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In the Divisional round of the playoffs, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Green Bay Packers by a score of 13-10. Robbie Gould kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired to send San Francisco to the NFC Championship for the second time in three years. While, Green Bay have been knocked out in the Divisional round after making it to the NFC Championship game the last two years.
The biggest story is not the sixth seeded 49ers upsetting the number one seeded Packers on the road. It was the performance of the Green Bay special teams that stood out the most.
On that final play, the Packers had 10 players line up on the 49ers field goal attempt by Gould. Yet it was not the only blunder the special teams unit had in the game.
With under five minutes left in the contest, San Francisco defensive end Jordan Willis blocked a punt by Green Bay punter Corey Bojorquez. It was recovered by 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga for a six-yard touchdown. Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby also saw his 39-yard field goal attempt blocked by San Francisco's strong safety Jimmie Ward at the end of the first half.
That blocked field goal kept the score at 7-0 in favor of Green Bay heading into halftime and looked to be the difference maker in the final score. For Green Bay, special teams have not been the best this season
The Greenbay Packers and their special teams
As both their offense and defense finished in the top 10 in the NFL, Green Bay’s special teams unit is ranked last in the league. Their punt coverage (12.8 yards) and kickoff starting point (23.4 yard-line) was also the worst in the NFL.
The team’s current special teams coordinator, Maurice Drayton, was promoted to the position in February 2021. He was previously the assistant special teams coach from 2018-2020 for the team.
Since Drayton joined the coaching staff in 2018, this how Green Bay's special teams unit has ranked over that time period.
2018: 32nd
2019: 26th
2020: 29th
2021: 32nd
This is an area Green Bay needs to address as their special teams continues to be a point of embarrassment for the franchise.The question of whether head coach Matt LaFleur will move on from Drayton will be a topic of conversation this offseason.
