The Green Bay Packers lost to the Chicago Bears 31-27 in the wild card round on Saturday night after blowing a big lead late in the game. This loss has raised serious questions about the team and head coach Matt LaFleur. After suffering another playoff collapse, LaFleur spoke about the team’s problems and denied that choking in big games defines who they are.
The loss in Chicago was the third time this season that Green Bay gave up a 10-point or more lead with five minutes left and lost. They became the first team since 1970 to do this three times in one season. According to ClutchPoints, LaFleur said the team doesn’t need major changes to stop these late-game collapses.
LaFleur pointed to better execution and putting players in the right spots as the solution. He also said he’s proud of how hard his players worked during the season, even though they came up short when it mattered most.
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LaFleur believes the team is almost there despite another brutal loss
“Matt LaFleur does not believe anything needs to change from a team identity or culture standpoint to start winning these close playoff games. He pointed to execution, putting players in right positions, but said he’s proud of his players’ effort,” USA Today reporter Ryan Wood wrote on X.
Despite the heartbreaking defeat, LaFleur thinks Green Bay is close to reaching its goals. He acknowledged the team isn’t where it wants to be yet but praised how they battled through tough times all year. “We’re not where we want to be,”he said. “I know we fought through a lot of adversity this year. Unfortunately, we didn’t do enough to overcome that adversity.”
After the loss, reporters asked LaFleur about his future with the Packers. His job security is now in doubt after another frustrating playoff exit. LaFleur said he isn’t thinking about whether he’ll be fired, but he made it clear he wants to stay in Green Bay. In other NFL news, Stefon Diggs faced controversy involving Offset’s shooting threat that went viral online recently.
LaFleur called the Packers “one of one” and said he loves everything about the organization. He mentioned loving the people, the players, the locker room, and even the media who cover the team. He described Green Bay as a unique and special place.
The Packers organization hasn’t announced whether LaFleur will return next season. Meanwhile, Jason Kelce wants the Eagles to expand one player’s role heading into their playoff matchup. It’s unclear if LaFleur will get another chance to make up for Saturday’s collapse or if Green Bay will move on with a new head coach.
Published: Jan 12, 2026 11:30 am