In a gut-wrenching turn of events on Saturday night, the Green Bay Packers endured yet another heartbreak in the playoffs, losing 24-21 to the San Francisco 49ers. The defeat marked the latest chapter in a painful history of late-game playoff losses for the Packers, punctuating a season that had shown considerable promise.

The Packers had a four-point lead with a little over six minutes remaining in regulation, and the game's trajectory could have changed had kicker Anders Carlson made a crucial field-goal attempt. Unfortunately for the Packers, the attempt was unsuccessful, and the 49ers seized the opportunity to score, reclaiming the lead. Despite having a chance for a game-winning score, the Packers saw their hopes dashed when quarterback Jordan Love's rookie mistake of a throw was intercepted by 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

While the loss to the 49ers stung, the Packers can reflect on a season filled with accomplishments. They secured a playoff berth with a strong finish to the regular season and managed to eliminate the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round. Despite the painful ending, there is much for the Packers to be proud of in their 2023 campaign.

However, the recent defeat adds another layer to the franchise's playoff narrative, particularly in late-game scenarios. Since 2007, the Packers have experienced seven playoff losses where they conceded the go-ahead score in the last two minutes of regulation or in overtime. Let's delve into each of these heartbreaking playoff exits, per u/wumboinator on Reddit.

  1. 2007 – NFC Championship Game vs. New York Giants: The Packers fell 23-20 in overtime as the Giants secured the victory with a walk-off field goal. This game marked Brett Favre's last pass as a Packer, intercepted before the Giants sealed the win.
  2. 2009 – NFC Wild Card Game vs. Arizona Cardinals: In a high-scoring affair, the Cardinals won 51-45 in overtime on a walk-off fumble return for a touchdown, bringing a dramatic end to an intense playoff clash.
  3. 2013 – NFC Wild Card Game vs. San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers emerged victorious with a 23-20 win on a walk-off field goal as time expired. Micah Hyde's earlier dropped interception proved pivotal in this closely contested matchup.
  4. 2014 – NFC Championship Game vs. Seattle Seahawks: One of the most unforgettable moments in NFL history, the Packers suffered a devastating 28-22 loss in overtime. The Seahawks secured the win with a walk-off touchdown pass after Green Bay squandered a 12-point lead in the final minutes of regulation.
  5. 2015 – NFC Divisional Round vs. Arizona Cardinals: The Packers lost 26-20 in overtime on a walk-off touchdown pass after forcing overtime with a miraculous Hail Mary at the end of regulation.
  6. 2021 – NFC Divisional Round vs. San Francisco 49ers: In a hard-fought defensive battle, the 49ers won 13-10 on a walk-off field goal as time expired. The Packers' offense and special teams were unable to capitalize on a remarkable defensive effort.
  7. 2023 – NFC Divisional Round vs. San Francisco 49ers: The most recent heartbreak occurred as the 49ers secured a 24-21 victory with Christian McCaffrey's game-winning touchdown run with 1:07 remaining.

This unfortunate trend places the Packers in a select group of teams with multiple late-game playoff losses since 2007, alongside the Saints (4) and the Bengals (3). The recurrence of such heartbreaking moments emphasizes the need for the Packers to address crucial aspects in their playoff strategy to avoid these heart-wrenching outcomes in the future.