Wild Card Weekend Recap

With only two games remaining in the Wild Card weekend, the saga of the weekend revolved around Green Bay’s downfall and the ensuing drama in Chicago. After spending seven seasons with the team and seeing no clear progress, it might be time for a change. It seems that while Matt LaFleur can excel during the regular season, he struggles with strategy, game planning, and playoff competition.

Sure, Micah Parsons’ absence came up as a big factor in Green Bay’s loss, but he wasn’t on the field when the decisive play unfolded. Let’s be honest—field goal kickers are expected to nail 44-yard kicks, so that excuse feels a bit hollow. The Packers began to falter with 3:38 left in the game, but the situation was still up for grabs. The offense, with a three-point lead, should have aimed to take as much time off the clock as possible. Instead, LaFleur’s approach was overly ambitious, and Chicago capitalized on it.

On a pivotal play, Romeo Dubs almost managed to secure a first down, gaining 34 yards, which gave the Packers a golden opportunity. At this stage, Chicago was down to using timeouts to stay in the game.

• 1st-and-10, 3:19 — Zero yard run, Bears timeout.

However, instead of pushing for a strong play through the middle, LaFleur and Love opted for an out route on second down. Although the Packers did briefly take the lead, the Bears didn’t need to use any timeouts.

• 1st-and-10, 3:11 — Zero yard run, Bears timeout.

Time ticked down to just over three minutes remaining. It was clear the smart move was to run the clock or make short completions. This would have forced Chicago to use their last timeout, which would be crucial for Green Bay. But, in a questionable call, they threw a 12-yard out instead.

• 2nd-and-10, 3:07 — Love’s deep left pass to Luke Musgrave is incomplete.

The Packers played with a carefree attitude, which worked initially; Love found ways to advance the ball against Chicago’s defense. But as the fourth quarter progressed, Chicago’s defense tightened, focusing on prevention of deep throws, while the Packers seemed to ignore the shift. The Bears were hoping for a misstep, but that would have still materially affected the outcome of the game.

That incompletion meant Chicago didn’t need to spend another timeout.

Now it was 3rd-and-10, but a false start pushed them back.

• 3rd-and-15, 3:02 — Love incomplete deep right pass to Romeo Doubes.

When one risky play fails, why not try another? This eight-play drive began with 4:12 on the clock; ideally, Chicago’s timeouts should have been exhausted by at least two minutes. Instead, they still had one left with just 1:27 remaining. Rushing the plays seemed reckless and lacked the poise of a coach who understood time management. It felt more like an inexperienced decision maker who wanted a touchdown to ease his worries about Chicago’s final play, rather than a seasoned strategist.

Now, Green Bay’s season has come to an end. The path forward appears complicated, as finding a better coach this season seems unlikely. Honestly, if you were to call for LaFleur’s dismissal, who would be a viable alternative? John Harbaugh? He too faced his own postseason setbacks in Baltimore, and if you can’t win with Lamar Jackson, winning with Jordan Love seems even less likely.

The team desperately needs a strong offensive presence. LaFleur could greatly benefit from an assistant head coach to assist with play calling and decision-making during games. Letting go of a solid coach would be a misstep when small adjustments could make a difference. At least, that’s my take.

Additionally, let’s talk about the winners and losers of the Wild Card playoffs…

If the Bears can manage to have Caleb Williams replicate his second-half performance early on, they might be onto something. A rough start had many expecting an early exit, but a surprising comeback unfolded, which wasn’t as straightforward as anticipated.

Indeed, the Packers’ secondary faced challenges. Yet, Williams made impressive throws in the second half that warranted praise. He has a unique ability to turn difficult situations into opportunities, showcasing remarkable talent that simply can’t be taught. For the future, improving efficiency within the passing scheme is vital.

It’s perhaps easy to overlook how impressive the Bears’ rookie tight end was this season. There was hope he would shine under Ben Johnson’s system, and it’s clear his impact against the Packers was significant.

With eight catches for 137 yards, Green Bay had no real answer for his skills when matched against linebackers. It’s evident Loveland was the right choice for Chicago over Ty Warren; both tight ends from the 2025 class are solid, but Loveland brings more to the receiving game, aligning perfectly with Johnson’s strategy.

This factor will be crucial in the playoffs, especially since few teams aside from the Seahawks have a linebacker core that can effectively handle a pass-catching tight end like Colston Loveland. Honestly, if he had been utilized more earlier in the season, he’d likely be in the Rookie of the Year conversation.

Although Carolina faced defeat, Saturday stood as a significant moment for the Panthers’ quarterback. Bryce Young’s biggest critique in 2025 was inconsistency, stemming from uneven performance, questionable calls, and unreliable receivers. To assert himself as a franchise leader, he aimed to command the offense in the postseason—and he did just that.

Of course, some shaky moments emerged. Young’s accuracy with quick throws was concerning, and receivers had their share of struggles, including a dropped game-saving fourth-down pass and a failed inside route that led to an interception. Some of the late-game play calls felt overly ambitious given the situation, as the head coach sought more than just moving the chains.

These issues are often part of a young team learning the ropes under a coach still adapting to the NFL. Following a rocky first year with Frank Reich, Young has essentially completed his second season in the league with improved coaching. While it’s uncertain if he’ll develop into a top-tier quarterback, there’s enough potential to warrant continued development. Saturday’s performance supported that belief.

I’m puzzled as to why Kyle Shanahan received the award without being named Coach of the Year. The success he achieved with a team missing its star player is a testament to his coaching skills.

As for Harbaugh, it’s clear he’s aiming for a pay raise. Regardless of this weekend’s outcomes, both the Packers and Eagles are likely to consider him as a steady influence during uncertain times. While neither team owes him any favors, these losses have undoubtedly increased his market value.

It seems Nick Sirianni stands at the center of blame for the Eagles’ exit. This serves as a reminder that promoting friends to critical coaching positions may not be wise. Kevin Pattullo, who lacks experience as an NFL offensive coordinator, should never have been considered for an upgrade to that role, leading to frustration for the Eagles throughout the season.

The situation worsened with a public disagreement involving AJ Brown, which seemed to imply that the star wide receiver was at fault for the offensive struggles, leaving Philadelphia in a rather bad spot. They’re now out of the playoffs, and much of that can be traced back to coaching decisions.

Loser: Everyone who was eagerly anticipating Sunday night’s matchup

The Chargers vs. Patriots game turned out to be a letdown over the weekend. I get that not every game can be a blockbuster, but this one fell flat compared to the excitement the rest of the NFL provided. It wasn’t just about two good defenses; rather, it raised the question of what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.

Congrats, Patriots. Let’s see if you can make next week more engaging.