Packers' Playoff Hopes Could Hinge on Special Teams.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ playoff hopes may rest on one often-overlooked facet of the game: special teams. Three costly errors over the past three months have proven that mistakes in this phase can drastically alter the trajectory of an NFL season.

The most recent example occurred in Green Bay’s 22-16 overtime loss to the Chicago Bears. With just under two minutes remaining in regulation, the Packers failed to recover an onside kick. Receiver Romeo Doubs backpedaled instead of aggressively securing the ball, allowing the Bears to retain possession. Running back Josh Jacobs emphasized the gravity of the moment: “That was the most important play of the game.” Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia defended Doubs, stating, “He makes that thing 99 out of 100 times. We've defended 11 onside kicks since we've been here. He's been there for eight of them, and that's the first one we didn't come up with.” This latest blunder follows two earlier special teams lapses: a blocked field goal in a 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns and a blocked extra point returned for two points in a 40-40 tie with the Dallas Cowboys. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur downplayed the significance of isolated mistakes while stressing the overall competence of the units. “I think our teams have done a pretty good job, especially when you look at our coverage units,” LaFleur said.

Bisaccia, who joined the Packers in 2022, is the third special teams coordinator under LaFleur, following Shawn Mennenga and Maurice Drayton. Despite finding stability with specialists like kicker Brandon McManus, punter Daniel Whelan, and long-snapper Matt Orzech, Green Bay’s big-play issues persist. Historical playoff missteps—such as a botched onside kick recovery in the 2014 NFC Championship and a blocked punt against the 49ers in 2021—demonstrate a recurring challenge. According to Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric, the Packers rank 21st in special teams, 5th in offense, and 14th in defense. Bisaccia highlighted the mental aspect of these plays: “No matter how the game turned out—win or loss—you’re always dwelling on those particular plays that happen to you.”

With two regular-season games remaining, the Packers still control their playoff destiny. However, another special teams mishap could derail their postseason aspirations. Safety Javon Bullard emphasized the importance of consistency: “Everybody got to just do their job. That’s it. Nothing special, just got to do our job.”