Bostick's blunder--along with numerous other missed opportunities), and this one.

I don't think I remember very many last-minute drives, where if he failed, we were going to lose, and if he got it, we were going to win. Detroit last year, Miami in 2014, Dallas a few years ago is all I can remember offhand. He's tied up games. He's turned a tie into a game-winning FG before, but there are a lot of close-but-no-cigar comebacks. Just something about the final moment when he's on the cusp of winning (not necessarily tying)...

In college, he was really close to knocking off USC, but went 0-4 at the doorstep. He missed Jennings on the game winner in Arizona. Couldn't get the sealing TD against the 49ers in the 2013 playoffs (had to settle for a tying FG). Couldn't get the sealing TD in the Super Bowl. Vikings this year. Sealing TD against the Colts this year (had to settle for OT)...

Ultimately, he's the least of our problems, but does need someone else to step up when he doesn't have his A game. Ted Thompson had not provided this since 2010 and wasted the entirety of his prime making him carry the MD Jennings and Gunters of the world.

Same games as me (also add the 2009 Cardinals playoff game). I thought I was over football after 2014, but this one sucks because it might be it for the window. Wisconsin is pretty cursed, and if not for Desean Jackson, we might not have anything since 1996.

[Fritz]

Funny how Rodgers gets no shit about not running on that 3rd@9 before the last FG. He had room and even admitted himself he would ran it have had he known they would not go for it on 4th down. Had he not gotten in he would have made it 4th and short, then the FG would not have happen. It was a defining moment equal to when Favre didn’t run for the first down against the Giants in the NFCC.

“You know, I felt great about the third-down call. We actually ran it early in the game,” Rodgers told reporters, via the team. “… Looking at it back, it looked like he ended up crossing late and may have been kind of back across my body (for) an opportunity. I felt like I kind of had a chance, maybe, to run it. But, I felt like there was a guy kind of closing on me.”

I agree here. Rodgers may not have gotten in, but he'd certainly have gotten down to at least the two or three yard line, and then you have options for fourth down.

Also agree that after you get two early fourth-quarter turnovers and you're only down by five points with plenty of time on the clock, you can't just say that Rodgers was fine. Now, I also think LeFleur has to take a large part of the blame - as head coach I think he needed to insist that they run a few times instead of sending Rodgers back six times in a row when everyone knew Wagner was too banged up to be able to keep up with his opponent.

Rodgers also missed a wide open MVS, though I suppose everyone misses.

I'm not saying it's all on Rodgers, but I do think he did not play great. Sure, he got pressured, but he did not respond well.

[GB-Brandon]

Let’s say he gets down to the 3 then it’s still a red zone conversion on 4th down. I’m sure it opens up a few more plays but 4th and 8 or 4th and 3 to tie the game with AR12. I’m going for it from either one every single time without a second thought in that situation.

LeFlower Pee’d down his leg!!! He had been showing shaky play calling in tight situations down the stretch of the regular season which I noted and was cause for concern. Turns out we have a play caller that is suspect under pressure!! It’s triple confirmed!!

[GB-Brandon]

We’ve seen AR12 convert “Hail Marys” in the playoffs to try and help win games under desperation with less talent!!! This decision by LaFlower is beyond any Comprehension and just Such Failure!!!

A 4th and 8? Seriously? I’m still sick over it. I don’t trust LaFlower moving forward. The “Leg Dribbler”

[th87]

Let’s say he gets down to the 3 then it’s still a red zone conversion on 4th down. I’m sure it opens up a few more plays but 4th and 8 or 4th and 3 to tie the game with AR12. I’m going for it from either one every single time without a second thought in that situation.

LeFlower Pee’d down his leg!!! He had been showing shaky play calling in tight situations down the stretch of the regular season which I noted and was cause for concern. Turns out we have a play caller that is suspect under pressure!! It’s triple confirmed!!

You're not considering after that 4th down. If you make it and the 2PC, you now have a motivated Brady with 2 minutes left, 3 timeouts, and a full playbook to march 40 yards for a game winning FG as time expires. If all this goes right, you've only tied the game and have to win in OT.

Kicking the FG, this forces the Bucs into clock mode with more predictable play calling (run, run, run/pass). A stop here is easier to get (almost happened). Now you can march down with Rodgers to win the game and don't have to worry about a difficult 2PC.

[smuggler]

You're going to lose these kind of games when you have 6 points lost on outright drops. What was the final difference?