Packers, Year in Review and a Look Ahead to Next Season
The 2020-21 season saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come out on top. I’m not a fan of the team, and it’s not only because the Packers lost to them in the playoffs. Regardless, they made the right moves this last offseason and now they have another Vince Lombardi Trophy to show for it. The Packers had another memorable regular season that ended in disappointment in the playoffs. Here is a review of their season and a look ahead to next year.
Win of the Year:
In my opinion, I think it’s their 40-14 win over the Tennessee Titans. Up to that point, the Packers were 11-3 but have only beaten teams who were mediocre or worse with the exception of the New Orleans Saints. Leading up to this game, we heard a lot about how Derrick Henry and the Titans are going to run all over the Packers, win or lose. Well that didn’t happen. The Packers actually did most of the running and scoring. That win established the Packers as a team to be taken seriously heading into the playoffs.
Honorable Mention:
It’s hard to leave out the Divisional Round Playoff win over the Los Angeles Rams. The Packers fought all season to get the #1 seed in the NFC and faced a team who won at Seattle the previous weekend. The Rams are tough defensively with players like Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. The Packers had their offense going in the first half before the Rams tightened it up. The Packers finally pulled away for a 32-18 victory that earned them a spot in the NFC Championship Game for the second straight year.
Most Painful Loss of the Year:
What else could it be? The loss to Tampa Bay in the championship game is still a bitter pill to swallow. The Packers played all year to get the opportunity to host this game, something that didn’t happen with Aaron Rodgers as the starter until this year. Their defense couldn’t get off the field and the offense couldn’t get going consistently. The Packers fought to get back into the game but some missed opportunities and questionable decisions late in the game hurt their chances of completing the comeback. Next year can’t come soon enough after this loss.
(Dis)honorable Mention:
The loss to Tampa Bay in the regular season and the disappointing showing vs Minnesota both hurt, but I put the loss to the Indianapolis Colts as #2. The Packers led 28-14 at halftime and looked like they were on their way to an impressive win vs a quality team. They gave up the lead in the second half and could only manage a field goal, which they needed just to send the game into overtime. A fumble in overtime gave the Colts great field position, which they would use to kick the game-winning field goal and a 34-31 win. It was a heartbreaking loss, but the Packers went on a winning streak after that and would not lose again until the playoff loss to Tampa Bay.
A lot of good things happened for the Packers this year. Aaron Rodgers showed he is far from finished as he won his third MVP Award. Davante Adams set a franchise record for receptions in a season. Head Coach Matt LaFleur went 13-3 in the regular season once again. It was a great run with a disappointing end to the season.
Where do the Packers go from here? For starters, the front office needs to change their mindset. Tampa Bay won the Super Bowl in part by going “all in” for this opportunity. No matter what happens in the next few years, their willingness to take risks paid off for them. The Packers need to stop with the press conferences where they promise to make moves and take chances and disappoint the fans by coming away with bread crumbs at best. They need to make some bold trades and/or free agent moves to show that they are serious about winning the Super Bowl next year. In the draft, they need players who can contribute right away. You can’t talk about wanting Rodgers around for a long time while drafting a quarterback in the first round. They need to go all-in like Tampa Bay did and teams like Denver did when they signed Peyton Manning.
The fans are frustrated and restless. We want another Super Bowl Trophy. They already started to make moves as they fired their special teams coach and also replaced Mike Pettine with Joe Barry. It would be disappointing to lose Aaron Jones, but they have a capable back in A.J. Dillon. Kevin King is likely gone and Preston Smith could be on his way out as well. The Packers also need to find a true #2 receiver to focus some of the attention away from Davante Adams. Most importantly, we need to keep Aaron Rodgers happy. He is one of the all-time great quarterbacks and we need to take care of him by surrounding him with a team that can win the Super Bowl next year. We came close but not close enough this year. We need to do much better in order to break through and win the whole thing.
Hopefully this loss will motivate the team to be even better next year. “All gas, no brake” isn’t just for game days; it also applies to preparation, like the front office for example in finding ways to improve the roster. It’s going to take a lot of work, but the Packers are more than capable of being the last team standing next year. Let’s make that happen Packers! It is time for another title in Titletown!
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackrFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
