The Green Bay Packers suffered a catastrophic loss to the Chicago Bears on Saturday night, as they threw away a 10-point lead with two minutes left in the game to suffer a 22-16 loss. With this defeat, the Packers’ chances of winning the NFC North division are virtually nonexistent, and the team will have to quickly turn its attention to Week 17.
Before that can be done, though, Green Bay must properly process this loss to Chicago. One of the more surprising developments as the game went on was a lack of playing time for star running back Josh Jacobs, and after the game, head coach Matt LaFleur issued some cryptic comments regarding his lack of playing time.
Matt LaFleur Addresses Josh Jacobs’ Lack of Playing Time
Over the past few weeks, Jacobs has been dealing with a bothersome knee injury for the Packers. While it hasn’t kept him off the field, Green Bay has been leaning more on Emanuel Wilson to come in and take some snaps in place of Jacobs to keep him fresh. Against the Bears, though, Wilson ended up being utilized more than Jacobs.
With Jordan Love getting forced out of the game early due to a concussion, Green Bay leaned on its ground game. Jacobs still got 12 carries in this game, but Wilson ended up finishing with two more than him, and he was significantly more productive (82 yards compared to 36 yards). Jacobs also lost a fumble deep in the red zone, which ended up coming back to bite the Packers in the fourth quarter.
After that aforementioned fumble, Jacobs didn’t take the field for the rest of the game. Folks were wondering whether his absence from the field was due to an injury or his poor play, and after the game, LaFleur didn’t do much to clear up the confusion surrounding this situation, as he simply said he did not know anything about Jacobs’ injury status.
“I don’t know, to be honest with you, in regard to if he’s injured or not. I was not told that,” LaFleur said of Jacobs after the game.
Packers Need to Get Back on Track in Week 17
GettyPackers head coach Matt LaFleur.
The fact that Jacobs didn’t seem to get injured on the play where he fumbled seems to indicate that LaFleur benched him and opted to ride the hot hand in Wilson. With so much at stake, though, doing so was a bit of a head-scratching decision, especially with the team’s backup quarterback, Malik Willis, under center, and injuries mounting across the rest of the offense. The Packers could have used Jacobs on the field during their late collapse.
Nothing can be done to change things now, though, and all Green Bay can do is focus on getting ready for its Week 17 action. Things aren’t going to get any easier for the team, though, as a difficult matchup against the Baltimore Ravens awaits them. With this game also set to take place on Saturday, kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
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