Incomes house playoff video games once more is subsequent step for Packers

GREEN BAY – Nine years in the past, the “run the table” Packers noticed their memorable playoff push come to an finish with a blowout loss at Atlanta’s raucous Georgia Dome within the NFC title recreation.

Immediately afterward, quarterback Aaron Rodgers used his postgame information convention to emphasise how vital it may be to get playoff video games at house.

“We went through adversity and lost some games we should have won, which probably would have changed some playoff seedings,” Rodgers mentioned then. “You have to win more games to give yourself an opportunity to host this game. That needs to be the focus moving forward next year.”

If there’s a greater quote to use to the Packers’ not too long ago concluded 2025 season, good luck discovering it.

Green Bay made the playoffs for a 3rd straight 12 months, however as a result of some video games that obtained away additionally landed the seventh and final seed within the NFC every time, which implies just one factor within the playoffs – highway video games.

Rodgers’ successor, Jordan Love, has now performed 4 playoff video games as beginning QB – all on the highway – and he is 1-3.

Following the irritating 31-27 loss to the Bears within the wild-card spherical at Soldier Field, Love was requested about having but to play a postseason recreation at house, and his reply revealed how a lot he’d like to alter that.

“If you go out and win the division, you won’t be in that situation, and have some home games,” he mentioned. “We’ve got to be better throughout the season. We’ve got to find ways to win the close games and just not drop any games on the season. It all comes down to beating everybody in the NFC North.”

That reflection was significantly poignant, because it got here three weeks after the Packers blew a late result in the Bears in that very same stadium with first place within the division on the road. Chicago’s 22-16 extra time win in Week 16 was the most important purpose the Bears received the NFC North for the primary time in seven years and had been the No. 2 seed and internet hosting the No. 7 seed Packers within the first spherical.

Playing at Soldier Field once more mattered, too. As the Packers started the second half with a 21-3 lead, the Bears modified up their defensive strategy and began blitzing defensive backs usually.

Green Bay’s go safety had plenty of breakdowns, failing to select up the additional rushers, and the struggles resulted in 4 fruitless offensive possessions that helped Chicago get again within the recreation.

“There were multiple protection busts,” Head Coach Matt LaFleur mentioned the day after the sport. “Give them credit score. They amped up their degree of stress, and we did not alter to it.

“I think it speaks to the importance, too, of having home playoff games. When you go on the road, sometimes communication can be a problem.”

That concern impacted the Packers in different methods, too. On their second-to-last drive, whereas making an attempt so as to add to a three-point lead, the offense got here out of a timeout however the communication on the line of scrimmage wasn’t clear, resulting in a delay of recreation. Moments later, making an attempt to make a area aim from 5 yards farther than it ought to’ve been, kicker Brandon McManus missed.

It cropped up on protection, too, as a substitution error within the fourth quarter pressured the Packers to burn a timeout in order that they did not get caught with solely 10 defenders on the sector.

That timeout would’ve are available awfully useful on Green Bay’s remaining drive, needing to attain a landing to win. Love obtained the offense to the sting of the crimson zone within the remaining half minute, however the Packers had been out of timeouts.

“That’s not acceptable, especially in the magnitude of that game – in any game, let alone a playoff game,” LaFleur mentioned of the defensive mix-up that price the precious timeout. “This isn’t Week 1. This is the playoffs. You’ve got to be at your best. The margins are so slim and you make mistakes like that – to have a timeout at the end of the game was critical, and we didn’t have one.”

Is enjoying at house within the playoffs the cure-all? Of course not. Under LaFleur, the Packers misplaced each the 2020 NFC Championship Game (in entrance of a sparse Covid crowd) and the ’21 divisional spherical at Lambeau.

But it positive would cut back the possibilities of communication points both in go safety or with substitutions from producing pricey errors, which ended the Packers’ season in Chicago.

“We’ve got to find a way to not be in this situation,” LaFleur mentioned. “Bottom line.”

The Packers have not hosted a playoff recreation in 4 years. Ending that drought would qualify as a brand new state of affairs.

“We could’ve done a lot better,” Love mentioned. “We had an opportunity to win the division and we let it go. There’s clearly another video games that had been disappointing, however simply highs and lows, you realize, not constant sufficient.

“We’ve just got to find ways to get back after it and improve, and I think it starts with trying to win the NFC North. We’ve got to do that.”