(Image Credit: Dan Powers/USA Today Sports)
Written by: Nicholas Mullick
Twitter: @NicholasMullick
What an absolutely disappointing ending season for the Green Bay Packers. They controlled their destiny to play in the NFL playoffs, but they collapsed hard in their game against the Detroit Lions. So much went wrong in not only this game, but in the entire season. There are reasons why this team did not make it to the playoffs, but I will give three main reasons.
1. They Packers were bad in October
The second half of the season the Packers were winning more games then the should of this season. But it was too little too late and if they played well in October, the Packers would have made the playoffs. Yes I know they beat the Patriots in overtime in week 4, but blame Matt Patricia for the nonsense playcalls in that game. They blew their game against the Packers where the Giants scored 17 points. They straight up did not show up prepared to play the Jets in Week 6. In Week 7 they could not perform well against the Commanders. Week 8 the Packers faced the Bills and they legit quit in the middle of the game. Overall they just did not play well in October and it had a big impact as to why they did not make it in.
2. The Linebackers are terrible The Defense overall was pretty solid this season, but their biggest weakness was at linebacker. I mean so many players did not perform well. Preson Smith was not great and is strictly a pass rusher now. 1st round linebacker Quay Walker stinks this season and excluding the tackles he made he was terrible with his awareness, coverage, and even maturity. I would not be shocked if the NFL Suspends Quay 1 game next season for pushing that trainer. The backups did not impress either. What I don’t understand is why the Packers would have Kingsley Enagbare line up at linebacker? Especially, when he is more of a fit on the defensive line/defensive end. The only linebacker that was solid in Green Bay this season was De'Vondre Campbell and besides him there is plenty of work that is needed to fix this position.
3. Am I the only one that thinks Matt LaFluer is the most overrated coach in the NFL right now?
I may get a lot of heat saying this, but I really don’t think Matt LaFluer is that great of a head coach. This entire season he has been super suspect with the way he has coached this team. Especially with the strange way he handled the running backs this season was just bizarre. What also was bizarre was his time management has been super inconsistent and there have been more bad moments then good.
Also I still don’t understand why Jordan Love did not start months ago. I get it is Aaron Rodgers and he is the best QB in the NFL, but he was clearly hurt earlier in the year and his head was not in the game. There was a point I questioned if he wanted to even play anymore. Why was Jordan Love not playing a portion of this game, knowing how bad Rodgers' injury was?
A big criticism with the Packers is how undisciplined this team was. It especially was the case yesterday against the Lions.
So many penalties on the Packers in this game was because the players heads were not checked. One thing too this is not the only time that the Packers just were undisciplined. One player especially is LB Quay Walker who was awful this season (Excluding making tackles) as he had many unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and was ejected many times this season.
That is 100% on coaching, disciplining the team and keeping their head in check. LaFluer has struggled to do that. Now do I think that LaFluer will be fired this season? No, but he is absolutely on the hot seat next season no question.
On The Bright Side - Christian Watson is a player.
Gosh, this is a super difficult one, because the Packers are in deep trouble now. I have to say, Christian Watson, while looking terrible earlier in the season, has looked a lot better at the end of the season. There is a ton of potential with Watson and some of the catches he made were just fantastic. I hope he keeps this up as it was so entertaining for him to catch the football. Plus he will likely get the Top role as it looks like Allen Lazard won’t be back and Randall Cobb will likely retire at the end of the season.