A little more than a week eliminated from their misfortune to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship game, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur remains by the decision to kick a field goal down eight in the end minutes.
LaFleur elected for a 26-yard field goal attempt as the Packers followed 31-23 with 2:09 left to play. The change shut the gap to five, however the Packers never saw the ball again as the Buccaneers finished off the triumph.
Through Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, LaFleur said Monday that he’d settle on a similar call in the event that he a similar circumstance introduced before him.
“If I had to do it again, if it’s fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard line, we’re kicking a field goal,” LaFleur said. “If it’s fourth-and-goal from the 5, I think we have a different discussion. You’ve got to play the percentages. We had three shots at it, gained no yards. That’s how it is. Some people will agree. Some people will disagree. It in my heart, that’s what I felt like was the best decision for us. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”
Reasonably, the decision to kick the field objective expanded the chances the Packers could win the match in regulation. It additionally expanded the chances they could lose the game outright without going after for the opportunity to attach with a touchdown and two-point change expected to make a big difference for the game. It additionally implied giving the ball to Tom Brady with a couple first downs expected to seal away the triumph.
It didn’t work out. The Buccaneers are playing in the Super Bowl this weekend while the Packers are at home.