The Green Bay Packers' postseason campaign surprisingly ended as they absorbed a 13-10 loss against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round. Numerous errors from the special teams as well as the struggles of the offensive unit played a huge part in the heartbreaking defeat on Saturday night.
Surely enough, a crucial offseason awaits the team as several changes are expected to be made on their roster in the coming months. The uncertainty of Aaron Rodgers' stay in Wisconsin also serves as one of the main concerns for the Packers as they aim to learn from their errors and have a competent team for the 2022 season.
With that said, let's take a look at three takeaways from the Packers' most recent defeat to the 49ers:
Packers Takeaways
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3. Green Bay's offensive line struggled amid David Bakhtiari's absence.
The Packers immediately had a huge void to fill in their offensive line when it was announced that starting left tackle David Bakhtiari would be sidelined against the 49ers. Recurring knee problems due to his torn ACL injury continue to haunt the former All-Pro who missed almost the entirety of the 2021 regular season.
Amid his absence, the team slotted Billy Turner at the vacated spot though it wasn't enough to fill the huge void left by Bakhtiari. The offensive line went on to have a disappointing performance which also prevented the running game from gaining momentum all throughout the game.
Certainly enough, Bakhtiari's presence could've made a significant difference against the 49ers, especially in a tightly-contested matchup where every possession counted.
2. The special teams were a huge disaster in the game.
The Packers' special teams were one of the root causes for their loss on Saturday night. Towards the end of the first half, the 49ers were able to block a field-goal attempt by Packers kicker Mason Crosby which kept the scores tight between the two teams.
Things didn't get any better in the second half as San Francisco successfully blocked a punt and returned a touchdown to tie the game. In the final seconds of the contest, the Packers had another letdown as they only fielded 10 players on the field instead of 11 during Robbie Gould's game-winning field-goal attempt.
Surely enough, someone has to be held accountable and changes have to be made in Green Bay's special teams as their lapses ultimately cost the team their postseason campaign in 2021.
1. The Packers' offense wasn't in sync all game long.
With harsh weather conditions, both teams found it hard to run their plays and execute their schemes, especially on offense. The Packers' passing game was limited as it mainly relied on running back Aaron Jones and receiver Davante Adams as they recorded 129 and 90 receiving yards, respectively.
WR Allen Lazard, who only had six yards on a single catch, joins them as the only Packers to gain yardage on air all game long. Green Bay's offense also missed the services of another threat in Marquez Valdes-Scantling who was sidelined due to a back injury sustained in Week 18.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn't come out with a horrible outing but his efforts were still not enough to steer the Packers to a Divisional Round victory. Without a doubt, the team could've been in a good position to win the game if only the conditions were better and if their offense had more fluidity on the field.
After absorbing a disheartening loss, much more will surely be expected from the entire team as they aim to come back stronger in next year's campaign.
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