The Green Bay Packers ended up losing 22-16 in overtime to the Chicago Bears in week 16, primarily because the offense could not produce a single touchdown inside the red zone. They finished the game 0-for-5 on red zone scoring opportunities as they had to settle for three field goals, two of which came on drives of 14 and 16 plays.
There are a number of reasons why the Packers lost this game, but this was the single biggest factor. And it’s one they’ll have to address in the playoffs. Walking away
from a game without a single red zone touchdown is inexcusable from a player and coaching perspective. And there is certainly enough blame to go around for a group that did not do it’s job well.
On the first possession, the Packers offense stalled on 4th and 1 at the Bears 6-yard line when they failed to convert. Everything from the play selection, to the throw, to the receiver route, it all factored in.
This is a play that’s been covered before here at Acme Packing Company by Dusty Evely, and it’s one the Packers have run with regularity in the red zone.
It’s a 3×1 concept designed to attack the end zone sideline from the low red zone with the two inside receivers running to the front pylon and back pylon. The #1 receiver on the outside runs a quick slant underneath with the option to break outside.
As you can see in the route tag above, the receiver should aim the out cut of his stem at the front pylon. Christian Watson is the intended target here. He ends just a yard off of his path and isn’t able to get to the ball. Jordan Love threw it right at the pylon like he’s supposed to. The minute details matter and Watson was slightly out of position.
We can never fully know if that’s how Watson is coached to run the route or not so we can give some benefit of doubt here. And everything is always hindsight after a play doesn’t work. But I do also take issue with head coach Matt LaFleur’s propensity to put his quarterback and offense in shotgun in short yardage situations where very often they’re chucking it downfield only to come up short.
This isn’t a downfield throw, but maybe the play selection wasn’t the best call here as they only needed a yard for a fresh set of downs inside the 5-yard line. Or maybe just kick the field goal. That was arguably one of the biggest missed opportunities in this game on the opening drive.
In their next red zone opportunity, the biggest miss came courtesy of the offensive line. On a screen pass to Josh Jacobs on 1st-and-goal from the 9-yard line, #71, Anthony Belton, should have peeled back to block the Bears #50 Grady Jarrett, who ends up making the play.
On screen passes, the backside guard is responsible to peel back around and check for any defender on that path chasing the play.
He should release down the line, wait for the throw, and turn 180 degrees and wall of the nearest defender. Belton didn’t do that and Jarrett made the play when Jacobs saw him out of his periphery and tried to cut outside away from him. He might have had a path to the end zone if Belton blocked him.
On the next play, Emanuel Wilson couldn’t catch a backwards pass from Love, who was charged with a fumble out of bounds. These blunders simply cannot happen. Love put it right in his hands. After a third down incompletion, the offense kicked a field goal.
In the 3rd quarter, Malik Willis, who was in at this point for Love, had a chance to hit the edge on a zone read but didn’t stay outside behind the arc block.
It’s a difficult decision to make to push outside when the opposite color flashes because it happens quickly but Willis has the speed to beat the defender here. He still had a positive gain so not all is lost but the better option might have been to continue to the sideline and up.
Speaking of Josh Jacobs…
On the very next play after the Willis zone read, Jacobs fumbled. That’s more points taken off the board.
Later in the 4th quarter, in the last red zone trip they would get, they settled for a field goal after three failed play calls, the most notable being an inside duo run that showed why the Packers are missing Tucker Kraft.
On duo, the running back would typically bounce to the edge when the middle linebacker here fits the run up the middle. But Jacobs can’t because Luke Musgrave loses the block inside from the defensive end who gets into the backfield, preventing Jacobs from hitting that path.
The Packers made the playoffs but they’ll need better effort here to go on a run and win some playoff games. Goes without saying though.
