4. The Packers regrettably missed two chances to win the game in regulation time.
In third and eighth on the New England 40 with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Rodgers hit Doubs with a deep ball into the end zone and Lambeau exploded with cheers.
Only Doubs lost control of the ball as it hit the ground and the pass was ruled incomplete.
“I celebrated,” Rodgers said. “(Patriots Pass Rusher) Matt Judon stood next to me and said, ‘He dropped it.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ And they showed the replay and he didn’t quite get it down.”
This led to an ill-fated decision by LaFleur to contest the call, which was confirmed on replay. The lost timeout proved monumental, as the Packers subsequently pinned the Patriots with 1:52 left at their own 2-yard line, but with only one timeout remaining, Green Bay couldn’t get the ball back until New England with only punnte 14 ticks left.
With another timeout, the Packers might have forced the Patriots to sting with just under a minute left, enough time for another drive for the crucial points.
LaFleur was very self-critical after the game, calling it a twisted “Hail Mary” to throw the red flag and even admitting that assistant coach Connor Lewis advised him from the dressing room not to challenge the Doubs game.
“I’m not particularly proud of this moment,” LaFleur said. “It’s a great lesson that you can never make these emotional decisions in the heat of the moment. you know better You have to survive the ground.
“Thank god our boys saved me in that regard but definitely my worst decision of the day.”
Tottenham Hotspur’s Packers-Giants are on their feet in seven days, a pair of 3-1 NFC teams hopping across the Atlantic to become a wild and rough environment.
“That’s a challenge in itself,” LaFleur said. “It’s the same for both teams, right, whoever can handle that journey the best will usually go out and do the best.
“There’s a lot to clean up before we get on that plane to go to London.”
But once again, the Packers are working on their mistakes after a difficult win that beats the alternative.
“A win is a win,” Rodgers said. “It was an ugly first half, a good second half. We’re going to celebrate and now the schedule is getting physically demanding in terms of travel.”