The Packers defeated the Rams 24-12 on Monday night keeping their slim playoff hopes alive. It could have been more as the Packers had a 1st and goal from the two-yard line with under two minutes to play. The game was wrapped up at that point so Matt LaFleur decided to take a knee and end the game. This decision was a classy one as they did not need to run up the score. However, Matt LaFleur’s decision to take a knee could come back to haunt the Packers.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur on taking a knee at the end of the game – even after the Rams called a timeout: “There’s a way you handle winning in this league.”
It’s highly unlikely it would come down to it, but there is a playoff tiebreaker that involves points. pic.twitter.com/eHry2WYcOL
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) December 20, 2022
Matt LaFleur’s Decision To Take A Knee Could Be Disastrous
It is no secret that LaFleur and Rams coach Sean McVay are friends. This felt like one friend being respectful of another. However, it has a small chance of coming back to bite the Packers. One of the tiebreakers for the playoffs is points scored. It is not the primary tiebreaker but still, there is a chance that it could come down to points. If the Packers miss out on the playoffs because of points, this will be a game that LaFleur and the Packers will look back at as leaving points on the table.
Highly Unlikely But Still Possible
This is highly unlikely. This would be the 9th tiebreaker if everything else was the same. There is a minuscule chance that it comes down to this but I would never leave anything to chance. It was a classy move, but there will be a lot of outrage if the impossible happens and it comes down to points. With how far down the tiebreaker procedure this is, I doubt that LaFleur was thinking about this at the moment.
Hopefully, Matt LaFleur’s decision to take a knee will not come back to haunt the Packers. Ultimately, the Packers have to win the next three games first and then get some help as well. Points scored are probably the least of their concerns right now but with the margin for error being so small, I wouldn’t leave anything to chance.
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