Green Bay Packers: The State of the Team After Another Disappointing Loss in the 2021 Playoffs

When it comes to what the state of the Green Bay Packers is right now after another disappointing loss in the 2021 postseason, think of the planetary system the Earth is in. Everything revolves around the Sun. In terms of what the Packers may do this offseason going into the 2022 NFL season, everything revolves around quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Yes, after a very disappointing 13-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lambeau Field, the Packers now have to move forward and focus on the near future.

What’s important to note about that brutal loss to the 49ers is that every point scored by San Francisco were put on the board by their special teams units. The Packers were up 10-3 with 4:50 left in the game and were facing a 4th and 19 from their own 12, when Jordan Willis of the 49ers blocked a Corey Bojorquez punt. The block was recovered by rookie Talanoa Hufanga at the 6-yard line, who then scampered in for a touchdown. The ensuing extra point tied the score, and most of the 79,000-plus at Lambeau were in total shock.

In a very ironic twist, there was also 4:50 left in the game at Lambeau on December 31, 1967, when the Packers went on their legendary 68-yard drive in the “Ice Bowl” to win the game, as Bart Starr scored the winning touchdown on his iconic quarterback sneak.

There would be no heroics like that for the Packers in the game against the Niners.

A number of people of folks in the media have called out the performance of Rodgers in the loss to the 49ers. “I didn’t have a great night tonight,” Rodgers said, as he addressed the media after the game. Rodgers talked about how he read things wrong at times (like missing a wide-open Allen Lazard on his last throw of the game and instead throwing a deep pass to double covered Davante Adams) and also how the 49ers limited the quick passing game that worked in Green Bay’s Week 3 win at San Francisco. “I definitely take my fair share of blame.”

It’s true that Rodgers did not have his best game. But he also didn’t soil the bed, like many in the media would have you believe. Rodgers was sacked five times in the game, which was the most times No. 12 had been sacked all year. In fact, the most Rodgers had been sacked in a game in 2021 was three times. Against the 49ers at Lambeau, more often than not, Rodgers was under pressure, which made the reads of Rodgers a quick exercise.

Still, the Green Bay offense should have been better, especially given how well the defense played against San Francisco (212 total yards and six points allowed). But it was another phase of the game which cost the Packers a chance to move on to the NFC title game. It was clear for all to see. The not-so-special teams of the Packers coached by Maurice Drayton.

The Packers went into the postseason knowing that they were ranked No. 32 in special teams play in the regular season, which has been done annually by one of the best NFL writers ever, Rick Gosselin, since the 1980s. That’s dead-last in the NFL in case you were wondering. That dismal ranking came back to bite the Packers in the behind in a big way against the Niners.

So, a lot of things need to be cleared up this offseason. Resolving the contract status of both Rodgers and Adams one way or the other to be sure, as well as fixing the salary cap issue. But the biggest red flag on the Packers is their subpar special teams play. That has to be a huge priority for the team. Since Matt LaFleur became head coach in 2019, the Packers have been ranked 26th (2019), 29th (2020) and 32nd (2021) by Gosselin. Even with that, the Packers won 13 games in each of those seasons.

That tells you how well Rodgers has played over these past three seasons, plus he is about to win his second straight NFL MVP award. Since 2019, in the regular season, Rodgers has thrown 111 touchdown passes versus just 13 interceptions for 12,416 yards. That adds up to a cumulative passer rating of 109.6.

But what about the play of Rodgers in the postseason, as the Packers are just 2-3 over the past three years? Well, Rodgers has thrown nine touchdown passes versus three interceptions for 1,436 yards. That adds up to a cumulative passer rating of 100.4. As you can see, Rodgers did not flame out and he actually played very well for the most part.

Football is a team sport. Ask Tom Brady why he has won seven Super Bowls. Yes, he has played great himself in most of those wins, but in almost every case in which “Tom Terrific” took home a Vince Lombardi Trophy, his teams had exceptional defenses, as well as stellar special teams play.

In terms of Rodgers and his immediate future, I see two options. I do not see Rodgers retiring. The soon to be four-time NFL MVP will either be back with the Packers in 2022 and beyond or with another team next season. The decision about which scenario takes place is up to Rodgers.

The Packers want him back. LaFleur said this in his season-ending press conference on Monday. “I just want to do everything in our power to try to get him back here and making sure he’s comfortable with the direction of our football team, and confident that we can continue to have success here and try to find a way to get us kind of over that hump.”

LaFleur also added this about Rodgers. “This guy has done so much for such a long period of time for this organization, for this city, for this team. And so, I want to be respectful of his process. Whatever he needs to go through to make the best decision for himself, and certainly we would love for him to be a Packer and be a Packer to the day he decides to retire.”

But LaFleur also knows some difficult options lie ahead for the Packers. “There’s ways to move money and to make sure that we get the bulk of our key contributors back. Are there absolutely going to be some tough decisions? No doubt about it. But I’m really confident in Russ’ [Russ Ball’s] ability and Gutey’s ability and us collectively to figure out a way to do this thing.”

Speaking of Gutey, aka general manager Brian Gutekunst of the Packers, his relationship with Rodgers has definitely gotten better this season.

Take it from Rodgers himself, as he talked about that relationship on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday. “I feel like I’m at a place relationally with the Packers, in a really good place, especially with Brian,” Rodgers said. “We have a friendship and trust has grown where it would be a simple conversation, and whatever is coming out of that conversation is moving forward. There’s not going to be any weird standoff war of silence or anything. Brian and I have had good conversations throughout the year. When it comes time to make a decision, we’ll have a conversation and that will be that.”

If Rodgers does indeed want to come back, the biggest obstacle in getting that done is his current contract and the salary cap. The Packers are currently about $48 million over the cap now and need to be down to the expected 2022 salary cap number of $208.2 million by March 16th.

I’ve been reading some estimates of what some agents feel Rodgers would be offered to entice his stay in Green Bay. Most feel that his salary would be in the range of $40 to $45 million, which could be done with a five-year deal for around $226 million, which would include a potential signing bonus of $80 million, which would be the largest signing bonus in NFL history. A deal like that would drop the current cap number of Rodgers, which is currently $46 million, down to around $36 million.

So, even with that deal, much more work needs to be done, which includes re-signing Adams to a new deal, preferably not using the franchise tag. Adams is slated to become a free agent in March.

LaFleur also addressed that issue.

“We kind of talked everything through and, again, another guy that we’re hopeful that we can come to an agreement with,” LaFleur said, via Nick Shook of NFL.com. “Obviously, he’s done so much on the field, but I think it’s still the stuff that you all don’t get to see within the meeting room, with how he talks to his teammates, with how he sets a standard for everybody, there’s a reason he was voted a captain, rightfully so. He earned that.

“I told him that he’s definitely earned the respect of not only his teammates but all of his coaches, as well, and I think everybody in this organization. Just his ability to compartmentalize his own situation and go out there and compete at the level he did each and every week, putting himself out there, obviously, in a contract year and just bringing it and playing at the highest of levels. He’s the best receiver in the league.”

If the Packers do their due diligence and were able to bring back Rodgers and Adams back for the next several years, while it would bring down the cap number substantially, there is more that the team needs to do to reduce the cap number.

Things like converting salaries into signing bonuses with players like David Bakhtiari, Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Kenny Clark and Adrian Amos. Those moves could take the cap number of the Packers down another $30 million or so.

But there will still be some tough cuts that may need to be made on the roster, unless certain players will reduce their current salary significantly or convert their salaries into signing bonuses. Players like Mason Crosby ($2,250,000), Randall Cobb ($7,875,000), Billy Turner ($5,450,000) and Dean Lowry ($5,000,0000).

And even with all that, re-signing players (like De’Vondre Campbell, Rasul Douglas, Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Robert Tonyan) who will be free agents in March would be very difficult.

Most of that would be a moot point if Rodgers tells the Packers that he wants to move on. If that’s the case, trading Rodgers to one of two teams in the AFC West would the preferable option. Those two teams would be the Denver Broncos or the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Broncos now have Nathaniel Hackett as their new head coach. Hackett was also the offensive coordinator for the Packers the past three seasons and he and Rodgers have a very tight relationship. The Broncos also have plenty of cap room to bring on a big cap hit like Rodgers, plus have multiple draft picks to offer the Packers in exchange for Rodgers.

The Broncos have five draft picks in the first three rounds, which includes the No. 9 pick in Round 1, plus has two second-round picks and two third-round picks. In addition, Denver has several late round picks which they could trade to the Packers, which would mean low-cost additions to the Green Bay roster. Plus, the Broncos could add young quarterback Drew Lock in the deal and let him compete with Jordan Love to see who will be the starter in Green Bay in 2022.

Lock has been with the Broncos for three years now and is still just 25 years old. Lock has not set the NFL world on fire, but he has shown flashes of being someone who could be successful in the NFL. Denver drafted Lock in Round 2 in the 2019 NFL draft out of Missouri.

While Lock’s future is similar to that of Love’s, as in there are still a number of questions of whether they will be top notch starting quarterbacks in the NFL, there is no question that Derek Carr of the Raiders has already proven that he can be successful. In eight years with the Raiders, Carr has thrown 193 touchdown passes versus 85 interceptions for 31,700 yards. That adds up to a passer rating of 92.4.

Trading Rodgers to the Raiders for Carr and some other assets (high draft picks etc.) would bring value for sure. For one, Carr’s relationship with Adams (they played together at Fresno State together) would be a huge benefit to the Packers. Owner Mark Davis (son of Al) is trying to make a big splash in “Sin City” after two years there and adding Rodgers to the team would be like the ultimate cannonball.

Bottom line, the ball is in the court of Rodgers. If Aaron wants to stay in Green Bay where he has been for the past 17 years, then the Packers will do what they need to do to make that happen. If Aaron wants to move on, the Packers can facilitate that as well, with Denver or Las Vegas being the best options for everyone involved.

As I wrote earlier, Rodgers is like the Sun with the Packers, all of their future decisions revolve around what he wants to do. We will find out soon enough what those decisions will be.

The Postseason History of the Green Bay Packers vs. the San Francisco 49ers

When the Green Bay Packers face the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC Divisional Round playoff game on Saturday night at Lambeau Field, it will be the ninth time the two teams have met in the postseason, which is the most in the history of the Packers.

Going into this game, the Packers had played eight games in the postseason versus the Niners, New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. In those eight games, the Packers held a 5-3 margin against the G-Men, while were 4-4 against the Cowboys and 49ers.

The Packers first played the Giants in the postseason in 1938, while it was after the 1966 season when the Packers first faced the Cowboys.

The postseason history between the Packers and 49ers is relatively new compared to those two matchups. The first time Green Bay and San Francisco met was after the 1995 season. That means that all nine of these postseason matchups occurred in a span of 26 years.

Before we look at the past, let’s look ahead to the game on Saturday night. It will definitely be frozen tundra weather, as the temperature is supposed to fall to 4 degrees into the evening. There is also a 50% chance of snow earlier the day.

Aaron Rodgers, who looks to be the NFL MVP in 2021, has the Green Bay offense clicking. Wide receiver Davante Adams once again has been brilliant and the one-two combination of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon at halfback has been very productive.

It also looks like another weapon will return, as wide receiver Randall Cobb is expecting to play after being out several weeks with a core muscle injury.

The offensive line, which has been besieged by injuries all season long, has stood up well through that adversity, plus now have left tackle David Bakhtiari and rookie center Josh Myers back.

But the bottom line, once again, for the Packers to win on Saturday night and to continue winning this postseason, the defense has to play much better than it has as of late.

Midway through the season, when the Packers were playing playoff teams like the Arizona Cardinals, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams, the defense was playing very well. But down the stretch of the season, things started to go south.

The best player of the Green Bay defense this year has to be inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, who has had a great year, both in stopping the run and in pass coverage. That’s why he was named First-Team All-Pro, just like Rodgers and Adams were.

Defensive tackle Kenny Clark has also played very well, as have outside linebackers Rashan Gary and Preston Smith. But the defense has to tighten up, which is why it is great news that a number of talented players could be back this week.

That would be cornerback Jaire Alexander and outside linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Whitney Mercilus. If those three could play on Saturday, that would be a big plus. Adding Alexander to a secondary that has already seen outstanding play by cornerbacks Eric Stokes (who is a rookie) and Rasul Douglas, would be huge.

But stopping the run is the big focus. That is where adding the depth of (Za’Darius) Smith and Mercilus on the outside would be very beneficial. The 49ers have one of the best, if not the best outside zone running schemes in the NFL. To beat the Niners, you have to stop or at least minimize the run game. The top running back for the Niners is Elijah Mitchell.

Force quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to beat you. Most of the focus should be on two players, wide receiver Deebo Samuel (who is also a threat running the ball) and tight end George Kittle.

Okay, let’s now take a look at the past postseason games between these two teams.

1995 NFC Divisional Round Game at 3Com Park: Packers 27, 49ers 17

The tone of this game occurred on the first offensive play of the game for the 49ers, when linebacker Wayne Simmons hammered fullback Adam Walker which forced a fumble. Cornerback Craig Newsome picked up the loose ball and ran it back 31 yards for a touchdown, as the Packers led the defending Super Bowl champs 7-0.

Quarterback Brett Favre used that momentum, as he was brilliant in the game, as he completed 21-of-28 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Favre had a passer rating of 132.9 in the game. The recipients of Favre’s touchdown tosses were tight end Keith Jackson on a 3-yard throw and tight end Mark Chmura on a 13-yard pass.

Jackson (101) and wide receiver Robert Brooks (103) each had over 100 yards receiving in the game.

Defensively, Simmons led the way with 10 tackles, which included a sack. Newsome added an interception to go with his fumble recovery for a score. In all, the Packers sacked quarterback Steve Young three times and picked him off twice. Young attempted 65 passes in the game, completing 32 of his throws for 328 yards. No. 8’s passer rating for the game was just 51.3. Young did have a rushing touchdown in the game, while wide receiver Jerry Rice had 11 catches for 117 yards.

Bottom line, the Packers had no turnovers, while the Niners had four. It was a great way for head coach Mike Holmgren of the Packers to return to his hometown and come away with a 27-17 shocking victory against his old team in front of 69,311 fans.

1996 NFC Divisional Round Game at Lambeau Field: Packers 35, 49ers 14

Quarterback Brett Favre had another nice game against the Niners in this game at cold and muddy Lambeau Field in front of 60,787 fans, as No. 4 had a passer rating of 107.4, as he completed 11-of-15 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Rison.

But in this game, it was the ground game and phenomenal special teams play which really made the difference in the game. Halfback Edgar Bennett rushed for 80 yards and two scores for the Packers, while fellow halfback Dorsey Levens chipped in another 46 yards.

But the real hero of the game was returner Desmond Howard, who returned two punts for 117 yards, which included a 71-yard return which gave the Packers a 7-0 lead early in the game.

Quarterback Steve Young lasted just two possessions for the Niners, before he had to leave the game with broken ribs. Backup quarterback Elvis Grbac threw for 125 yards and a touchdown, but also threw three picks, two by safety Eugene Robinson and one by cornerback Craig Newsome. LB Wayne Simmons led the Packers with eight tackles.

Just like the year before in the postseason, the Packers won big in the turnover game, as the Niners had five giveaways, while Green Bay had just one, as the Packers won going away 35-14.

The Packers would go on and win Super Bowl XXXI that postseason.

1997 NFC Championship Game at 3Com Park: Packers 23, 49ers 10

In front of a crowd of 68,987, the Packers won their straight playoff game against the 49ers in as many years to advance to Super Bowl XXXII. This game matched head coach Mike Holmgren of the Packers going up one of his former assistant coaches on the Packers, Steve Mariucci, who was now the head coach of the Niners.

Quarterback Brett Favre continued his solid play against the 49ers, as he threw for 222 yards and a score and had a 98.1 passer rating in the game. But the ground game became a big weapon in the game for the Packers just like the previous postseason game vs. San Francisco, as halfback Dorsey Levens rushed for 114 yards and a score, as the Packers won 23-10.

Wide receiver Antonio Freeman of the Packers had a big game, as No. 86 had four receptions for 107 yards and a score.

Quarterback Steve Young of the Niners threw for 250 yards, but did not have a touchdown pass, but did toss a pick, which safety Eugene Robinson nabbed and returned 58 yards. Young was also sacked four times, twice by Keith McKenzie and once each by Reggie White and Bernardo Harris.

Wide receiver Terrell Owns had six receptions for 100 yards for the 49ers.

In the end though, it would be Holmgren and his Packers going on to their second straight Super Bowl.

1998 NFC Wild Card Game at 3Com Park: 49ers 30, Packers 27

In front of a crowd of 66,506, the Packers and 49ers took this Wild Card contest down to the final seconds of the game. Both teams were playing for the fourth consecutive time in the 1998 postseason, which turned out to be the last game Mike Holmgren would ever coach for the Packers. Coaching the 49ers was Holmgren’s former quarterbacks coach with the Packers, Steve Mariucci.

Unlike the three previous postseason games against the 49ers, quarterback Brett Favre did not have his “A” game, as he threw two interceptions to go with his two touchdown passes. No. 4 threw for 292 yards and had a 79.7 passer rating.

Plus, halfback Dorsey Levens ran for 116 yards and a touchdown, plus caught six passes for 37 more yards.

That should have been enough to win, as Favre threw a late touchdown pass to wide receiver Antonio Freeman to give the Packers a 27-23 lead with just 1:56 left on the clock. That was Freeman’s second touchdown reception of the game.

In the ensuing drive, Jerry Rice fumbled the ball after a catch that by today’s replay rules, would have been ruled a fumble, but back then the officials ruled that Rice was down before he fumbled.

That led to a 25-yard touchdown pass from Young to Terrell Owens with just seconds remaining in the game. Owens caught the ball in a crowd after have many other drops during the course of the game, as the 49ers won 30-27.

That game was also the last game Reggie White, the “Minister of Defense”, would ever play for the Packers.

2001 NFC Wild Card Game at Lambeau Field: Packers 25, 49ers 15

In this game in Green Bay, in front of 59,825 fans, quarterback Brett Favre had another nice day against the Niners, as he threw for 269 yards and had two touchdown passes versus one pick. No. 4’s passer rating for the game was 112.6, as the Packers won 25-15.

Wide receiver Antonio Freeman and tight end Bubba Franks caught the touchdown passes from Favre. Freeman caught six passes for 84 yards and his score. Halfback Ahman Green also rushed for 86 yards and a score.

Quarterback Jeff Garcia of the 49ers threw for 233 yards, which included a touchdown pass to Tai Streets. But Garcia also threw a pick a pick to cornerback Tyrone Williams and was sacked twice, including one by defensive tackle Gilbert Brown.

Halfback Garrison Hearst of the Niners rushed for 42 yards and also scored a touchdown.

2012 NFC Divisional Round Game at Candlestick Park: 49ers 45, Packers 31

The game got off to a fairly nice start for the visiting Packers, as cornerback Sam Shields returned an interception thrown by quarterback Colin Kaepernick for 52 yards and a score to put Green Bay up 7-0. After that start, it soon became obvious that the Packers were going to have issues keeping with a San Francisco offense that was gashing the defense of the Packers, especially on the ground.

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers had no answers for containing Kaepernick that night, as No. 7 rushed for 181 yards and two scores on the night. Overall, the run defense allowed a whopping 323 rushing yards and four scores.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 26-of-39 passes for 257 yards and two touchdown passes, one each to James Jones and Greg Jennings. No. 12 also threw a pick which set up a 48-yard scoring drive for the Niners.

On normal nights, 31 points in a playoff game most likely gets a team a win. But not on this night, as the Packers allowed a colossal 579 yards in total offense to the 49ers, in which most of the 69,732 in attendance thoroughly enjoyed.

2013 NFC Wild Card Game at Lambeau Field: 49ers 23, Packers 20

In this playoff game, in front of 77,525 fans at Lambeau Field, the Packers were focused on limiting the damage done by quarterback Colin Kaepernick of the 49ers, who had demolished the Green Bay defense the year before in the postseason.

The Packers were somewhat successful in that quest, but Kaepernick still rushed for 98 yards and the game, plus threw for 227 more yards. But compared to what he had done the year before in the playoff versus the Packers (444 total yards), at least the Dom Capers defense “held” No. 7 to 325 total yards this time.

The Packers did pick off a pass from Kaepernick (the only turnover of the game for either side) which stopped a 49er drive and led to a Green Bay touchdown. The Packers also sacked Kaepernick three times.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who had missed several games during the 2013 season due to a broken collarbone and had just returned the week before in a stirring comeback win against da Bears to win the NFC North, had a solid game. No. 12 threw for 177 yards and a touchdown (to Jordy Nelson) and did not throw a pick.

Rodgers was also sacked four times. Late in the 4th quarter, the Packers were trailing 20-17 when they drove deep into San Francisco territory. However, the Packers had to settle for a Mason Crosby 24-yard field goal.

The on the ensuing drive, Kaepernick, after almost throwing another pick to safety Micah Hyde, drove the Niners down to the Green Bay 15, where Phil Dawson of the 49ers hit the game-winning field goal with no time left on the clock.

2019 NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium: 49ers, 37, Packers 20

Like some earlier postseason games between the Packers and 49ers, the head coaches of each team knew each other well. Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Packers had worked with head coach Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers previously in Washington and Atlanta. They both ran the same type of offense, which is the outside zone running scheme.

On this game, in front of 72,211, the Niners put on a clinic as to how to correctly run the outside zone scheme. The Niners rushed for a whopping 285 yards and had four rushing touchdowns. Most of the damage was done by halfback Raheem Mostert, who ran for 220 yards and had all of the rushing scores by San Francisco.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo only attempted eight passes in the game, completing six of them.

The quarterback for the Packers, Aaron Rodgers, had to put the ball in the air quite a bit more often, as the Packers were down 27-0 at halftime. No. 12 completed 31-of-39 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns (one each to Aaron Jones and Jace Sternberger). Rodgers also threw two interceptions, one which led to the final touchdown of the 1st half by the 49ers

Rodgers was sacked three times but was ablet to get the ball often to his favorite receiver, Davante Adams, who had nine receptions for 138 yards.

Bottom line, the 27-point deficit was just too much to overcome for the Packers, who once again were gashed on the ground by the 49ers, which seems to be a theme lately in this postseason series.

Green Bay Packers: 30 Years of Sustained and Consistent Success

The Green Bay Packers have had some glorious eras in the over 100-year history of their storied franchise. It all started in the beginning, when their first head coach Curly Lambeau ran the team for almost three decades.

In those 29 years under Lambeau (1921 through 1949), the Packers went 209-104-2 in the regular season. That is a winning percentage of .668. The Packers under Lambeau only had three losing seasons in those 29 years. The Packers also won six NFL titles in that same period.

The next great period for the Packers was the 1960s under head coach Vince Lombardi. In the nine years when Lombardi was head coach, the team went 89-24-4 in the regular season. That adds up to a winning percentage of .754.

In addition to that, the Packers went 9-1 in the postseason under Lombardi, which included winning five NFL titles in seven years. The Packers also won an unprecedented three NFL titles in a row (including the first two Super Bowls). No other NFL team has ever duplicated that feat in the playoff era, which dates back to 1933.

The Lambeau Packers also won three NFL titles in a row, but that was before the playoff era started in the NFL.

The next period of greatness started in 1992 and continues to this day. In that 30-year period, the Packers have gone 306-173-2 in the regular season. That adds up to a winning percentage of .638.

In those 30 years, except for a four-year period, when Mike Sherman was both head coach and general manager, the Packers have separated those two duties.

It all started with Ron Wolf, who was GM from 1991-2001, then Sherman (2001-2004), then Ted Thompson (2005-2017) and currently Brian Gutekunst, who became the new GM in 2018.

Let’s take a look at the regular season success that the five primary head coaches that the Packers have had (Joe Philbin was 2-2 as an interim head coach in 2018) since 1992.

• Mike Holmgren 75-37 (regular season) 9-5 (postseason)
• Ray Rhodes 8-8
• Mike Sherman 57-39 (regular season) 2-4 (postseason)
• Mike McCarthy 125-77-2 (regular season) 10-8 (postseason)
• Matt LaFleur 39-10 (regular season) 2-2 (postseason)

During that 30-year period, the Packers will have made it to the postseason 22 times, which includes 15 NFC Central/North titles. The two biggest reasons for that success? Two quarterbacks. Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.

Favre had a record of 160-93 in the regular season for the Packers. Rodgers has a record of 139-66-1 in the regular season so far in his career in Green Bay. Favre was 12-10 in the postseason, which included a win in Super Bowl XXXI, while Rodgers is 11-9 in the postseason, which includes a win in Super Bowl XLV.

The Pack has also played in nine NFC title games but are only 3-6 in those games. Favre was 2-2 in NFC championship games for the Packers, while Rodgers is 1-4 in those title games. But placing the blame at the feet of Rodgers in those championship games is definitely unreasonable. It’s awful difficult to win any game when your defense gives up an average of 35 points per game, which is what the Packers have given up on average in their last four NFC title game appearances.

That is the biggest difference between the current era that the Packers are in, compared to the eras of Lambeau and Lombardi, when the team won a combined 11 NFL titles, as opposed to only two Super Bowl victories in the past 30 years.

That may change in the 2021 postseason, as the Packers do have the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

If you look at the GM and head coach firings going on in the NFL currently, which includes the two biggest rivals of the Packers, the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings, it’s important to look at the big picture of success for the Packers over the past three decades.

Let’s just look at the records of da Bears, Vikings and Detroit Lions of the NFC North over the past 30 years.

In the past 30 years, only the Bears have made it to the Super Bowl, which was after the 2006 season. And in Super Bowl XLI, Chicago lost to the Indianapolis Colts 29-17. Da Bears have won five NFC Central/North titles over the past 30 years and have gone to the postseason seven times. Chicago has also had seven head coaches (Mike Ditka, Dave Wannstedt, Dick Jauron, Lovie Smith, Marc Trestman, John Fox and Matt Nagy) over the past three decades. The eighth head coach since 1992 will be named soon.

The Vikings have not been to the Super Bowl since the 1970s. Over the past 30 years, the Vikes have won the NFC Central/North eight times. Minnesota has made it to the postseason 15 times in the past 30 years. In the past three decades, the Vikings have had five head coaches (Dennis Green, Mike Tice, Brad Childress, Leslie Frazier and Mike Zimmer) and will be adding another one soon.

The Lions have never been to the Super Bowl. Detroit has only one NFC Central title to its credit since 1992. In the past three decades, the Lions have been to the postseason eight times. The Lions have gone through a myriad of coaches (Wayne Fontes, Bobby Ross, Gary Mueller, Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci, Dick Jauron, Rod Marinelli, Jim Schwartz, Jim Caldwell, Matt Patricia, Darrell Bevell, Robert Prince and Dan Campbell) since 1992.

Bottom line, the Packers have been one of the winningest teams in the NFL over the past 30 years (behind only the New England Patriots). There have been just four losing seasons during that period. Again, the Packers will have made 22 postseason appearances in the past three decades, which includes 15 NFC Central/North championships.

Perhaps this is the year that the Packers can improve their mark to 4-6 in NFC title game and also add their third Vince Lombardi Trophy during that 30-year period.

I like the chances of that happening, especially if the defense can get back to the form it showed midway through the 2021 season, when the Packers played playoff teams like the Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams and the defense looked outstanding for the most part.

Green Bay Packers: The Early Tenure of Matt LaFleur is Very Similar to Vince Lombardi’s First Three Years

Although I’m definitely not in the category of someone like Nostradamus, I believed that the Green Bay Packers made a great hire when they brought in Matt LaFleur to become their new head coach in 2019. I thought that LaFleur had the attributes and the background that would make him a successful head coach.

I never believed LaFleur would be this successful, however.

Since LaFleur became the head coach, the Packers have gone 13-3 in 2019, 13-3 in 2020 and 13-3 again so far in 2021. That makes LaFleur the winningest head coach in NFL history in his first three years in the league.

It also was not expected that LaFleur that would come out of the gate like he did with all those wins based on the two previous seasons. The Packers were 7-9 in 2017 and 6-9-1 in 2018.

LaFleur is on a similar level with that of the legendary Vince Lombardi, when he coached the Pack. When Lombardi took over the Packers in 1959, the team had not had a winning record since 1947. The Packers finished 7-5 that season and then won the Western Conference in 1960 with an 8-4 record, and then won the NFL title in 1961 with an 11-3 record.

When Lombardi was hired in 1959, he was named both head coach and general manager. When LaFleur was hired in 2019, he has formed a partnership with general manager Brian Gutekunst.

So, while the winning percentage of the Packers under Lombardi wasn’t as good as it has been under LaFleur, Lombardi won an NFL championship in his third year, after narrowly missing in his second year, when the Packers lost 17-13 in the 1960 NFL title game versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

LaFleur has a similar opportunity in 2021. The Packers have been to back-to-back NFC championship game under LaFleur in 2019 and 2020. The Packers now have the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs in 2021.

There are some differences in terms of the personnel. When Lombardi became head coach of the Packers in 1959, he had his doubts about the ability of quarterback Bart Starr, which was why he traded for Lamar McHan. Starr did end up winning the job for good midway through the 1960 season.

When LaFleur became the head man in Green Bay in 2019, he knew he had one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL in Aaron Rodgers, but No. 12 at that point was not as effective as he had been earlier in the Mike McCarthy era.

Both Lombardi and LaFleur knew that the passing game would be much better with an effective ground game.

In 1958, the year before Lombardi came to Green Bay, the Packers were 10th in the NFL in running the football. The team finished 1-10-1 that season under coach Ray “Scooter” McLean.

A number of talented players were on that team, which won only one game in 1958—with players like Starr, Jim Ringo, Jerry Kramer, Forrest Gregg, Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung.

The focus of the team offensively changed when Lombardi came to town. The Packers would live or die on offense with a play called the power sweep, which Lombardi had successfully used in New York with the Giants when he ran their offense.

Taylor and Hornung became the focal point of the Green Bay offense. No. 31 rushed for 1,101 and 11 scores in 1960 and 1,307 and 15 touchdowns in 1961. No. 5 led the league in scoring for three straight years starting in 1959 and was named NFL MVP in 1961.

In 1959, the Packers improved to finish third in the NFL in rushing. In 1960 the Packers finished second in the league. And in 1961, the Packers led the NFL in rushing. And by 1961, Starr had the best season of his career, as he threw 16 touchdown passes, with Max McGee, Boyd Dowler and Ron Kramer combining for 14 of those scores.

It also helped that both Taylor and Hornung were great receiving options in the passing game of the Packers. From 1959 through 1961, Taylor and Hornung combined for 107 receptions and seven scores.

1961 was also the first year an NFL title game was ever played in Green Bay, when the Packers defeated the New York Giants 37-0 at new City Stadium (now Lambeau Field), thanks to an assist due to the friendship of Lombardi and President John F. Kennedy.

When LaFleur came to Green Bay, his offensive philosophy was also based on toting the rock in a system called the outside zone running scheme. That same system saw quarterback Matt Ryan win the NFL MVP award in 2016 when LaFleur was part of that coaching staff and also saw second-year quarterback Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams take his game to the next level in 2017 when LaFleur was offensive coordinator for the Rams.

In seven starts as a rookie in 2016, Goff was 0-7 as a starter and had just five TD passes versus seven interceptions for 1,089 yards. That adds up to a paltry passer rating of 63.6.

But in 2017, under the guidance of LaFleur, Goff really took off, as he was 11-4 as a starter, plus threw 28 touchdown passes versus seven picks for 3,804 yards. Goff’s passer rating improved to a very nice 100.4 mark.

Not only did LaFleur get Goff on the right track, but the Rams started using the skills of talented running back Todd Gurley much better in 2017.

In 2015, Gurley was the Offensive Rookie of the Year, but in 2016, things went south for the former Georgia Bulldog. In his second season, Gurley only rushed for 885 yards and his yards-per-carry average went down by over a yard and a half, as he only averaged 3.2 yards per rush.

But in 2017 under LaFleur, Gurley had a monster year, as he was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Gurley rushed for 1,305 yards (4.7 average) and 13 TDs, plus caught 64 passes for 788 yards and six more scores.

LaFleur saw that same ability with running back Aaron Jones of the Packers. In 2019, Jones rushed for 1,084 yards and 16 touchdowns. In 2020, No. 33 rushed for 1,104 and nine touchdowns. So far in 2021, Jones has rushed for 799 yards and four scores.

In 2019 and 2020, Jones was often teamed with running back Jamaal Williams. But in 2021, that role has gone to AJ Dillon and that has given the Packers the best one-two running attack in the NFL. Dillon has rushed for 740 yards and five scores.

And like Taylor and Hornung, both Jones and Dillon are excellent receivers. Since 2019, Jones has caught 148 passes just by himself for 1,220 yards and 11 touchdowns. Dillon, who wasn’t used much as a receiver at Boston College, has turned out to be a great weapon through the air as well, as No. 28 has 33 catches for 309 yards and two scores in 2021.

Rodgers has really thrived under LaFleur as his head coach. So far, from 2019 through this point late in the 2021 season, Rodgers has thrown 109 touchdown passes versus just 13 interceptions for 12,387 yards. By the way, that touchdown to interception ratio by Rodgers from 2019 through 2021 is a phenomenal 8.3 to 1.

In his career, Rodgers now has a ratio of 4.8 to 1. Only Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs comes close, as he has 4.02 to 1 ratio.

Rodgers was the NFL MVP in 2020 and he is currently the favorite to win that same award in 2021.

It also doesn’t hurt Rodgers to have the best wide receiver in the NFL on his team. I’m talking about Davante Adams. From 2019 to this point in 2021, Adams has put up mind-boggling stats. No. 17 has 315 receptions over that time for 4,184 yards and 34 touchdowns.

Lombardi did have an advantage over LaFleur in terms of the defense he had on his teams.

In 1959, the Packers were ranked 3rd in total defense in the NFL. In 1960, the Packers were ranked 7th. And in 1961, the Packers finished 6th in the league in total defense under defensive coordinator Phil Bengtson.

LaFleur has not been as fortunate with the defensive play on his teams. In 2019 and 2020 under defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, the Packers finished 18th and 9th respectively in total defense. In 2021, under new defensive coordinator Joe Barry, the defense is currently ranked No. 11 in total defense.

Bottom line, according to the oddsmakers in Las Vegas, the Packers have the best odds (+325) of winning Super Bowl LVI at SoFI Stadium on February 13th. If that indeed happens, both Lombardi and LaFleur would have won NFL titles in just their third year coaching the Packers.

Green Bay Packers: The Super Bowl XXXI Champions

The 1996 Green Bay Packers were one of the best teams in the history of the storied franchise which dates back to 1919. All phases of the football team were excellent as the team went 13-3 and later won Super Bowl XXXI. The offense of the Packers, led by NFL MVP Brett Favre, led the NFL in total offense. The defense of the Packers, led by defensive end Reggie White, was also ranked No. 1 in total defense. And on special teams, thanks to the record-breaking performance by returner Desmond Howard, was ranked seventh in the annual special teams rankings done by long-time NFL writer Rick Gosselin.

On offense, Favre won his second straight NFL MVP award in 1996, as No. 4 threw 39 touchdown passes versus just 13 interceptions for 3,899 yards. That adds up to a passer rating of 95.8. In addition, Favre was named First-Team All-Pro, plus was named to the Pro Bowl squad. Favre was just a fantastic in the postseason, as he led the Packers to three straight postseason wins, which included the 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. In those three games, Favre threw five touchdown passes versus only one pick for 617 yards. Favre’s passer rating in the postseason was 107.5. In Super Bowl XXXI, Favre threw two touchdown passes without an interception for 246 yards, plus scored a touchdown himself.

But Favre also had help on offense, which included the assistance he received from halfback Dorsey Levens. No. 25 split time at halfback with Edgar Bennett (899 yards and two scores) and both performed admirably. Levens rushed for 566 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season, plus caught 31 passes for 226 yards and five more scores. In the postseason, Levens rushed for 195 yards, plus caught 10 passes for 156 yards and one score. Included in those totals was the performance of Levens in the NFC Championship Game at Lambeau Field against the Carolina Panthers, as Levens rushed for 88 yards, plus caught five passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Both Bennett and Levens received some help going through holes thanks to the great blocking of fullback William Henderson, who also was a nice receiver out of the backfield.

In terms of the receivers, the favorite target of Favre was wide receiver Antonio Freeman. No. 86 was given that responsibility when Robert Brooks was lost for the season with a knee injury in Week 7. Freeman also had an injury scare in the 1996 season, as he broke his arm and missed four games, but the former Virginia Tech star still caught 56 passes for 933 yards and nine touchdowns. Freeman also came up big in the postseason, as No. 86 caught nine passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. One of those touchdown receptions came in Super Bowl XXXI, as Freeman caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from Favre, after an audible from No. 4.

Don Beebe also made an impact at receiver after signing with the Packers as a free agent. Beebe caught 39 passes for 699 yards and four touchdowns. Beebe’s biggest game came against the 49ers in the regular season when No. 82 caught 11 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown, as the Packers beat the Niners 23-20 in overtime.

The Packers added veteran wide receiver Andre Rison late in the season because of all of the injuries at the receiver position and Rison came up big in the postseason. “Bad Moon” had seven catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. One of those touchdown catches came early in Super Bowl XXXI, when Rison caught a 54-yard pass from Favre for a score.

The Packers had a great one-two combination at tight end, as they had Keith Jackson and Mark Chmura manning that position. Jackson was Favre’s deep threat down the seam and he always seemed to find the end zone on a big play. In the regular season, Jackson had 40 receptions for 505 yards and 10 touchdowns. Jackson was also named to the Pro Bowl squad. In the postseason, Jackson added five more catches for 44 yards. In the opening game in 1996 at Tampa Stadium, when the Packers faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the talents of Jackson were shown for all to see that day. No. 88 caught five passes for 76 yards in that game, which included three touchdowns. One of which was a 51-yard scamper when Jackson high-stepped into the end zone just before halftime.

The offensive line of the Packers was very good, although the left tackle position was a bit inconsistent. But between left guard Aaron Taylor, center Frank Winters (went to the Pro Bowl), right guard Adam Timmerman and right tackle Earl Dotson, the Packers had four of the better players in the NFL at those positions. At left tackle, the Packers first tried rookie John Michels there, plus also used Gary Brown trying to protect Favre’s blindside. The Packers finally settled on veteran Bruce Wilkerson, who did a fine job at left tackle in all three postseason games.

The No. 1 Green Bay defense was led by White. No. 92 had 8.5 sacks in the regular season, plus forced three fumbles and also recovered three fumbles. In addition to that, White had an interception which he returned for 46 yards. “The Minister of Defense” was also named to the Pro Bowl in ’96. In the postseason, White had a huge game in Super Bowl XXXI, as he sacked quarterback Drew Bledsoe of the Patriots three times. White definitely had some great help across the defensive front of the Packers, as fellow defensive end Sean Jones, also had a fine year in 1996. No. 96 had five sacks, also forced three fumbles and recovered another one. Jones also recovered a fumble in the Divisional Round Playoff Game against the San Francisco 49ers at muddy and soggy Lambeau Field.

While White and Jones were great bookends on the defensive line of the Packers, the two defensive tackles between them also excelled. They were Santana Dotson and Gilbert Brown. Dotson was more of a pass-rusher, as No. 71 had 5.5 sacks in ’96, plus forced a fumble and recovered one. Dotson also had a sack in Super Bowl XXXI. Brown, also known as “The Gravedigger”, was known for his stout run defense. No. 93 only had one sack, but his ability to stuff the run was phenomenal. The Packers were No. 4 in rushing defense in 1996, as the team allowed just 88.5 yards per game and just 3.5 yards per carry. No. 93 was a big reason why.

The linebacker unit was led by middle linebacker George Koonce, who led the team in tackles with 97. But in the first playoff game versus the 49ers, Koonce injured his knee. Koonce was replaced by Ron Cox, who did a commendable job replacing No. 53 in the postseason. The Packers also had two very good outside linebackers. Left linebacker Wayne Simmons was most definitely the enforcer on the defense with his vicious style of tackling, which forced two fumbles and also accounted for 2.5 sacks. Brian Williams was also steady on the right side, as he had 83 tackles on the season.

The secondary of the Packers was also strong, especially due to the play of the safeties, LeRoy Butler and Eugene Robinson. The passing defense of the Packers was ranked No. 1, as the team allowed just 12 touchdown passes all season long, plus picked off 26 passes. Opposing quarterbacks were held to just a 55.4 passer rating.

Butler had a great year in 1996, both in the regular season and postseason. In the regular season, Butler did it all. No. 36 had 87 combined tackles, 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. In addition, Butler had five interceptions for 149 yards and one touchdown. Butler was honored for his performance in 1996 by being named First-Team All-Pro, as well as being named to the Pro Bowl team. In the postseason, Butler continued being a real difference-maker for the Packers. In Super Bowl XXXI, when the Packers were not getting enough pass pressure on Bledsoe early in the game, defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur had Butler blitz. That blitzing by Butler caused a sack and also an interception which led to a score.

Robinson was the perfect partner at safety for Butler, as his veteran leadership was apparent all season long in 1996. Robinson had 81 combined tackles, plus had six interceptions for 107 yards in the regular season. No. 41 also picked off two passes against the 49ers in the playoff game at Lambeau.

When the Packers played a nickel defense, veteran safety Mike Prior would come into the game and his savvy play came in handy when he picked off a Bledsoe pass in Super Bowl XXXI.

The Packers were solid at the cornerback position as well, as both Doug Evans (five interceptions and 78 tackles) and Craig Newsome (two interceptions and 71 tackles) both played the run well, besides being nice pass defenders. Both Evans and Newsome had a pick apiece in Super Bowl XXXI as well.

When it came to punt return ability, Howard had a season for the ages in 1996. No. 81 led the NFL in punt returns (58), punt return yards (875), punt return average (15.1), and punt return touchdowns (3), plus his 875 punt return yards were an NFL record, easily surpassing the old record of 692 yards set by Fulton Walker in 1985. If that wasn’t enough, then came the unbelievable postseason that Howard had for the Packers. In the playoff game against the 49ers at Lambeau, Howard had a 71-yard punt return for a touchdown, and then a 46-yard punt return that set up another score. Then in Super Bowl XXXI, Howard returned six punts for 90 yards, plus returned a kickoff for 99 yards and a score when the game was in the balance, as the Packers had just had their lead cut to 27-21 by the Patriots. That touchdown and two-point conversion gave the Packers a 35-21 lead, which turned out to be the final score. That led to Howard being named the MVP of Super Bowl XXXI.

Placekicker Chris Jacke was 21-of-27 in field goals and scored 114 points overall during the 1996 season. Craig Hentrich had a 42.4 average as a punter and was very consistent.

The dynamic duo of general manager Ron Wolf and head coach Mike Holmgren made the ’96 Packers a very exceptional team.

Wolf added players like Favre, White, Jones, Jackson, Brown, Howard, Beebe, Rison, Robinson, Prior and Wilkerson through trades and free agency, plus drafted some nice talent when he selected players like Brooks, Freeman, Chmura, Bennett, Levens, Henderson, Simmons, Evans and Newsome.

Holmgren coached the Packers to their first Super Bowl win since 1968. Holmgren was also the steadying force who made Favre into a three-time NFL MVP.

Speaking of the 1996 Packers, I suggest that you look for two great books about that team. The first is Green Bay Replay by the late, great Dick Schaap. The photographs in that book were taken by Dan Kramer, the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Kramer.

Dan also a published a wonderful coffee-table photography book called Return to Glory, which has 104 fantastic photos from that unforgettable ’96 season for the Packers.

Bottom line, the 1996 season was a very significant and special year in the long history of the Packers.