Upon Further Review: Packers suffer another painful NFC championship loss
For the first time in his career, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers worked his way to hosting an NFC championship game at Lambeau Field.
But this one went like so many of the others.
Turnovers, miscues, questionable coaching decisions and controversial penalties all added up to another heartbreaking loss in the conference title game, as the Packers fell 31-26 to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
More Packers coverage from FOX Sports Wisconsin
It looked like the Packers would head into halftime trailing 14-10 to the Buccaneers. But with eight seconds left in the half, Brady launched a deep pass down the sideline to Scotty Miller, who burned cornerback Kevin King, caught it and fell into the end zone for an improbable 39-yard touchdown.
21-10.
Then, on the third play from scrimmage after halftime, Packers running back Aaron Jones was smacked by Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead and fumbled the football. Tampa Bay scooped it up and ran it back inside the 10-yard line. On the next play, Brady found tight end Cameron Brate for an eight-yard score.
And just like that, it was 28-10.
The 18-point deficit proved to be too large for Rodgers and the Packers to come back from, although they had opportunities. Trailing 31-23 with 2:22 to play, Green Bay faced a first-and-goal from the 8-yard line. Rodgers threw three incompletions. Instead of giving it one more shot on fourth-and-goal, the Packers opted to kick a field goal.
Mason Crosby nailed the 26-yard field-goal attempt, but that was it.
The Packers offense never saw the football again.
Instead of packing their bags for Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Green Bay heads home after another heartbreaking loss. And based off his quotes after the game, Rodgers’ future with the Packers could be in jeopardy.
“A lot of guys’ futures that are uncertain, myself included,” Rodgers said after the loss. “That’s what’s sad about it, most, getting this far. Obviously, it’s going to be an end to it at some point, whether we make it past this one or not, but just the uncertainty is tough and the finality of it all.”
Oh boy.
Here’s a recap of Sunday’s game:
PLAYER OF THE GAME
The only reason Green Bay had a chance to win towards the end of the game was cornerback Jaire Alexander. With 12:34 to play and the Packers trailing by five points, Brady targeted Mike Evans inside the 10-yard line. But the pass was high and Evans tipped it right into the hands of Alexander. After the Packers offense went a disappointing three-and-out, Brady took the field once again. On third-and-2 near midfield, Brady misfired again to Evans. Alexander picked it off and gave Green Bay’s offense another chance. Alexander finished the game with three tackles, three pass deflections and two interceptions. It was his first career game — regular season or postseason — with multiple picks.
Don’t make a mistake around @JaireAlexander 👀#GoPackGo
Via @NFL
— FOX Sports Wisconsin (@fswisconsin) January 24, 2021
DON’T FORGET ABOUT ME
Like a good neighbor, Davante Adams is there. Rodgers targeted Adams 15 times Sunday, and the seventh-year receiver out of Fresno State hauled in nine receptions for 67 yards and a score. It was the most targets Adams has seen in a playoff game, and his ninth game overall with 15+ targets.
Covering Davante Adams seems hard#Packers back in this 🙌
Via @thecheckdown
— FOX Sports Wisconsin (@fswisconsin) January 24, 2021
THAT MOMENT
Late in the third quarter, Rodgers connected with Adams for a touchdown from two yards out to trim the Bucs’ lead to five points. Green Bay kept its offense on the field and opted to go for a two-point conversion. As we’ve seen him do all season, Rodgers rolled to his right and delivered a perfect strike, right in the hands of Equanimeous St. Brown. But St. Brown dropped it. The two-point conversion was no good. So, after Ryan Succop nailed a 46-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, the Packers trailed by eight points instead of six. While still a one-possession game, it put a bit more pressure on the Green Bay offense down the stretch.
Na sequência, os @Packers tentaram uma conversão de 2 pontos, mas St. Brown dropou! #TBvsGB #NFLBrasil
Assista às duas finais de conferência e ao Super Bowl LV por apenas R$60! Acesse https://t.co/uMRqwxJ5yr e assine já o #NFLGamePass! pic.twitter.com/vfebp7Hulm
— NFL Brasil (@NFLBrasil) January 24, 2021
THIS NUMBER
1-4: Rodgers’ record in NFC championship games. The Packers beat Chicago 21-14 to advance to Super Bowl XLV in 2010, but Green Bay has lost its last four conference championships to Seattle (28-22), Atlanta (44-21), San Francisco (37-20) and Tampa Bay (31-26). That hurts.
THEY SAID IT
“I sure as hell hope so. I mean, the guy’s the MVP of this league. He’s the heart and soul of our football team. So, hell yeah, he better be back here.” – head coach Matt LaFleur on Rodgers returning to Green Bay in 2021
“There’s a lot of unknowns going into this offseason now. 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, especially thinking about the guys that may or may not be here next year. There’s always change. That’s the only constant in this business.” – Rodgers
“Anytime it doesn’t work out you always regret it, right? It was just circumstance of having three shots and coming away with no yards. And knowing that you not only need the touchdown but you’d need the 2-point. The way I was looking at it is we essentially had four timeouts with the 2-minute warning, we knew we needed to get a stop.” – LaFleur on the decision to kick a field goal with 2:05 remaining
WHAT’S NEXT
Another long offseason begins. After losing to Tampa Bay, the Packers own the No. 29 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Will Green Bay draft a wide receiver in the first round for the first time since 2002?
