Matt LaFleur cost Packers real playoff hope with decision to play Christian Watson

Entering Week 18, the Green Bay Packers announced that Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander would miss the rest of the 2024 campaign after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. At the same time, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur announced that the team would not rest their starters against the Chicago Bears in Week 18, even though they had almost nothing to gain from a victory.

Green Bay clinched a playoff berth with a dominant win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 16, and they were locked into the NFC’s No. 7 seed if Washington won against Dallas, which they did. Alexander’s injury made that risk tougher to swallow, but the Packers coach believed it was a risk worth taking. 

Teams that play their best football in December and January are typically the ones who win the Super Bowl, and the Packers have not been playing their best football. After stumbling through the final month of the regular season, LaFleur was hoping to build some positive momentum before heading into the postseason — even if it came with the risk of exposing his players to potential injuries.

Matt LaFleur’s risk to play Packers’ starters backfired 

LaFleur’s plan backfired. Sunday’s loss against the Bears provided more questions than answers, and the Packers are heading into the playoffs with even more uncertainty than they had a week ago. Not only did Green Bay fail to gain any positive momentum, but they also lost wide receiver Christian Watson to a season-ending knee injury. 

Watson is believed to have torn his ACL and suffered additional damage, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Monday. The injury will end his 2024 season and could threaten his availability for the beginning of the 2025 season.

Watson was questionable with a knee injury before the game. Although he suffered the torn ACL in the opposite knee, the non-contact injury may have been caused by overcompensating for his lingering left knee injury. Some rest could have helped alleviate the additional pressure being placed on the knee, but it’s also possible that the injury was inevitable. If his knee was going to give out regardless, at least the Packers will have a full week to prepare without Watson rather than attempting to make adjustments in the middle of their opening playoff game. 

Packers quarterback Jordan Love also left the game after sustaining an elbow injury in the first half. Fortunately, Love’s elbow injury isn’t expected to hamper him in the playoffs.

The Packers have lost five of their seven games against opponents with a winning record this season. Along with their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, Green Bay dropped both games against the Minnesota Vikings and both games against the Detroit Lions. The Packers will now have to travel for a rematch against the Eagles in the Wild Card Round.