packers.com editor
PHILADELPHIA – If the 2024 Packers team goes in the books as one that never reached its potential, there’s a recurring theme as to why.
Green Bay never started a game well against any of the top three teams in the NFC, and constantly fighting an uphill battle against those tough opponents left the Packers one-and-done following Sunday’s 22-10 loss to the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card playoff at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Packers lost for the sixth time in six tries against the Eagles, Lions and Vikings, and not one of those games started well.
The early, multi-score leads the Packers were able to build late in the year against the likes of the 49ers, Dolphins and Seahawks? That never transpired, not once, against the NFC’s best, and more often went the opposite way. As a result, the Packers are on the outside looking in for the rest of the playoffs.
“That’s going to be a great reflection point this offseason, because obviously if we had the answers it wouldn’t be a problem,” Head Coach Matt LaFleur said. “For it to come up multiple times is disappointing. That’s one of the best defenses in the league, and they played better than us, bottom line.”
Truth be told, Sunday’s game in Philly very easily could’ve been much worse than 10-0 in the first half. The fact the Packers had a fighting chance into the fourth quarter was thanks to the defense.
But this season will be remembered for an offense that went AWOL down the stretch – first in the rematch with the Vikings, then in a dismal defeat to the Bears, and finally against the well-rounded Eagles. It was head-scratching in many ways because prior to the extended lull, the Packers had scored 30-plus points in five straight games.
The best game the Packers played against one of the NFC’s best came in that stretch, the second matchup with the Lions, a 34-31 walk-off loss in Detroit. Green Bay recovered from an early 10-0 deficit to get a second-half lead, but ultimately that slow start was the biggest regret against the team that secured the NFC North title and conference’s top seed.
“We lost to some really good teams, and we have to look at those games and find ways to execute and win those big-time games like that,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “Obviously we weren’t able to.”
Whether it’s the penalties or turnovers or tough breaks or other self-inflicted wounds that held them back, those results are why the Packers were the No. 7 seed in the playoffs, and why they gave themselves the toughest possible postseason road.
Last year, they were able to summon their best football when it was required, and it got them within an eyelash of the NFC title game.
This year, that peak never came, and it was probably too much to ask to find it against a 14-win Eagles team that hadn’t lost since early October. Finding it earlier might’ve put the Packers in a better spot in the playoff bracket.
“It just goes back to show you the importance of getting these home-field games in my opinion,” said LaFleur, whose Packers haven’t had a home playoff game in three years now. “We’ve got a really tough division, and I’m hoping our guys use that for fuel this offseason to dig a little bit deeper, and come back a little bit better.”
Where Love wound up in his second year as the starting QB will be studied extensively in the offseason. He had trouble staying healthy early on, got on a hot streak after the bye week, and then cooled off – which the offense as a whole did – after Christmas.
Finishing with three interceptions in a playoff loss will make for maybe a longer offseason than most. But in whatever way the analysts characterize his growth in Year 2, LaFleur is sure he’s not a finished product. There’s more out there.
“I love Jordan Love, how he competes and the work he puts in,” LaFleur said. “He’s going to get better and better and better. There’s some lessons along the way, some tough lessons. Anytime you end in defeat, it’s tough to deal with.
“He is very critical of himself and he does such a great job of learning from every experience. Going through this, I think we’ll all be better for it.”
That’s what was said last year as well, when a strong playoff run ended with a couple of frustrating moments. But as Love noted, “that’s the nature of the game.”
There was good and bad, for the team and for him. There always will be, and the time will come to get after it again.
“Anytime you aren’t holding that Super Bowl trophy up and having that be the end of your season, it’s tough and it’s disappointing,” Love said. “I think we’re a really good team …
“It just wasn’t good enough against the really good teams in this league.”
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