Chris from Goddard, KS

Just like you said Mike, this team will be remembered for how they finished.

You mean how they didn't.

Agustin from Mexico

So, even the mighty 27 lost its magic at the end.

Probably because the 27 shouldn't have been on the board long enough for anyone to notice it.

Melvin from Iowa City, IA

I don't take joy in saying this, but the coach needs to go. Five straight losses with the talent on this roster is bad. The playoff performances have been largely underwhelming. The repeated collapses with seemingly no lessons learned are infuriating. Not a good enough coach schematically to figure out the failures, not a good enough leader to rally the troops for better performance. How much of the blame do you put on the head coach?

A ton of submissions about LaFleur's future, as expected and warranted. Please understand it's not my place as a team employee to weigh in on a decision being made multiple pay grades above me. Objectively, what I will say is this: The 2025 season fell a country mile short of expectations, and the expectations were justified. If the metaphor is a balloon full of promise, it wasn't popped by a single pinprick but by multiple shotgun blasts. Combined bum luck and self-inflicted overkill. There is no simple explanation, nor a sole entity to blame. I expect changes to be made. I don't know what those changes will be.

David from Gainesville, FL

Now is the winter of our discontent. A season played in reverse; started out building on the plan for growth and development and ended on a five-game losing streak filled with historic losses. How does a franchise move forward from this without major changes taking place? This was more than injuries, it was a collapse.

Collapsing in too many games is how a season ultimately collapses. Injuries were a factor, but injuries can't be blamed when in position – I'd say "prime" position, but whatever – to win important games without those injured players. The Packers fell apart time and time again, due to endless factors. Leads of 10 points at Cleveland, 13 points at Dallas, nine points at Denver, 10 points at Chicago, and 18 points at Chicago redux – all but the Dallas lead in the second half – and they didn't win any of those games. As I outlined in my Rapid Reaction piece, the failure to win games they had in their grasp is why they backed into the playoffs as the bottom seed when they should've put themselves in a better spot, and also why their season is now over. The ending fit the narrative because the narrative kept getting revisited.

Tom from Hamden, CT

Never mind getting untracked, the whole thing came off the rails.

I go back to what I said after the first Chicago meltdown. How much adversity can one team take before the pile to plow through gets too big? In the end, they didn't have what it took to overcome, not that much anyway. The Week 18 reset was worth one good half of complementary football, but that wasn't nearly enough.

Pete from Caledonia, MI

First, thank you two for always being here when we need you. You're the unsung level heads all too often. I get the injury context to the season. My issue is, GB has drunkenly stumbled around the regular season for four years (incl. Rodgers last year), yet somehow found the postseason three of them. Sadly, the postseason (and reg. season) performances have regressed horribly, ST never gets better (10-year problem) and not sure what fixes it. Elite QB play, routinely, and the same result. Help? GPG

I wish I had answers for you. I truly do. But as I write this morning's column with so much to process, I'm taken back to this same time two years ago after the playoff loss in Santa Clara. A lot of readers thought I was overly despondent after that game. They expected more upbeat responses as they were focused instead on how bright the future appeared with such a successful first transition season from a HOF QB. I didn't disagree with their outlook, but I was trying to get the point across that losing that game was a missed opportunity of massive proportions. The Packers were healthy and hot, playing as well as anybody left standing, and they let a trip to the NFC title game get away. Not in the same fashion, mind you, but it got away nonetheless. I said at that time you never know what the future brings in this league. It's so competitive with so many variables, controllable and not. And now here we are, two years after coming within an eyelash of playing for a berth in the Super Bowl, with the Packers are actually farther away from that opportunity, not closer. They've developed young players and altered the roster and have little to show for the last two seasons except spinning their wheels. The reasons are too numerous to list, but as much as losses like Saturday night are beyond infuriating, it's the one two years ago that's more regrettable. At least to me, maybe due to how long I've been doing this.

Johnny from Nasewaupee, WI

II – thanks for making the season more interesting and informative. Question: After playing a team three times in about a month, how can your offense not be ready to adjust to something the Bears' defense would do when you've probably seen everything?

To quote the postgame presser, "That's a great question." The stretch of four straight possessions in the second half, gaining only one first down and netting a grand total of nine yards against a defense that's statistically vulnerable when not getting turnovers, was as inept an extended stretch of offense as I can recall seeing in a while, in a big game anyway. The Bears just started blitzing, no matter whether it was run or pass, the offensive line gave neither Jordan Love nor Josh Jacobs any chance, and it took until the fifth possession of the half for the Packers to find any answers. That was mind-boggling. I'm not absolving the defense and special teams for their part in the meltdown, but it started with offensive ineptitude that lasted way too long, and the ripple effect on the other phases, especially the defense, was compromising.

Jeff from Indian Lake, NY

Very curious to see what our offensive line will look like next year. Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan are free agents. Recent high draft pick investments in Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton. IMHO their inability to recognize and pick up the Bears' pressures or create any running room in the second half is as big, if not the biggest reason, for the offensive collapse. Way more so than anyone calling for LaFleur's job. He can't block, make field goals or make sure that opposing receivers don't run wide open down the field.

Or catch the ball, which was a problem in a couple of key moments, too. But a possession or two of struggle is one thing. The blocking's gotta get fixed before four drives have gone to waste and the game's entire complexion has changed. That's a lot of sideline conversations, plenty of time to find solutions. They didn't until the Bears were back in the game and believing they could pull off another miracle.

Sarah from Bountiful, UT

I'd like your take on the second half defensive collapses in multiple losses where we had a healthy lead. Should our DC be in the hot seat? The tale of two halves is getting old real quick.

I can appreciate that, but defensively I don't look at this as a repeat of the other game in Chicago. That time, the defense kept the Bears out of the end zone for 58 minutes, and then was forced back on the field for consecutive crunch-time possessions due to the botched onside kick. This time, I was repeating over and over in the live blog how the offensive failures were going to wear the defense out, and that's precisely what transpired. The defense held up through three quarters, still no touchdowns, but then it was running on empty. I thought that was obvious. On those three TD drives, the Bears racked up more than 200 yards, with six plays of 20-plus, and used less than six minutes of clock time. That's hard to fathom, and other than Caleb Williams' insane throw on fourth-and-8, it was too easy with guys like Loveland and Moore running free through coverage breakdowns. But the fact the Bears got the ball six times in the second half was the fault of the offense. No getting around that.

Dan from Westerville, OH

How is it possible year after year to continue to have such catastrophic special teams mistakes in the playoffs? Is that on the players? The coaches? Is our special teams room built on a sacred burial ground? We need a Wisconsin-elected pope ASAP to turn this around because I'm not sure we have the answers.

Kickers, especially veteran kickers, need to make kicks. I'll give Brandon McManus a pass on the 55-yarder at the end of the half in those conditions, when it appeared the snap on the second try (after the ice timeout) was poor. But a 33-yard PAT and 44-yard FG need to be made, period. Make either one and the end-of-game scenarios play out very differently. The two productive punt returns by the Bears hurt, too. Duvernay is a great returner, and the Packers' depth at flyer with Zayne Anderson and Bo Melton out wasn't up to the task.

Bob from Long Valley, NJ

Tough loss, couldn't sleep! Two quick questions. Why did Carrington Valentine catch the interception and not know it was fourth down? Second question, after several issues with his self-control how does Keisean Nixon get that stupid "jump in" penalty? Keep up the great work gents!

Those are two mental blunders I just don't understand from professional athletes.

Ken from Arvada, CO

This game was a microcosm of the whole season. Flashes of absolute domination and brilliance that was vastly overshadowed by a lack of discipline, a lack of patience and a sudden disappearance of football knowledge in all three phases. Lots of offseason work to do.

The way Week 18 unfolded, after everything the Packers had been through, I thought the Bears were their best possible matchup in the first round. As it turned out, it was the other way around. That's painful to say, but it's true.

Harry from Rochester, NY

Am I being delusional? Is this franchise cursed? It's unbelievable.

Cursed would imply events and outcomes beyond anyone's control. This team just does so much damage to itself the moments of pure good fortune – like putting the ball on the ground three times and not losing any of the fumbles – get lost in the self-inflicted shuffle.

Dominic from Chesapeake, VA

Mike and Wes, I know we all enjoyed the "Golden" moment. The play was special in every aspect. It's sad that it wasn't enough. You've watched Matthew Golden all year, from draft through minicamps and training camps through last night. How do you feel about him (athleticism, intelligence, character, teammate, etc.)? Thanks for sharing.

Golden will be a big part of this team's future and a player Packers fans will enjoy watching and getting to know. I have zero doubts about that. It was great to see him find the end zone before his rookie season concluded.

Travis from Chippewa Falls, WI

With the coaching carousel in full swing, you see reports that a team has requested an interview with a coordinator from another team. Could the Packers actually deny the request to have Hafley interviewed? Not that they would, but could they technically?

No. Coaches can't be blocked from interviewing for potential promotions, which coordinator to head coach would be.

Gary from Davenport, IA

Was Daniel Whelan the first Packer punter to lead the league in average punt distance? And how did he not make either first- or second-team All-Pro?

Yes, he's the first, and he doesn't quite have the name recognition yet, but it's coming. The voting at punter was very divided. Ten different punters received at least one first-place vote from the panel of 50 voters.

Jack from Chicago, IL

"I wonder if the league will pick another West Coast team to meet the Rams in Australia just for the considerably shorter flight." I had a good lol at this. The NFL will put an East Coast team coming off MNF on a flight to Austria for a Thursday night game if Bezos pulls another nickel out of his wallet.

Fair point, but we'll see.

Carl from Onalaska, WI

The assisting a runner is out of hand. Josh Allen was literally off the ground and carried by an O-lineman towards the end the Jacksonville game.

And the goal-line judge was apparently so enamored with the levitation he called it a touchdown when it wasn't even close to one. Just awful all around.

Kevin from Clinton, NC

For the rest of my life, I will be unable to comprehend how they lost that game.

If I hadn't covered the previous 17 games, I might've said the same. But no.

Jeff from Hagerstown, MD

Well, we scored in the red zone and got turnovers – so we had that going for us. Seriously, for as successful as this franchise has been, we've had more gut-punch playoff losses than any team I know. Sigh.

When it's taking too long to rank them, you don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Bill from Forest Park, OH

This team's 2025 identity turned out to be "consistently inconsistent" and unable to close out games they should have won. As a result, the season is over, and we're all left yet again lamenting what could have been. Yes, it was at times a fun journey. But it was also an incredibly frustrating journey, ending short of the desired destination. Sigh. Time to focus on other things for a while. We'll still come back and hope for better next season. Meanwhile, when do pitchers and catchers report?

Happy Monday.

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