The Green Bay Packers absolutely choked, surrendering a double-digit lead and getting outscored 29-3 in the second half. It was ugly, folks, real ugly. This isn’t just about one game; it spotlights a dangerous, outdated philosophy, one that Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson is proving dead wrong.
Green Bay’s Play-It-Safe Disaster Class
You want to see the problem in action? Look at the Packers’ first drive of the second half. After picking up a couple of first downs on a Marshawn Lloyd run and a pass to Tucker Kraft, what happened? A Chris Brooks run lost a yard on first down, an incomplete pass, then on third and eleven, a one-yard Chris Brooks “give-up” run. Seriously? On third and eleven, they run for one yard? Then Daniel Whelan shanked a 22-yard punt. While it’s not all on Matt LaFleur, with the Vikings’ defense being a poor matchup for the Packers’ guards and some bizarre ref calls, you’d never see Ben Johnson calling give-up third and eleven runs, even with a big lead. That’s the difference.
Why “Managing the Game” Is a Relic
Ben Johnson from the Chicago Bears declared at the beginning of the season he wanted to set the all-time scoring record. Many people laughed, called it bluster. Then the Bears dropped 59 points on Carolina. Johnson isn’t about empty rhetoric; his statement is way smarter than we all realize. He knows this “managing the game” idea, this old-school, risk-averse coaching mantra, is dead in the modern NFL. You know the drill: get a lead, don’t turn it over, run the ball to burn clock, punt, and make the other team go the length of the field. It was never a great idea, honestly, but now it’s just plain silly.
The game has changed drastically, too. Ten years ago, the average drive started at the 27-yard line. Now, it’s beyond the 30, with kickoffs restoring big-play potential and a punitive touchback rule. Fifty-two-yard field goals used to be a big deal; now kickers routinely hit 60-yarders. Opponents practically only need two first downs to get into scoring range. Offenses are smarter about going for it on fourth down, and the rules today vastly favor the offense. Defense is harder than ever, and scoring is more likely than ever. Try to “manage the game” with anything less than a truly massive lead, and you’re probably going to lose or at least put yourself in serious danger.
Matt LaFleur brings a lot of positives, but his love of the running game and that glacial pace of offense are exactly what sets teams up for these brutal collapses. The league is changing, folks. You can’t just sit on a lead anymore; you have to keep your foot on the gas. Ben Johnson gets it. The question is, how many other coaches will learn this lesson before it’s too late?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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