Packers HC Matt LaFleur expected to win vs. 49ers: 'It stings'

If you thought the Green Bay Packers were playing with house money heading into the NFC Divisional Round contest against the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, think again.

Green Bay went into Levi’s Stadium expecting to leave with a dub and advance to the NFC Championship Game. But that didn’t happen, as the 49ers rallied late to secure a 24-21 victory. Head coach Matt LaFleur said after the game that the loss “stings,” especially given their expectations when they took the field.

“It stings,” LaFleur said after the game, via Pro Football Talk. “Part of the reason it stings so bad right now is we fully believed and fully expected to win this game. Give San Francisco credit, they made more plays in some of those critical situations down the stretch. It’s a tough football team. But I felt like we had plenty of opportunities to put the game out of reach and unfortunately just didn’t do enough.

“It’s never one play. I’m sure a lot of it’s going to come down to the missed field goal, but there’s plenty of opportunities. Go back in the first half and have three red zone opportunities and have six points. There’s a lot of plays out there that if one play goes different, we probably have a different result right now.”

Packers fall just short against 49ers in NFC Divisional Round

The Packers held a 21-17 advantage late in the fourth quarter and only needed a 41-yard field goal from Anders Carlson to take a touchdown-sized lead. Carlson, who struggled at times this season, missed it wide left, opening the door for the 49ers to go down the field and score the game-winning touchdown. Quarterback Jordan Love solidified their defeat by throwing an ill-advised pass across his body on Green Bay’s final drive, which was intercepted by 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

“I haven’t looked at it yet,” Love said. “Haven’t looked at any pictures, so. Looking back on it, yeah, throw it away. I don’t know if I had an opportunity to be able to run, maybe get out of bounds but, you know, force it across the middle late, which is a mortal sin and it cost us. So, it’s something I’ll look at. That’s an area right there I’ll be able to look at, grow from, and get better in the future.”