The Green Bay Packers, led by Matt LaFleur, entered the divisional round of the playoffs on a four-game winning streak, which included a wild-card victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Despite the team’s collective efforts, their hopes for a second Lombardi trophy were shattered in a hard-fought battle against the San Francisco 49ers.
Despite the team’s collective effort, kicker Anders Carlson became a point of concern for the head coach, Matt LaFleur, casting a shadow over the Packers’ playoff journey.
Matt LaFleur reveals his far-from-confident stance on Anders Carlson
In spite of being known for his motivational approach, before the NFC Divisional round, Matt LaFleur expressed a lack of confidence in kicker Anders Carlson. Fox Sports commentator Matt Rinaldi shared LaFleur’s sentiments during the broadcast, stating, “When we talked to the head coach, Matt LaFleur, about this, he basically said ‘when he (Carlson) goes out there, I just pray.”
“When he goes out there, I just pray”
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 21, 2024
Matt LaFleur doesn’t have a lot of faith in his kickerpic.twitter.com/fWQtniissi
While Carlson managed to avoid major blunders during the game, a missed opportunity haunted the Packers. A critical moment came when the kicker failed to convert a 41-yard field goal just before the San Francisco 49ers took a 24-21 lead with a touchdown from Christian McCaffrey.
This pivotal miss altered the course of the game. If he could seize the opportunity, the Packers would have led 24-17, and McCaffrey’s subsequent touchdown would have tied the game. Instead, the missed opportunity allowed the 49ers to secure a 24-21 victory, advancing to the NFC Championship.
LaFleur expressed bewilderment about the kicker’s error after the game. Even the NFL fans came out with astonishing acts regarding the kicker’s struggle on the field. The missed field goal added to the ongoing kicking issues the Packers have faced throughout the season.
Packer HC rues missed opportunities
Following the Packers’ heart-wrenching loss to the 49ers, Green Bay Matt LaFleur couldn’t help but express the pain and disappointment that echoed through the Packers’ locker room.
He at first credited the 49ers, acknowledging their resilience and effectiveness throughout the game. Nevertheless, LaFleur addressed the missed opportunities that plagued the Packers throughout the match.
“Part of the reason it stings so bad is we fully believed and fully expected to win. … Felt like we had plenty of opportunities to put the game out of reach and unfortunately didn’t do enough.”
Matt LaFleur: "Part of the reason it stings so bad is we fully believed and fully expected to win. … Felt like we had plenty of opportunities to put the game out of reach and unfortunately didn't do enough."
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) January 21, 2024
He dissected the first half, recognizing three red-zone opportunities that yielded only six points. The coach emphasized the numerous plays that, if executed differently, could have led to a different and more favorable outcome for the Packers.
“It’s never one play. I’m sure a lot of it’s going to come down to the missed field goal, but there’s plenty of opportunities. Go back in the first half have three red zone opportunities and have six points. There’s a lot of plays out there that if one play goes different we probably have a different result right now.”
The Packers’ journey concluded with this defeat, while the 49ers now await the outcome of Sunday’s matchup between the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
