Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers found themselves 31-23 in Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Probably NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers had his Packers inside the Buccaneers’ 10-yard line and looked fourth down with a spot in Super Bowl LV on the line.
It was then that LaFleur made one of the most decisive decisions we’ve ever seen in the NFL Playoffs. The head coach literally chose to kick the field goal with just over two minutes left to pull the game within five points.
Sure the defense of the Packers made plays against Tom Brady in the second half (three interceptions). However, there is no reasonable explanation for LaFleur preferring to kick off a field goal with eight.
That, of course, haunts Matt LaFleur and the Packers again. Faced with a third discount and short on their next ride, the Buccaneers were able to milk the clock after a penalty interception against Kevin King, the corner of Packers.
That ended the game with Tampa Bay shockingly upset the Packers at home to move on to the Super Bowl. LaFleur, in turn, was not a popular man for his decision-making late in the game.