If a football game lasted three quarters, the Green Bay Packers might be Super Bowl champs.
Unfortunately, Matt LaFleur's team made a habit of fourth-quarter meltdowns, culminating in the heartbreak of all heartbreaks by allowing the Chicago Bears to score 25 points in the final frame of January's playoff loss.
Safety Evan Williams has emerged as one of the Packers' most important defensive players, and he gave an honest assessment of the team's failure to close out victories last season. Appearing on ESPN Milwaukee, Williams spoke about the need to emphasize the finish.
"I feel like we all understand how much each play matters now," Williams said. "Looking back at that game, seeing just how in control we were and how it can slip from our hands."
"As a team, we've got to do a better job of just finishing. Emphasizing the finish to every game. There were a couple of games last year where we've got people on the ropes and let off the pedal a little bit and had them crawling back into the game when we should just put our foot on their throats."
Evan Williams understands the need for Packers to address their fourth-quarter failures
He's not wrong. The Packers only had themselves to blame for their late-game collapses last season.
Green Bay held a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in Cleveland. Loss. A nine-point lead in the third quarter at Denver. Loss. A 10-point advantage in Chicago that required a botched onside kick. Loss. Three weeks later, the Packers led 21-3 and 27-16 in the rematch with the Bears. Loss. Season over.
The offense lacked a consistent run game, which contributed to their inability to drain the clock and close out games. And the team froze when the pressure mounted.
The Packers had chances to win both games at Soldier Field, even without Jordan Love in the first contest. They dominated for three quarters, built a strong lead, and then collapsed when it mattered the most.
It's a wake-up call to Matt LaFleur. And to Brian Gutekunst. It could explain why Gutekunst has added two experienced veterans this offseason: linebacker Zaire Franklin and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. The team may have needed some experienced, cooler heads who can calm everyone down when the temperature rises.
Clearly, based on Williams' comments, it's a wake-up call to the locker room, too.
The best teams can handle adversity. That means winning without your star players, closing out games on the road in the playoffs. Not leaving the door open for your opponent and then folding when the pressure cranks up.
Green Bay must learn from last season's failures. The first step is understanding what went wrong, and it's clear from Williams' comments that this team gets it.
They must now find a way to stop it from happening again.
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