The Green Bay Packers escaped Sunday with a victory against the New England Patriots, 27-24. But the game was much closer than many expected. The Packers made a number of mistakes on the field. But they weren't the only ones. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur made a bone head decision late in the game that he admitted to afterwards.
With just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 24, LaFleur challenged an incomplete pass on a deep shot from Aaron Rodgers to Romeo Doubs. The problem was that the ball very clearly hit the ground. Everyone knew it. The Packers people in the booth knew it. The players knew it. The fans might have even known it, but apparently so did coach LaFleur as La Crosse Tribute noted.
“Yeah, I’m not too proud of that moment… That was an emotional decision,” the Packers coach said. “I think it’s a great learning lesson that you can never make those emotional decisions in the heat of battle. (Packers assistant quarterbacks coach) Connor Lewis, he’s up in the box and he’s in my ear and he said, ‘I don’t think so.’ He said that we shouldn’t challenge it.”
Yet, LaFleur threw his challenge flag anyway, which cost a timeout.
Article Continues BelowLuckily for the Packers, the mistake did not cost the team. But this was far from an inspiring effort from the Packers. The Patriots were down to their third string rookie quarterback, Bailey Zappe, and almost pulled off the upset.
Nevertheless, Green Bay improved to 3-1. They will face the 3-1 New York Giants next week.