Matt LaFleur has surprising postgame reaction to Packers special teams disaster
The head coach of the Green Bay Packers had plenty to say after his team’s loss to the visiting San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs.
The No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and the lone team in the league not to lose a home game in 2021 were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers, 13-10, in the divisional round Saturday night at Lambeau Field.
There was plenty of blame to go around after the Green Bay Packers, a combined 39-10 in the regular season these last three seasons under head coach Matt LaFleur, failed to get to the Super Bowl after having home field advantage in the conference for the second consecutive year. But the team’s current sideline leader took to the podium and offered some clarity.
Matt LaFleur taking the blame for everything:
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) January 23, 2022
* Scoring just 10 points: “I put that all on myself.”
* ST debacle: “Unacceptable. That’s on me.”
* If Rodgers played well enough to win: “It’s more to do with I didn’t put our guys in position to make enough plays.” pic.twitter.com/YOx6HrZ3Fh
Green Bay was held to 263 total yards, the second-lowest total of the season behind only the Week 1 loss to the Saints (229). The team gained just 58 total yards in the second half. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sacked a season-high five times. Give the 49ers’ defense its due.
And those special teams’ issues that LaFleur was alluding to saw Mason Crosby have his 39-yard field goal blocked just before halftime. There was a blocked punt by the Niners that was returned for a touchdown with 4:41 to play. And as Warren Sharp pointed out, the Pack only had 10 men on the field when San Francisco’s Robbie Gould split the uprights from 45 yards out at the gun to give his team the win.
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For the second time in three years, LaFleur and company were bounced by old friend Kyle Shanahan and the Niners. San Francisco’s physical nature eventually took its toll on a Green Bay defense that still has some work to do when it comes to matching up against the league’s more powerful offensive line. That may be another thing that could be found on general manager Brian Gutekunst to-do list for 2022.