Rodgers, Packers, face uncertain future heading into offseason
MILWAUKEE- Even the comforts of home can’t help the Packers climb atop the NFC.
For the fourth time in the last four tries the Packers fell short of the ultimate goal of appearing in a Super Bowl, falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26.
After Sunday’s loss, Aaron Rodgers intimating that he may not be suiting up for the Packers again.
“A lot of the guys futures, you know, are uncertain. Myself included,” Rodgers said during his postgame video conference. “I’m going to have to take some time away, for sure, and clear my head and see what’s going on with everything. It’s pretty tough right now.”
Throw Week-6 Out the Window
It was their first loss and worst performance of the regular season.
The Green Bay Packers trip to Tampa to face Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in week-6 resulted in a disastrous 38-10 loss.
“The big takeaway from that game is number-1, making sure we take care of the football,” according to Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur.
The Packers host the Buccaneers in the NFC Championship game Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field.
In three regular season losses, the Packers were (-5) in turnover margin. On that October day in Tampa, the Packers “stars” were far from their usual selves.
Offensive Fireworks Expected Sunday Night at Lambeau
The Green Bay Packers (11-3) are 3.5 points favorites against the Tennessee Titans (10-4) Sunday night at Lambeau Field. The game will feature two of the top three scoring offenses in the NFL. Accordingly, the over/under for Sunday’s game is a whopping 55.5.
The Titans offense is led by the NFL’s leading rusher, Derrick Henry. With two games to play, Henry is on pace for a 2,000 yard rushing season.
The Packers offense is led by Aaron Rodgers, the NFL’s leader in touchdown passes (40) and quarterback rating (118).
When it comes to defense, the Packers rank 14th in points allowed while the Titans rank 21st.
Packers Run Defense Remains in Question
It’s a fact: The Green Bay Packers run defense ranks 11th in the NFL yielding just under 110 yards per game.
A deeper dive reveals a more disturbing story. The Packers rank 26th in the NFL in yards per carry allowed at 4.6.
“I don’t evaluate run defense based upon yards per game,” Voice of the Packers Wayne Larrivee tells Wisconsin’s Afternoon News. “You get a game like Detroit where the Lions run like what…15 times?”
Yards per rush is a much more telling stat.
The Packers high-octane offense is the great assist to a defense built to put pressure on the opposing quarterback. The formula is simple. Build a lead and force teams to pass their way back into the game. Use a talented core of pass rushers to tee-off and voila! But what happens when the Packers are forced to come from behind, or their lead is tenuous?