GREEN BAY - For a moment, the NFC championship game seemed within the Green Bay Packers’ grasp.
Down eight, 31-23, with 2:22 left in the game, the Packers stormed 58 yards down the field to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 8-yard line. There they had three opportunities on three downs; each were passing plays that fell incomplete.
But then there was the fourth opportunity.
Head coach Matt LaFleur, known for the “all gas, no brake” approach that propelled the Packers to a 13-3 record for a second straight season, pumped the brakes. Instead of taking another shot at the end zone on fourth down, LaFleur took his offense off the field, sent on kicker Mason Crosby and the field goal unit and settled for the three points.
The decision came as a shock to Buccaneers outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett.
“Hey, I couldn’t believe it, honestly,” Barrett said. “Because there’s no guarantee that they’re gonna make it back down there again, even if they was on fourth down. They might as well try.
“But I know if he could take it back, he probably wouldn’t do that next time. But I appreciate it.”