The Green Bay Packers are hitting a wall in the red zone-and it’s threatening to derail their playoff push.
Just a few weeks ago, this offense was one of the most efficient in the NFL when it came to punching it in inside the 20. Through their first 13 games, the Packers were converting red-zone trips into touchdowns at a clip of 68.1%, the second-best mark in the league.
But after back-to-back losses, that number has plummeted to 58.9%, dropping them to 14th. The difference?
Missed opportunities. And a lot of them.
Denver: One Touchdown, Three Field Goals, and a Slipping Trend
It started in Denver. The Packers moved the ball well but couldn’t finish drives.
They went 1-for-4 in the red zone, settling for field goals on three trips. The lone touchdown came on a third-and-goal from the 14-yard line, when Josh Jacobs bailed out the offense with a spectacular grab-arguably the best catch of his career.
That play was a highlight, but it also masked a deeper issue: the Packers had to rely on a low-percentage play just to find the end zone.
That kind of inefficiency didn’t just leave points on the board-it gave the Broncos life. And it set the stage for what would unfold the following week in Chicago.
Chicago: Five Red-Zone Trips, Nine Points
Against the Bears, the red-zone woes went from concerning to critical. The Packers had five trips inside the 10-yard line. They came away with just nine points.
The opening drive looked promising-until it didn’t. On fourth-and-one from the Bears’ 7-yard line, rather than run for the yard, Jordan Love took a shot toward the pylon to Christian Watson.
Incomplete. Turnover on downs.
The next drive? Fourteen plays, 70 yards… and a field goal from the 8-yard line.
Then came a 16-play, 91-yard march that chewed up nearly eight minutes. It ended with another short field goal, this time from the 4-yard line. That’s three drives inside the 10, and just six points to show for it.
Instead of heading into halftime up three touchdowns, the Packers led just 6-0. They were dominating possession, moving the ball at will, and yet the scoreboard barely reflected it.
Second Half: More Missed Chances, One Costly Fumble
Things didn’t get much better after the break, even with Malik Willis stepping in for Love, who exited with a concussion. On their first possession of the second half, the Packers had first-and-goal from the 4.
That’s usually Jacobs territory-he’s been one of the league’s best short-yardage backs all season. But this time, he fumbled on first down.
The Bears recovered.
Willis would later connect with Romeo Doubs on a deep touchdown pass that bypassed the red zone altogether-one of the few bright spots on the day. But even after that, the offense settled for another short field goal in the fourth quarter.
The Bigger Picture: It Shouldn’t Have Come Down to the Fourth Quarter
Yes, the Packers had chances late. A failed onside kick recovery and some breakdowns in the secondary-especially from Keisean Nixon-contributed to the Bears pulling off the comeback in the fourth quarter and overtime.
But the truth is, Green Bay never should’ve been in that position. When you get inside the 10 five times, you expect to come away with more than nine points.
Do that, and the game never reaches overtime. Do that, and the Packers walk out of Soldier Field with a win and a firm grip on the NFC North.
What’s Next: Fixing the Red-Zone Puzzle
Matt LaFleur and his staff have some soul-searching to do. The Packers proved earlier in the season that they can be a top-tier red-zone offense. The play-calling was creative, the execution sharp, and the results consistent.
But right now, the rhythm is off. The decisions-like passing on fourth-and-short or over-relying on finesse plays-aren’t yielding results. And the execution, whether it’s missed throws, dropped passes, or costly fumbles, is compounding the problem.
The good news? The Packers still control their playoff destiny.
Win one of their final two games, and they’re in. But if they want to do more than just make an appearance, if they want to make noise in January, they need to turn those long drives into touchdowns.
Because in the playoffs, settling for three won’t cut it.