Packers fans will have Matt LaFleur nightmares tonight, as they were reminded of bad coaching decisions past.
LaFleur opted to kick a field goal while down eight from within his own ten yard-line. The call was a controversial one, to say the least, as there were just over two minutes left on the clock. The aspect of still being down a touchdown — and voluntarily kicking the ball back to the best quarterback of all-time (to this juncture) with a chance to run out the clock — is not comfortable to most. LaFleur trusted his defense, and it got the best of him.
One skeptical pass interference call later, and the Bucs were basically able to run things out. But that doesn’t take the blame away from LaFleur. If anything, it only heightens his mistake.
LaFleur should’ve learned from the mistakes of his predecessor in Green Bay
LaFleur isn’t known for his conservative play-calling. It’s what differentiates him so much from former head coach Mike McCarthy, and part of why Packers fans like him so much. That all changed on Sunday afternoon, as LaFleur opted to take the ball out of Aaron Rodgers’ hands with a chance to tie the game. Once again, we’d never recommend such a remedy.
Packers fans were reminded of McCarthy.
Green Bay has to fire Mike McCarthy after this playoff performance.
— Norm Charlatan (@normcharlatan) January 24, 2021
And with that Packers loss, the last coach to bring Green Bay to the Super Bowl is still Mike McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/zIBR1RJydz
— SportsDay Cowboys (@dmn_cowboys) January 24, 2021
“Let me kick a field goal with two minutes left and give the ball back to Tom Brady. Surely this will end in my favor.” - Matt “Mike McCarthy” LaFleur
— Honk The Bobo (@ColeyMick) January 24, 2021
Mike McCarthy sitting at home like pic.twitter.com/CZCtVxicXT
— Not Robert Griffin (@Pseudo_RGIII) January 24, 2021
Mike McCarthy got fired from GB for playing too conservative and losing big games just for them to hire Jr to do the same thing 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/RwQ1lhyTCv
— TK Felton (@TK_Felton) January 24, 2021
I just don’t understand you have Aaron Rodgers under center down 8 at the 8 yard line and Tom Brady on the other side of the ball. Your mind was I’ll trust my defense over Aaron Rodgers. Even Mike McCarthy wasn’t that dumb
— Corey B (@CoreyB08) January 24, 2021
Mike McCarthy when the Packers kicked pic.twitter.com/YUn8Ck5Cug
— Eric Rosenthal (@ericsports) January 24, 2021
If Rodgers only gets one Super Bowl ring it may be the greatest front office failure in the history of professional sports. To not surround the greatest QB talent ever with more throughout his career is nothing short of negligence. And Mike McCarthy deserves a lot of the blame.
— Scott Wapner (@ScottWapnerCNBC) January 24, 2021
Fire Mike McCarthy
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) January 24, 2021
Aaron Rodgers had to sit through Mike McCarthy dumbass for a decade plus and now during his 37th year old MVP season gets McCarthy’d by his 16 yo coach. It’s time, brother. Come home. @AaronRodgers12 @JohnLynch49ers
— Shohei Ohtani Stan Account (@AndyKHLiu) January 24, 2021
McCarthy does have a Super Bowl under his belt, so while he’s the subject of jokes in Green Bay on a regular basis, there’s a reason he’s still coaching in Dallas. LaFleur has a long way to go to even McCarthy’s accomplishments, and as scary as that is for Packers fans, the coach has to learn to trust his best players in crunch time.
Sadly for the 37-year-old Rodgers, it’s unlikely he has many potential trips to the Super Bowl remaining.