5 NFL groups noticed their desires of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy finish over the weekend. The Panthers, Packers, Jaguars, Chargers and defending Tremendous Bowl champion Eagles all fell within the wild-card spherical of the NFL playoffs, every in a recreation by which it appeared a play or two may have swung the result their means. In a postseason that promised to be huge open, we had three video games determined by late touchdowns, a fourth come right down to a crimson zone cease and the fifth keep inside one rating for a lot of the evening earlier than one crew (the Patriots) pulled away late.
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5 organizations are transferring on to the offseason, and we’re right here to assist. I’ll break down what went fallacious for every of these franchises within the wild-card spherical, how which may have been foreseeable and what they’ll do to keep away from that very same destiny subsequent season. Followers invariably need to fireplace coaches and tear up the roster after a playoff loss, however I am going to attempt to be extra level-headed or practical in projecting what would possibly make sense or what these groups could be pondering.
Let’s start with the Chargers, one in all two 7-seeds going dwelling.
Bounce to a crew:
CAR | GB | JAX | LAC | PHI
Misplaced 16-3 vs. Patriots
I am undecided a Jim Harbaugh quarterback has ever been crushed up in an enormous recreation the way in which Justin Herbert was hit again and again by the Patriots on Sunday. With an underwhelming run recreation, an offense that could not diagnose New England’s coverages, a inexperienced mild to scramble on the first signal of daylight and little in the way in which of assist from his offensive line, Herbert endured 21 hits for the three factors the Chargers scored in Foxborough. That variety of hits was tied for Herbert’s season excessive and are probably the most for any Harbaugh-coached QB in a single recreation going again via his time in San Francisco.
On one hand, you’ll be able to argue that Herbert put the crew on his again as a result of no person else was able to doing so. The Chargers struggled to separate from New England’s protection for a lot of the evening. Working again Omarion Hampton was energetic however performed solely two snaps with an ankle harm, ceding the backfield to Kimani Vidal, who was ineffective. Drops from the likes of Keenan Allen did not assist issues, and Herbert did not have a single receiver high 32 yards. He scrambled out of duress for positive factors, however as a passer, Herbert went simply 3-of-8 for 21 yards towards stress.
We will additionally make the case that the Chargers’ season actually ended when Joe Alt went down for the second time with what could be a season-ending ankle harm. Dropping Rashawn Slater (ruptured patellar tendon) was one factor, however going for months with out each beginning tackles basically consigned the Chargers’ offense to mediocrity. It fell from third within the league in EPA per play with Alt on the sphere to twenty sixth with out him, biking via numerous tackles with little success. On Sunday, the Chargers made a Patriots protection that completed the season twenty third in DVOA appear to be the 2003 or 2016 Pats defenses, whilst New England misplaced Carlton Davis III and Christian Gonzalez for stretches.
There is no doubting Herbert’s capability for greatness, and I am not going to attract large conclusions from three disappointing playoff video games. However we’re about to hit one other offseason the place the Chargers’ major job will likely be to sort things round their quarterback. The Tom Telesco regime (2013-23) repeatedly invested in offensive linemen, with Slater proving to be a hit, fellow first-rounder Zion Johnson disappointing and free agent addition Corey Linsley making it to a Professional Bowl earlier than having his profession derailed by a coronary heart situation. The primary-round choose spent on Quentin Johnston in 2023 has fallen someplace between apparent success and clear bust.
GM Joe Hortiz has continued including assist, and once more, the outcomes have been combined. Ladd McConkey was a success within the second spherical of the 2024 draft, though his affect was muted by the addition of Allen in 2025. Oronde Gadsden emerged as a playmaker at tight finish, however Bradley Bozeman was disappointing in his second yr with the crew at middle, and the $9.6 million invested in Mekhi Becton did not ship the guard who impressed with the Eagles a yr in the past. The brand new working again room crashed out due to accidents, and it was Vidal — even after being lower by the crew on the finish of camp — who might need regarded like their finest again for a lot of the season.
Slater and Alt will likely be again in 2026, and between go catchers McConkey, Johnston and Gadsden and working backs Vidal and Hampton, the Chargers can have younger playmakers on cost-controlled contracts for an additional yr. Hortiz’s job will likely be to repair the inside of the offensive line. I wonder if he’ll look to make an enormous provide to middle Tyler Linderbaum, a participant he’s accustomed to from their time along with the Ravens and one who is ready to hit unrestricted free company. It is troublesome to spend massive cash on inside linemen with Herbert and Slater already on large offers and Alt coming due for one subsequent yr, however the comparatively low price of the Chargers’ playmakers would possibly permit for an enormous contract on the inside. It might be a shock if Becton was again.
0:24
Patriots deck Herbert to drive fumble
Ok’Lavon Chaisson drops Justin Herbert and forces a fumble.
There’s additionally the query of whether or not the Chargers will return offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who does not have many supporters amongst Chargers followers after 12 months 2 in Los Angeles. Roman and Harbaugh arrived on the town excited on the concept of what Herbert would appear to be with a run recreation, however the Chargers rank twenty seventh in success fee on designed runs over Roman’s two seasons.
The clock can also be ticking on the defensive facet of the ball, the place coordinator Jesse Minter’s ascension to a head-coaching position appears inevitable. Minter and the Chargers have carried out a unbelievable job of getting extra out of gamers than different teaching staffs, with Elijah Molden and Morgan Fox as examples in 2024 and Donte Jackson and Tony Jefferson in 2025. The Chargers have some younger expertise on protection between Tuli Tuipulotu, Daiyan Henley and several other standouts within the secondary, however they had been additionally the league’s eighth-oldest protection on a snap-weighted age foundation once I regarded in mid-December. If Minter leaves, it is unclear whether or not Harbaugh and Hortiz will likely be as able to find hidden gems across the league with the following coordinator.
All of this leaves the Chargers in a bizarre place. They’re unquestionably an excellent crew with a coach and quarterback who’re deservedly held in excessive regard. They’ve additionally been crushed two years in a row within the wild-card spherical. I am nonetheless optimistic that there is a increased ceiling with the tackles returning in 2026, however Herbert’s propensity for taking hits and the potential lack of Minter would possibly trigger the protection to offset any potential positive factors from the offense. There’s nothing fallacious with being an 11-win crew that does not make waves within the postseason, however we all know Harbaugh and Herbert are able to extra.
Misplaced 23-19 to the 49ers
In case you had been constructing an ideal instance of what a irritating 2025 Eagles loss would appear to be, it could be what we noticed towards the 49ers on Sunday. A few stable early scores earlier than the offense fully shuts down within the third quarter? Verify. Irritating penalties that wipe away massive performs? Verify. An offense lacking Lane Johnson? A missed kick by Jake Elliott that modified the late-game calculus? A superb protection let down in spots by its weakest hyperlinks on the again finish? An end-of-game sequence by which the passing recreation sputters with drops and low-percentage throws? Verify, test, test and test.
The Eagles have performed variants of this recreation towards good groups for a lot of the season, with a couple of breaks going somehow late to resolve who wins. Issues might need been completely different if Jalen Hurts had been in a position to escape the pocket and scramble for what seemed to be a straightforward first down within the closing sequence, just for 49ers midseason addition Keion White to journey him up for a lack of 1 yard. As an alternative of being in a first-and-goal scenario with three timeouts, the Eagles had been caught in second-and-long and did not choose up a single yard the remainder of the way in which.
In opposition to a 49ers crew that has been battered by accidents and misplaced George Kittle to a season-ending torn Achilles within the first half, it was notable how the Eagles suffered when their weaker starters and depth gamers had been introduced into focus. The 49ers hit a pair of massive performs within the first half when the deep security in the course of the sphere — first Marcus Epps, then Reed Blankenship — was merely unable to decelerate a receiver and allowed important yards after the catch within the course of. These performs amounted to 106 of San Francisco’s 186 yards within the first half, setting it up for 10 factors.
Blankenship merely stopped working on a trick play, with Christian McCaffrey zooming by him to catch a landing go from receiver Jauan Jennings. Nakobe Dean could not cling in protection on McCaffrey for the successful landing. Fred Johnson, enjoying proper sort out for the injured Lane Johnson, dedicated a false begin that pushed the Eagles backward on third down and allowed the one sack of the sport for Philly’s offense. When you think about what the 49ers received from guys reminiscent of Eric Kendricks, Garret Wallow and Demarcus Robinson on Sunday, the hole between the marginal gamers taking significant snaps on the 2 rosters and the way they performed was important.
Is that on teaching? It needs to be, no less than partly. Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh did a wonderful job of getting probably the most out of the expertise they’d, a job that turned much more troublesome for the 49ers head coach when Kittle went down early within the recreation and took part of the playbook with him. The Niners had been capable of finding solutions by repeatedly concentrating on Adoree’ Jackson and attacking the Eagles beneath, the place Philly blew coverages and could not get shut because it tried to sort out McCaffrey and Kyle Juszczyk at occasions.
Saleh’s protection leaned into the blitz, trusting that Hurts and Philly’s two star wideouts would not be capable of make them pay. That plan paid off, as Hurts went 6-of-11 for simply 48 yards towards the blitz. Even when the 49ers did not ship the home, the specter of the blitz brought on the Eagles to query their seems and test into performs that weren’t essentially nice suits for what the 49ers ran post-snap. And after Deommodore Lenoir blew include on the second run of the sport and allowed Saquon Barkley to run for 29 yards, the 49ers restricted the Philly run recreation to 109 yards on 34 carries, or 3.2 yards per pop.
0:28
49ers cease Eagles on 4th right down to clinch victory
Eric Kendricks makes an important play on protection to cease the Eagles from scoring and safe the 49ers’ 23-19 win vs. the Eagles.
For almost all of this season, it has appeared just like the Eagles believed they had been going to win on sheer expertise, that their stars would make extra massive performs than yours. There was nothing to repair with the run recreation, as a result of this had been among the finest offensive traces in soccer with Lane Johnson on the sphere. Brown and Smith had been uncoverable at their finest. Hurts was a serial winner. The Eagles ran one of the static pre-snap offenses in soccer and had been snug with Hurts attacking blitzes with low-percentage throws downfield as a result of they believed their guys had been going to win.
The outcomes spoke for themselves till they did not, and the core of normal supervisor Howie Roseman’s Eagles groups — the offensive and defensive traces — wasn’t as much as the duty. The Eagles went 8-2 with Lane Johnson and 3-5 with out him, because the legendary proper sort out by no means made it again from his midseason Lisfranc harm. Hurts posted a 64.3 QBR with Johnson on the sphere and a 49.7 mark with out him. The Eagles had been the league’s fifth-worst dashing assault when it comes to success fee with out Johnson. His absence wasn’t the one challenge, as Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens each struggled via irritating seasons, however the Eagles merely did not have the identical dominant O-line that they’d in 2024, they usually by no means actually discovered a solution to account or modify for these points.
And whereas Roseman hit on the midseason addition of Jaelan Phillips, who gave an inconsistent go rush a much-needed increase of stress, the Eagles’ offseason strikes did not essentially age effectively. Zack Baun wasn’t the identical linebacker in his second season with Philadelphia and received juked out of the play a number of occasions within the loss to the 49ers. Among the depth guys introduced in to exchange the departed Josh Sweat, reminiscent of Za’Darius Smith, Joshua Uche and Azeez Ojulari, struggled to make an affect amid accidents (and an surprising retirement for Smith). First-round choose Jihaad Campbell misplaced his position within the lineup as soon as Dean returned from harm and performed only one defensive snap towards the Niners. The following defenders off the board had been Carson Schwesinger, who’s a Defensive Rookie of the 12 months candidate in Cleveland, and Nick Emmanwori, who has been a bodily drive at security for Seattle.
However on the finish of the day, this has to fall on the teaching workers, particularly the offensive mind belief of head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. The Eagles merely did not develop any new solutions because the season went alongside, and whereas we do not know the way issues would have gone if Lane Johnson had truly made it again, the Eagles’ offense wasn’t actually all that nice with him within the fold, both. It definitely wasn’t as much as what we noticed final season, when Kellen Moore was in Patullo’s position and merged the offense he ran in Dallas and Los Angeles with what the Eagles ran beneath Sirianni.
Ought to the Eagles fireplace Sirianni? I laid out most of the execs and cons for him in November, and there is not any arguing that his résumé via 5 seasons is basically unprecedented in trendy soccer. He deserves some credit score for the way effectively issues went in 2022 and 2024, and a few blame for the disappointing endings in 2023 and 2025. The Eagles may attempt to deliver again former particular groups coordinator John Harbaugh, however Ravens followers would have most of the similar complaints about their former coach that Eagles followers have about their present chief.
0:16
A.J. Brown, Nick Sirianni have heated sideline trade
A.J. Brown and Nick Sirianni share phrases after a dropped go within the second quarter vs. the 49ers.
I would be stunned if the Eagles moved on from Sirianni. It is robust to see Patullo returning, and on condition that Moore and Shane Steichen have earned head teaching gigs from working this offense, it needs to be an interesting alternative for offensive minds. It might appear aggressive to make large personnel adjustments, however Roseman has by no means shied away from making strikes earlier than. And I wonder if the Eagles will look to doubtlessly commerce A.J. Brown, who had his least environment friendly season as an Eagles participant, repeatedly appeared to butt heads with the group and turns 29 in June.
Misplaced 27-24 vs. Payments
After what has been a wonderful debut season as a head coach in Jacksonville, I am nervous Liam Coen goes to be sick for weeks. The Jaguars let this recreation get away from them in a means that I’d not have anticipated. On a day when Trevor Lawrence struggled with consistency and went 18-of-30 for 207 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, the Jags merely did not run the ball typically sufficient.
It is one factor to get away from the run when an offense does not have success or is going through a crew that has a stable run protection, however neither of these issues had been true. The Payments’ rush protection — which ranked thirty first in EPA per play towards designed runs — was their apparent weak point heading into the sport. And the Jaguars boomed on the bottom on their first landing drive, as Bhayshul Tuten racked up consecutive carries of 20, 14 and 13 yards. Inexplicably, the rookie received only one carry the remainder of the way in which.
The duo of Tuten and Travis Etienne Jr. mixed for simply 14 carries, which they became 118 yards and a 71% success fee. By EPA per designed rush by working backs, this was the Thirteenth-most-efficient dashing efficiency of the season in any recreation by any set of backs. The Jags merely did not get to it sufficient.
Uncooked rush totals may be deceptive. Lawrence saved on a zone-read on fourth-and-short when he would have handed the ball off if Joey Bosa hadn’t crashed down. Groups can run RPOs and throw their means out of run seems in the event that they get the appropriate motion. We noticed the Panthers throw a pair of slants to Tetairoa McMillan that had been tagged onto their run performs for straightforward completions. And if a protection is loading up with heavy bins and daring groups to throw, working for the sake of working is not a good suggestion.
However the Payments weren’t doing that. The Jags did not run right into a single loaded field with Etienne or Tuten all recreation. 9 of these 14 carries went into mild bins, which helped their effectivity and hinted towards how the Payments had been keen to method this recreation on protection. Lawrence’s first-and-10 dropbacks that weren’t close to the aim line or within the two-minute drill, there have been loads of run-friendly bins that the Jags selected to not hit.
Given how Lawrence performed Sunday, that was a missed alternative. He got here into the postseason on fireplace and enjoying the perfect soccer of his profession, however as I highlighted final week, that does not at all times result in the identical success within the postseason.
Lawrence had a 15-2 touchdown-interception ratio throughout the closing 9 video games of the 2022 season, then threw 5 picks in two playoff video games, together with 4 within the Jags’ dramatic comeback win over the Chargers. After posting a 15-1 ratio over the ultimate six video games of 2025, Lawrence threw two picks in Sunday’s loss, together with one on the primary play of the season-ending drive. He did not convert on the aforementioned fourth-and-2 zone-read try, as effectively. Lawrence nonetheless made a handful of good throws, particularly when concentrating on slot receiver Parker Washington, however his 30.2 Whole QBR ranked ninth among the many 10 quarterbacks who’ve performed within the wild-card spherical up to now.
Whereas the Jags led 24-20 with 4:03 to go after Lawrence discovered Etienne for a landing, the Josh Allen drive that adopted felt nearly inevitable. The Jaguars have a stable protection, however their secondary wants the go rush to create issues. As an alternative, Allen went 9-of-12 for 144 yards beneath stress, together with a spectacular throw towards an unblocked rusher to Brandin Cooks on a publish route for 36 yards, which received the Payments into the crimson zone for the game-winning landing.
At the same time as Allen accomplished passes to 9 completely different receivers and high goal Khalil Shakir was principally catching screens and hitches, the Payments had been in a position to assault outdoors cornerbacks Jarrian Jones and Greg Newsome II in protection. Jones additionally struggled together with his tackling after the catch. Allen was 10-of-11 on out-breaking routes, repeatedly trusting his potential to throw the ball into locations Jacksonville’s defenders could not attain. And to mitigate the go rush, Allen received the ball out in lower than 2.5 seconds on practically half of his makes an attempt, going 16-of-17 for 173 yards and a landing on these throws.
0:32
Parker Washington makes leaping seize for Jags TD
Trevor Lawrence throws a dime to Parker Washington to place the Jaguars again in entrance vs. the Payments.
This was a profitable yr for the Jaguars, however I am undecided it went the way in which Coen and first-year normal supervisor James Gladstone would have imagined. Gladstone swore to take massive swings in his new position, and a few of these swings hit. Jakobi Meyers was wildly profitable after being acquired on the commerce deadline, incomes an extension. Slot nook Jourdan Lewis was wonderful early within the season earlier than hitting injured reserve twice. Middle Robert Hainsey had a really stable yr after following Coen over from Tampa Bay.
And but a number of the extra high-profile strikes the Jags made did not actually work out. Newsome, acquired in a midseason commerce for Tyson Campbell, allowed a 107.5 passer score in protection. Dyami Brown, signed to a one-year, $10 million deal, racked up 227 receiving yards and was a wholesome scratch late within the yr. Actually, a lot of the brand new regime’s success got here in getting extra out of the gamers who had been already within the constructing, together with Cole Van Lanen, Devin Lloyd, Etienne, Lawrence and Arik Armstead — all of whom performed a lot better in 2025.
The largest transfer the Jags made, after all, was buying and selling two first-round picks for hybrid uber-prospect Travis Hunter. The early returns on that transfer aren’t wanting nice. Hunter did not play like a first-rounder at huge receiver or cornerback, though he did have 101 yards towards the Rams in his closing recreation earlier than struggling a season-ending knee harm in apply. The Jaguars did not appear to have a constant utilization plan for Hunter, and whereas the first-rounder they despatched to the Browns to amass him will fall late within the first spherical at No. 24, I am undecided that commerce seems all that nice after one season.
Hunter nonetheless deserves time to develop, and the Jags absolutely would have cherished to have him at cornerback towards the Payments on Sunday, however their future plans for him may decide what occurs this offseason. It appears doubtless that the Jags will transfer ahead with Hunter enjoying recurrently at cornerback, the place they’re going to have a gap, particularly if Newsome is allowed to hit free company.
What about huge receiver, although? In Hunter’s absence, the Jaguars received their passing recreation going by getting two different wideouts on the sphere. Meyers emerged as a standout, however so did Washington, who produced a mammoth run of video games down the stretch. Underappreciated frankly by each the present and prior regimes in Jacksonville, Washington was buried on the depth chart after the additions of Hunter, Brown and Meyers.
As soon as Hunter was injured and Brown was taken out of the lineup, although, Washington proved that he belongs on the sphere. He had 145 receiving yards within the Jags’ December win over the Broncos, then adopted with a 115-yard day towards the Colts and 87 yards towards the Titans. Washington was then the Jags’ main receiver on Sunday, turning a team-high 12 targets into 107 yards and a landing. With yet another yr left on his rookie deal, Washington has earned an everyday position within the lineup when Jacksonville is in three-wide units.
0:29
Payments advance to divisional spherical because of game-sealing INT
Trevor Lawrence is picked off by Cole Bishop to finish the Jaguars’ hopes in a 27-24 loss to the Payments.
The funding made in Hunter additionally implies that he’ll be part of the offense, which leaves me with questions in regards to the one participant I have not talked about. Brian Thomas Jr. got here into the yr as Jacksonville’s high wideout after a powerful rookie season, however amid early points with drops, he appeared to fade out of that lead position within the offense. Meyers and Washington took over as Lawrence’s high goal for stretches within the second half. Thomas averaged 46.6 receiving yards per recreation over the ultimate eight video games of the season, and regardless of an early landing catch for Jacksonville’s first rating Sunday, he completed with solely two receptions for 21 yards.
The brand new regime inherited Thomas, and he did not seem a pure slot in 12 months 1 with Coen. Would the Jaguars take into account buying and selling him? The 2024 first-rounder is probably the most pure match because the “X” receiver in Coen’s offense, and I am undecided any of the opposite guys are apparent replacements for him in that position. Plus, Thomas was so gifted as a rookie that I would need to attempt to make it work for an additional season.
If the Jags can recoup the first-round choose they despatched away for Hunter, although, buying and selling Thomas could be value severe consideration. And the plain touchdown spot, coincidentally sufficient, could be with the crew that simply beat them. Buffalo does not have that younger playmaker who can win towards man protection at huge receiver, and Thomas could be a significant improve on what already seems to be a failed experiment in Keon Coleman. The Payments can even have their first-rounder fall towards the tip of the spherical, which might most likely be a good value for Thomas. It is an unlikely transfer, after all, however Jacksonville has 4 starters for 3 wideout spots, and Thomas is the participant who would have probably the most commerce worth and who the Jags have seen the least out of in 2025.
A notable starter whose future is extra more likely to be elsewhere in 2026 is Walker Little. The prior entrance workplace signed the 2021 second-round choose to a three-year, $40.5 million deal after only a handful of begins at left sort out. Little started the yr on Lawrence’s blind facet, however when he suffered a concussion in a November win over the Titans, the Jags put in Van Lanen at left sort out. The utility participant was sufficient of an improve that the Jags signed him to a three-year, $51 million deal and saved him at left sort out when Little returned. (Little moved to proper guard to take over for the injured Patrick Mekari.)
Van Lanen missed Sunday’s loss with a knee harm, with Little again to his previous spot and committing two false begins. The dedication to Van Lanen means that the Jags see him as a left sort out candidate in 2026. With Little’s $11 million base wage assured subsequent season, it could hardly be a shock if the Jaguars traded him to filter a beginning spot and get some money to place towards free agent additions this offseason.
Misplaced 31-27 vs. Bears
Sunday’s loss introduced an finish to a five-week collapse for the Packers, who walked off the sphere after Keisean Nixon’s interception sealed a win over the Bears in early December with hopes of successful the NFC North. That dramatic victory was their final of the season, because the Packers misplaced their closing 5 video games, together with the wild-card matchup Saturday. Alongside the way in which, they misplaced Micah Parsons to a knee harm, misplaced (then regained) Jordan Like to a concussion and blew two completely different video games with a 95% or higher win expectancy within the fourth quarter to the Bears. The primary pushed the NFC North again to Chicago, and the second might need ended Matt LaFleur’s run as Inexperienced Bay’s head coach.
There was smoke across the coach’s future in Inexperienced Bay over the previous few weeks, and there are plans to speak after the season about extending the contracts of LaFleur and normal supervisor Brian Gutekunst, each of whom are getting into the ultimate yr of their respective pacts. I would argue that they are two of the perfect at their respective roles. I am simply undecided Packers followers would agree with that sentiment in the meanwhile.
At halftime of Saturday evening’s recreation, after all, LaFleur regarded like he would possibly earn a brand new deal within the locker room. It appeared just like the Packers had outprepared, outschemed and outplayed the Bears, who had been flailing on fourth downs and struggling to dwell up-to-the-minute. Chicago coach Ben Johnson wasn’t in a position to get his floor recreation going, had dialed up only one play-action go for Caleb Williams and could not rely in any respect on his protection to decelerate the Packers. Love and the Inexperienced Bay offense scored touchdowns on their first three drives, and whereas Brandon McManus missed a 55-yard discipline aim to finish the half, the Packers had been up 21-3 and getting the ball to begin the third quarter. One missed kick wasn’t going to matter, proper?
Properly, three missed kicks mattered, as McManus missed one other discipline aim and an additional level, costing the Packers seven factors in a recreation they misplaced by 4. He was a savior for the Packers final season when he produced an outlier season when it comes to accuracy, however the Packers introduced McManus again for 2025 with underwhelming outcomes; he had the fifth-worst discipline objectives remodeled expectation (per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats) of any kicker, even earlier than his postseason disappointment. Would he have had a greater probability of constructing these kicks at dwelling?
The Bears discovered their rhythm on offense, as they scored on 5 of their six possessions within the second half, racking up 333 web yards and 28 factors. The Packers, decidedly, didn’t. The offense went to sleep for its first 4 possessions within the second half, as Inexperienced Bay amassed 29 yards and one first down throughout a four-drive stretch.
A lot of that owed to a dashing assault that merely stopped. Josh Jacobs was stable early on this recreation, however the 2024 free agent addition and the offensive line couldn’t conspire to threaten the road of scrimmage for a lot of the contest. Jacobs completed with 19 carries for 55 yards, however his closing 14 totes produced simply 16 yards and one first down. Jacobs was stopped on a second-and-3, a third-and-1 and two carries from the 1-yard line. And pressed into motion as a kickoff returner, he fumbled, with the Packers lucky to fall on the soccer. Jacobs was getting back from a knee harm, but when he wasn’t one hundred pc, it was on LaFleur to seek out different options, both by utilizing different backs or leaning into the go on early downs.
Jeff Hafley has earned head teaching consideration for his work with the Packers’ protection over the previous two years, however this additionally wasn’t his finest displaying. The Packers had been in a position to get off the sphere on fourth down towards the Bears within the first half, however frankly, that was extra a product of Chicago’s clumsiness than nice defensive play. Bears middle Drew Dalman fired a snap huge of Williams to throw off the timing on one failed fourth-down play, whereas Dalman and proper guard Jonah Jackson failed to dam defensive sort out Karl Brooks on one other, permitting the Packers lineman to run completely unbothered up the A-gap at Williams for a drive-ending stress. Williams completed the primary half 8-of-17 for 78 yards with an interception, and it appeared like Hafley would possibly end the evening with a head teaching provide or two.
0:38
Bears maintain on to win after Packers cannot convert Hail Mary
The Bears full their second-half comeback to defeat the Packers and advance within the playoffs.
After the break, Hafley’s protection wasn’t in a position to constantly decelerate the Bears. The Packers weren’t in a position to create post-snap issues for Williams and the passing recreation. There’s nothing fallacious with rotation safeties and attempting to indicate a distinct post-snap look, nevertheless it led to snaps by which the Packers weren’t in place to succeed. On the primary third down of the third quarter, the Packers confirmed a two-high look earlier than the snap after which blitzed security Xavier McKinney from 11 yards off the road of scrimmage. McKinney by no means received near Williams, and the Packers had been outnumbered on a flood mixture to that facet of the sphere, producing a straightforward 19-yard completion to tight finish Colston Loveland.
Loveland picked up one other massive play on the identical drive when the Packers spun their safeties earlier than the snap and no person ran together with his crossing route. The rookie tight finish was a mismatch when the Packers did get someone on him — Loveland was just too athletic for Quay Walker — however the Packers made their very own errors. On a important third-and-4 earlier than the successful landing, the Packers responded to an empty formation by dropping their defensive backs previous the sticks and asking edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare to get into the flat to cowl working again D’Andre Swift. Williams went proper to Swift for a straightforward 23-yard achieve. One play later, the Bears had the lead.
That closing play noticed the Bears make the most of the place that has been the weak spot on the Packers’ roster for the reason that begin of the season. Carrington Valentine was alleged to be booted out of the beginning lineup by the arrival of free agent slot nook Nate Hobbs, however Hobbs was ineffective and injured for many of his debut season in Inexperienced Bay. Valentine has allowed a 121.2 passer score in his stead, and he got here up missing on the final snap of the Packers’ season.
For all of the complaints about Ben Johnson’s playcalling being too cute, this was an instance of the small print promoting the appropriate misinform the appropriate participant. The Bears lined up with journeys to the left and an unbalanced line, giving them an additional blocker to the facet of the sphere in sort out Darnell Wright. The look screamed some type of display, and early within the recreation, the Bears had thrown a display on third-and-8 out of that very same bunch for a primary down.
This time, although, the Bears had been taking a shot downfield. Williams fired his hips towards the tunnel display with out ever actually throwing the ball, however that was sufficient. Valentine drove on the display, and by the point he rotated, the ball was already popping out. DJ Moore had dropped a spectacular throw from Williams earlier within the drive, however this time, the wide-open veteran introduced in a fade for the successful landing.
Accidents and absences mattered. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper leaving within the third quarter due to an ankle harm price the Packers arguably their finest remaining participant on the protection. Isaiah McDuffie stuffed in and wasn’t in a position to sort out Bears working again Kyle Monangai on a important checkdown that became a 22-yard completion and arrange a landing. Linebacker Nick Niemann, who hadn’t performed a single defensive snap all season, was remoted in protection towards Loveland on the 2-point strive that made it a three-point recreation.
And the Packers sorely missed Parsons, the participant for whom Gutekunst despatched two first-round picks to amass. They pressured Williams on 25% of his dropbacks, however the Packers had simply two fast pressures on 48 alternatives, that means that a lot of the occasions they bothered Williams got here late within the play. Parsons averaged greater than two fast pressures per recreation on his personal this season. Might these pressures have helped swing this recreation towards Inexperienced Bay?
The Packers did have an opportunity to win the sport after the Moore landing, however sloppy recreation administration from LaFleur restricted what they might do. It is at all times simpler to guage timeout utilization after the actual fact, once we know the way the sport ends, nevertheless it’s unattainable to recommend that LaFleur received something near full worth for the three he had within the second half.
Inexperienced Bay used its first on offense with 3:02 left, a stopped clock and a three-point result in keep away from a delay of recreation penalty. That is high quality, however the Packers promptly went again to the road after the timeout and took a delay of recreation penalty, costing them 5 yards. After an incompletion on third down, LaFleur had the unattainable alternative between kicking a discipline aim to go up six (typically seen as a web destructive by win expectancy fashions, as a result of it incentivizes the opposite crew to go for a landing) or try a fourth-and-15. He received neither, and the Bears scored a landing anyway.
LaFleur had to make use of his second timeout on protection with 2:08 to go, this time as a result of the Packers could not get the appropriate gamers on the sphere. The timeout stopped the clock for the Bears and gave them the flexibility to open up the playbook to name a run simply earlier than the two-minute warning, which they took benefit of to choose up 5 yards.
The Packers had been left with one timeout for his or her closing drive, which they used after a brief competitors to Romeo Doubs. They had been then compelled to run 10 seconds off the clock after an harm to middle Sean Rhyan. Ultimately, they by no means even received a chance to run a play inside the crimson zone earlier than time expired, coming closest when Love practically squeezed a go between three Tampa 2 defenders to Christian Watson contained in the 5-yard line.
It is a irritating loss on the finish of a irritating shedding streak. It is the third straight yr the Packers have entered the postseason because the 7-seed, and LaFleur has a grand whole of 1 playoff win over the previous 5 seasons. Ought to what Packers followers noticed from their coach Saturday function proof that Inexperienced Bay must go in a distinct path?
I’d say no. LaFleur has gone 76-40-1 as a head coach regardless of fielding what had been typically underwhelming defenses over that stretch, a problem I’d blame extra on Joe Barry than him. There have been a few tough losses within the postseason, and I am undecided I am going to ever perceive LaFleur kicking a discipline aim down eight late towards the Bucs with the best crimson zone offense in league historical past within the 2020 playoffs, however there’s an actual worth in having a coach who will get you to the playoffs nearly yearly. LaFleur’s work with Malik Willis and constructing a practical offense round a quarterback who regarded unplayable in Tennessee is a testomony to his offensive thoughts.
The story appears the identical for the Packers as a result of it’s the similar. They seem to be a good crew caught in a troublesome division. They’re the youngest crew within the league on an annual foundation, as Gutekunst strips the oldest gamers from the roster and hundreds up on draft picks. The distinction was alleged to be Parsons, the true celebrity who would elevate the remainder of the protection, assist masks the weaknesses at cornerback and provide you with massive performs when the Packers wanted them most. And for three-plus months, Parsons lived as much as expectations. There is no good time to tear an ACL, however Parsons doing so one month earlier than the playoffs was at all times going to have a dramatic affect on Inexperienced Bay’s ceiling. I would not fireplace LaFleur or Gutekunst as a result of their most essential addition tore an ACL.
As an alternative, I believe will probably be an offseason of retooling. This offseason could be the tip of the road in Inexperienced Bay for 30-year-old lineman Elgton Jenkins, who has a $24.8 million cap hit subsequent season. Hobbs and 28-year-old guard Aaron Banks, who was out and in of the lineup due to accidents, may very well be one-and-done in Inexperienced Bay, though I would be stunned if Banks was launched. Doubs, who had a unbelievable catch in a key second, is more likely to go away in free company, which can assist the Packers recoup a number of the draft capital they misplaced as a part of the Parsons deal by way of compensatory picks. The Packers had been additionally twenty sixth in particular groups win likelihood throughout the common season, which could create issues for coordinator Wealthy Bisaccia.
Exterior of the very high groups in soccer, loads of organizations would and may look enviously at what the Packers have constructed. I believe we have to see what that appears like within the postseason with a wholesome Parsons earlier than making any type of snap judgments about whether or not Inexperienced Bay is best off with one other head coach.
Misplaced 34-31 vs. Rams
There aren’t any ethical victories within the playoffs, however for the Panthers, this might need been the closest factor to at least one. They had been large underdogs at dwelling even after beating the Rams in Carolina this season, and expectations of repeating that feat within the rematch had been low. When the Panthers shortly went down 14-0 after a failed fourth-down conversion and a Bryce Younger interception handed the Rams a pair of brief fields, a blowout victory for Los Angeles seemed to be on the horizon.
As an alternative, the Panthers got here all the way in which again to take the lead with 2:39 to go earlier than the protection allowed the game-winning landing drive to Matthew Stafford. The veteran quarterback reportedly advised receiver Davante Adams he was going to “snatch [the Panthers’] hearts” on the ultimate drive. A chilly line, little question, however one you save for the Tremendous Bowl when you already know the NFL Movies microphones are on the sideline, proper? Stafford needed to pull out his finest materials late within the wild-card spherical, each on and off the sphere, to get the Rams to the following spherical.
I am weirdly extra optimistic in regards to the Panthers after their playoff loss than I used to be after their win over the Rams in Week 13, as a result of the components that led to that win had been unsustainable. The Panthers transformed all three of their fourth-down tries, together with two for lengthy landing passes. With a Mike Jackson pick-six main the way in which, the Panthers posted a plus-three turnover margin within the win; the final time that occurred was within the Matt Rhule period with Baker Mayfield at quarterback, greater than three years in the past. These performs matter and are significant, however I am undecided they’re notably sustainable as a components for beating the Rams.
And in those self same spots Sunday, the Panthers’ timing wasn’t fairly as impeccable. They went 0-for-3 on fourth down. Younger threw an early choose to the Rams on a play by which Panthers receiver Jalen Coker, who in any other case had a breakout recreation, appeared to be on the fallacious web page after some pre-snap changes and stopped his route. Carolina rookie Trevor Etienne muffed a punt to present the Rams one other brief discipline, and whereas the Panthers received one other Jackson interception and blocked a punt within the fourth quarter, the turnover margin for this recreation went down in Los Angeles’ favor.
As an alternative, this Panthers efficiency shined via the complete 60 minutes, as they went toe-to-toe with the Rams on a down-by-down foundation. They struggled early on protection, with Rams receiver Puka Nacua transferring across the formation and flummoxing Carolina’s zone protection seems, however defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and his cornerbacks held up towards Nacua and Adams and compelled Stafford into what appeared like an countless run of contested throws to both sideline. They rode their luck a bit when Nacua dropped a would-be landing simply earlier than halftime, however the Panthers had been in a position to restrict explosive dashing performs and did not permit a single drive over 50 yards earlier than the fourth quarter.
And on a day when Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle mixed for 55 yards on 18 carries and the Panthers trailed by 14 factors halfway via the primary quarter, a lot of the sport fell on Younger’s shoulders. His offensive line was a multitude. Guard Robert Hunt tried to return early from a pectoral harm and clearly wasn’t his normal self. The Panthers misplaced left sort out Ikem Ekwonu to a ruptured patellar tendon early within the recreation, and substitute Yosh Nijman allowed 4 of the 14 fast pressures generated by the Rams (per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats), which tied for the fifth-most fast pressures in any recreation all season.
0:24
Panthers fail to transform on 4th down, Rams advance
Jimmy Horn Jr. is unable to haul within the go on 4th down, sealing a victory for the Rams.
Beneath the circumstances, I assumed Younger was wonderful. The uncooked numbers aren’t going to wow anybody, with the 2023 No. 1 draft choose finishing 52.5% of his passes and averaging 6.6 yards per try, however his 74.4 Whole QBR attests to how effectively he performed given the stress fee. He was repeatedly in a position to purchase time and create out of construction, wanting nearly Tony Romo-esque as he spun his means out of inside stress and received out of the pocket to seek out receivers.
When Younger wasn’t pressured, he went 17-of-24 for 223 yards with a landing and a choose. He threw with anticipation to arrange two chunk performs to Coker, who completed with 9 catches for 134 yards and the landing that gave the Panthers their fourth-quarter lead. Younger is rarely going to have the strongest arm, so he must anticipate voids earlier than they arrive open, throw correct passes to create YAC and create out of construction. He did all three Saturday.
I am not suggesting that Younger’s fifth-year possibility was on the road on this recreation, as a result of the indications had been already that the Panthers had been going to choose up Younger’s $26.5 million assure for 2027. If Younger had suffered via a disastrous recreation (suppose Sam Darnold’s closing begin with the Vikings), although, that pickup might need come via gritted enamel. This was Younger’s most essential begin in a Panthers uniform, and he got here via impressively.
That is the primary offseason in a few years by which the Panthers will not need to make fixing the offense their major focus. Buying a quarterback was drawback No. 1, they usually’ve spent the previous two offseasons desperately attempting to get the appropriate gamers round Younger. A few of these strikes have not hit, however sufficient have left the offense in stable form. Coker and presumptive Offensive Rookie of the 12 months Tetairoa McMillan are the 2 younger wideouts the Panthers have been hoping to seek out. They will even have Jonathon Brooks because the second again alongside Hubbard to exchange Dowdle subsequent season.
There’s nonetheless work to be carried out, after all. Ekwonu is probably going out six to 12 months, and the Panthers are on the hook for his $17.6 million fifth-year possibility in 2026. Nijman, a pending free agent, was a turnstile when compelled into the lineup at left sort out, so the Panthers most likely want a short-term stopgap there if Ekwonu shouldn’t be able to go. Including a good finish may additionally be on the docket if the Panthers weren’t impressed by Ja’Tavion Sanders’ second season.
However actually, this needs to be an offseason lastly devoted towards including protection. The Panthers signed Tershawn Wharton and Tre’von Moehrig in free company, however after they used a second-round choose on edge Nic Scourton, it marked the primary time Carolina had used a first- or second-round choose on a defensive participant since choosing Jaycee Horn in 2021.
The Panthers like their younger expertise on protection, however this is able to be about discovering extra important options for a few of their veterans on short-term, low-cost contracts. Satirically, two are former Rams in security Nick Scott and linebacker Christian Rozeboom, each of whom had been focused by L.A. in protection Sunday. No Carolina defender managed greater than 5 sacks, so discovering a veteran (or a first-round choose) on the sting who can create extra go stress alongside Scourton and Princely Umanmielen could be a welcome addition.
It is essential to be practical about the place the Panthers are and what they’ve proven. This crew completed twenty fifth in DVOA and ESPN’s Soccer Energy Index. It was 8-9 towards one of many league’s simpler schedules, the identical efficiency that led the Falcons to fireplace Raheem Morris after two seasons in Atlanta. And after no-showing in a win-and-in recreation towards the Buccaneers final week, the Panthers wanted Morris and his Falcons to beat the Saints (one thing they weren’t in a position to do of their two conferences) to again into the postseason.
And but there are significant indicators of progress. The Panthers completed twenty first in weighted DVOA, and whereas that is not going to push coach Dave Canales into the Corridor of Fame, it is a signal that they had been bettering because the season went alongside. They beat the Packers and Rams and got here inside a defensive cease of beating what could be the league’s finest crew a second time. If they’ll stack a second efficient offseason in a row, the Panthers could be in place to take over Tampa Bay’s spot because the presumptive favourite within the NFC South within the years to return.
