3 Green Bay Packers to blame for lifeless Wild Card playoff loss to Eagles

The Green Bay Packers could not pull off a miracle run like they did last year, where they made it to the Divisional Round as the No. 7 seed. With the same seeding, the Packers were coming off a brutal loss to the Chicago Bears, saw starting quarterback Jordan Love get banged up with a right elbow injury, and lost wide receiver Christian Watson for the season with a torn ACL. Next up? A 14-3 Philadelphia Eagles team that may be one of the better constructed rosters in the NFL.

On Sunday, the Packers were officially one-and-done in the playoffs. The Packers lost 22-10 to the Eagles to be the first NFC North team sent home in the playoffs.

The tone was basically set from the get-go on a lost fumble by Keisean Nixon on the opening kickoff. From there the Packers did their best to hold off the Eagles, with particular kudos needing to be sent to the defense. However, they just couldn't overcome their own self-inflicted wounds to keep it a game.

Here are three Packers most to blame for their lifeless defeat.

3 Packers to blame for early playoff exit to Eagles

3. Travis Glover, G

Green Bay's offensive line was tested early in the game. Starting left guard Elgton Jenkins suffered a stinger after taking a shot to his shoulder from an Eagles defender on their second drive of the game. With that, Matt LaFleur had to go with the next man up mantra, and called upon Travis Glover to take over at guard.

Well, Glover did everything in his power to get himself sent back to the bench. In limited playing time, Glover was flagged for three different penalties — one for ineligible player downfield and two for holding. Oh, and those all arrived in the first half. Once halftime ended, Glover did not return to the field.

No team can really succeed without their starting offensive linemen, especially in the playoffs. After all, that Eagles defense is tough. Glover didn't step up when the Packers needed him most.

2. Matt LaFleur, HC

When a team has this bad of a performance in a playoff game, all of the attention goes to the head coach. Look at the attention Mike Tomlin got after the Pittsburgh Steelers no-showed against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. Matt LaFleur deserves blame for Green Bay's loss to Philadelphia.

The Packers' play-calling was suspect, especially as we got later into the game. With the team trailing 19-10 with over seven minutes remaining, the Packers killed two and a half minutes on the clock with just five plays. There was no urgency on that drive, which resulted in a turnover on downs after quarterback Jordan Love's pass was overthrown to wide receiver Malik Heath.

There was also the opening drive of the second half, in which LaFleur's play-calling resulted in just a field goal despite being nine yards out of the end zone for three plays.

We get that the Packers offense was banged up throughout the game, but there had to be a better sense of urgency from LaFleur. Because he didn't, the Eagles escaped with a win.

1. Jordan Love, QB

What a rough game it was for Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Yes, Love didn't really get going this year after suffering a knee injury in the season-opener against the Eagles and suffered an injury to his throwing shoulder in Week 18. Yet, fans expected Love to step up in the playoffs like he did last year, resulting in the Packers nearly making it to the NFC Championship Game.

Love didn't do anything to bring the Packers close to the Divisional Round.

The turnovers killed the Packers, and Love contributed with three of them. In the second quarter, Love attempted to throw a deep pass to Dontayvion Wicks, but it landed in the hands of cornerback Darius Slay. Two drives later, Love threw an interception to Eagles linebacker Zach Baun. Ironically, the play before, Baun nearly picked off a throw from Love. The third arrived on Green Bay's final offensive drive, with Love trying to throw a touchdown in the end zone, only to get it picked off by rookie Quinyon Mitchell.

Love's decision-making wasn't great either. He made some baffling throws, and at one point, missed a wide open Tucker Kraft in the end zone in the first half. Overall, it was a rough game for Love, completing 20-of-33 pass attempts for 212 yards and zero touchdowns.

The Packers needed Love to have a good game to carry them to the next round. Unfortunately for them, Love had a rough outing, and it doomed them.