Another disappointing season

WITHOUT WORDS

Well, it’s that time of the year again. The time when I get my heartbroken yet again by the Green Bay Packers. It’s a yearly tradition if you’re a Wisconsin sports fan, then again, I suppose for any fan whose team does not win the Super Bowl every season is disappointing.

However, some fans are more realistic about their team’s chances to make it to the Super Bowl and win it all. I mean, if your team doesn’t even get to the playoffs, or has an abysmal record, then there’s not as much at stake.

But when you bring back the reigning MVP, and someone factored to win that award again, you expect more. I can’t put the Packers recent loss, a 13-10 debacle at Lambeau Field, squarely on Rodgers’ shoulders.

But if you’re going to be the MVP, you expect some magical moments. You expect Rodgers to come through in the clutch, but against the 49ers, a team is now 0-4 against in the playoffs, he looked old and tired and cold.

Special teams did him no favors, nor the Packers in general. All season long I knew they would eventually cost the Packers a game, you just hoped it would not be in the playoffs.

On Saturday, all of the blunders and holes and miscues were exposed in gloriously bad fashion. The Packers allowed a field goal to be blocked. Green Bay’s special teams let a punt get blocked and returned for a touchdown, and they gave up a big kick return to set up the 49ers first field goal.

Perhaps most embarrasingly of all, the Packers only had ten guys out on the field for Robbie Gould’s game winning field goal. I’m not saying they would have blocked the attempt, but it certainly does not look good on LaFleuer and Maurice Drayton, the Packers special teams coach, who as of now, is still employed by the Packers.

It’s a real shame the game, and the season, ended this way. There were many who thought this team could have won it all. Their defense certainly played lights out. Green Bay still returns some very good talent on their roster for next year, but there are a lot more questions coming into next year than answers.

Aaron Rodgers has already said he does not want to be part of a team rebuild. If he does come back for another season, he wants to do it on a team that can get him another ring. Perhaps Green Bay is that team. The Packers can’t keep everyone, and some players are going to be on different teams.

If Rodgers does leave, hopefully the Packers can get some draft picks out of his departure. I’m not sure what Green Bay has in Jordan Love. What I have seen isn’t pretty, but then again, he’s not played a full season, or even had a game with all starters.

One thing is certain, if Rodgers does leave, Love better be the guy. Great quarterback play can elevate a team, and Green Bay has been blessed in that department. What I fear is another repeat of the 1970’s, but let’s not go down that rabbit hole!

M USINGS AND G RUMBLINGS

ROSS PATTERMANN REPORTER