Packers Lose in Brutal Fashion to Cardinals on Missed Last-Second Field Goal
The Packers playoff chances were still alive entering Sunday's matchup with Arizona at Lambeau Field. Despite sitting third in the NFC North at 4-6-1, the prospect of running the table was in play, with three home games left and four games against losing teams. A home contest against the previously 2–9 Cardinals looked to be a nice tune-up before the final four weeks of the season.
Those postseason chances are now gone after Mason Crosby missed a 49-yard field goal as time expired, sealing Green Bay's 20–17 loss to Arizona. It's been a season of discord in Green Bay as The MMQB's Kayln Kahler noted this week, and Sunday's defeat will only fuel the frustration.
The Packers' offense lacked explosion on Sunday. Green Bay failed to reach 100 yards rushing on 23 carries. Rodgers tallied just 233 yards on 50 attempts. And when Green Bay received the ball down three with 1:41 remaining, the Packers couldn't generate a big play, dumping the ball on short routes as they slogged their way past midfield. Crosby couldn't have felt comfortable from 49 yards out.
As the Packers' offense struggled, Arizona bullied Green Bay's front on the ground. The Cardinals amassed 182 yards on 29 carries, and rookie Chase Edmonds found the end zone twice. Despite a shaky offensive line, Arizona was the agressor at Lambeau throughout the afternoon.
Green Bay will likely need help to reach the playoffs even if they win out and end the year at 8–7–1. Ending the year above .500 is even unlikely, though, given Green Bay's recent three-game losing streak. Expect a long December in Green Bay, and potentially an offseason of roster and staff reconstruction for one of the NFL's proudest franchises.
