NFL Week 18: Packers always a disappointment waiting to happen

The 2022 NFL regular season is officially a wrap, and playoffs are set to start this weekend. Before we look into postseason matchups, it is time to look at teams who have missed out on the playoffs, while analyzing what those respective teams’ offseason plans could look like.

NFL Week 18: When the Packers have expectations, they will disappoint

It is the third consecutive season where the Packers’ season has ended in a lackluster performance at Lambeau field. The last two came against Tampa Bay and San Francisco. All three of the games have something in common – Green Bay mostly controlled the flow of the game but allowed the opposing team to stick around, leaving the Packers vulnerable to a late-game defeat.

It is drastic how much different the Packers play when they have nothing to lose compared to when they have something to lose.

At one point during the season, Green Bay was 4-8 with a bleak chance of making the playoffs, but by rattling off four straight wins and help of other contending teams losing, it looked like the Packers were primed to make the postseason. The last barrier was to defeat a Lions team that had truly nothing to play for after being eliminated earlier in the day by a Seahawks’ win.

However, it looked like Detroit was more poised and motivated to win the game. That clearly is not the case, but the Packers looked so underwhelming, especially the offense.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense could only manage 16 points against one of, if not the worst defense in the league. Up front, the Lions are stout, but in the back end is where you can take advantage as a quarterback. Rodgers would do just the opposite and was lucky not to have multiple interceptions in this one. In addition to throwing one interception, the 39-year-old quarterback had a pick dropped and another called back on an illegal hands-to-face penalty on the Lions’ defense.

Dumb penalties, including Quay Walker being ejected for shoving Lions’ training staff personnel and Rasul Douglas picking up the ball on a Detroit field goal attempt before halftime, were things that clearly did not help.

Similarly to the other two win-or-go-home games, Rodgers was abysmal in the fourth quarter. In the 2020 NFC championship game against the Buccaneers, Rodgers went 4-11 for 52 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions, while having a 52.8 passer rating in the final quarter. In last year’s divisional round against the 49ers in the fourth quarter, the 17-year veteran completed four of seven pass attempts for 17 yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 62.2 passer rating.

On Sunday night, Rodgers completed two of six pass attempts for 12 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and an embarrassing 2.8 passer rating. What these stats tell you is that Rodgers tends to play too safe and tightens up when facing adversity late in games.

Now the question is, do the Packers finally rip off the band-aid and move on from Rodgers and start Jordan Love next season?

I would say that is what Green Bay should do, but if Rodgers decides to come back, and refuses to be traded, then it will become a very tricky situation. However, it may just be time for the Packers to finally move on to their future quarterback after another underwhelming performance by Rodgers in an elimination game.