The Green Bay Packers need more than Aaron Rodgers to win in the playoffs.
For the third time in the last 10 seasons, the Green Bay Packers have led the NFL in scoring. Matt LaFleur’s club totaled a league-best 509 points thanks to monster seasons from veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers (see NFL.com’s Michael Silver), running back Aaron Jones, wide receiver Davante Adams, tight end Robert Tonyan and an offensive line that was top-notch.
The NFC North champions also committed an NFL-low 11 turnovers on the way to capturing the top playoff seed in the conference.
Meanwhile, although the club allowed more points this past season (369) than a year ago, Mike Pettine’s defense has become to emerge as of late. The team started to play the run better than a year ago. And after allowing 187 points in their first seven games (26.7 average), LaFleur’s club allowed 182 points during the Packers’ 8-1 finish. Green Bay allowed 30-plus points in three of their first six contests and just once the remainder of the season.
But now comes the postseason. And roughly over the last decade, the Packers have not answered the bell in the playoff when it comes to this side of the ball.
Aaron Rodgers has started 18 postseason games since 2009 and the club owns a 10-8 record in those outings. Four of those victories came in the team’ successful Super Bowl XLV title run so it’s easy to do the math since 2011.
But keep in mind that in Rodgers’ first playoff start, the Pack fell at Arizona, 51-45 in overtime in what remains the highest-scoring postseason game in NFL annals. And to be fair, the Cardinals’ game-winning points came via a Rodgers’ fumble which he booted into the air and into the hands of linebacker Karlos Dansby.
Here are some interesting numbers to consider, however. The talented quarterback has connected on 64.3 percent of his throws for 5,027 yards, 40 scores and a dozen interceptions in 18 postseason tilts. There have also been four lost fumbles but those are more-than-respectable numbers.
That’s not necessarily the case when it comes to the defense over those year. All told, Green Bay has allowed a brisk 26.8 points per game in Rodgers’ 18 playoff starts (483 total points). That’s 192 points in 10 wins (19.2 average) and an incredible 291 points (36.4) in eight setbacks.
If the Green Bay Packers’ defense continues to play as it has as of late, the Los Angeles Rams could be in for a long afternoon on Saturday afternoon at Lambeau Field. But if Pettine’s unit doesn’t come up big this weekend, the Packers’ Super Bowl chances could be in real “Jeopardy.”