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Authored by John Short, Jr

Packers special teams blunders driving force behind 49ers booting Green Bay out of playoffs

All year long, the ' special teams unit was Kameron McGusty Jersey a glaring weakne s.Their coverage units were a disaster, as they ranked dead last in opponent punt-return average and seventh-to-last in opponent kick-return average. They were one of two teams that allowed a punt return touchdown all season. Their kickoff unit had the league's eighth-lowest touchback rate. They converted field goals at the second-lowest rate in the NFL. The Packers finished the season with the league's worst special teams unit, according to Football Outsiders, where they ranked 32nd in DVOA.In their NFC divisional round 13-10 lo s to the on Saturday night, the Packers' special teams i sues reared their ugly head once again.Green Bay had a chance to extend its lead at the tail end of the first half, only to see 39-yard field goal get blocked by . And somehow, that was was just the start of things. BLOCKED.It stays a Zach Johnson Jersey 7-point game at halftime. : on FOX: NFL (@NFL) The 49ers put back deep to return the opening kickoff of the second half. The Packers promptly yielded a 45-yard return, which set up San Francisco's first scoring drive of the game. (They had already yielded a 32-yard kick return to earlier in the game.) Deebo returning kicks?! What can't he do? : on FOX: NFL (@NFL) Nursing a 10-3 lead late in the fourth quarter, the Packers lined up to punt after going three- Sean Taylor Jersey and-out. I sue was, nobody blocked 49ers defensive lineman , who broke through the line and blocked the kick. scooped up the ball with nobody near him, and took it into the end zone for a game-tying touchdown. PUNT BLOCK TOUCHDOWN.The have tied it! : on FOX: NFL (@NFL) And finally, after the Packers were once again forced to punt on their final po se sion and the Ebuka Izundu Jersey defense let the Niners march down the field for an attempt at a game-winning kick, the Packers had only 10 men on the field for that play. Gould made the kick with relative ease. THE PACKERS ONLY HAD 10 MEN ON THE Deng Gak Jersey FIELD FOR THE FINAL FIELD GOAL Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) "That can't happen," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said . "It's unacceptable. Again, that's on me." Making even one of these mistakes can cost you a playoff game. Making all four of them is practically unimaginable. But the Packers did it, and because they did, they're going home early once again.
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Packers special teams blunders driving force behind 49ers booting Green Bay out of playoffs 91 Bytes
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