Leading 24-12 with 1:39 left, the Packers had first-and-goal at the Rams’ 1-yard line on Monday night, and they decided to kneel down three times to end the game, rather than score another touchdown. Packers coach Matt LaFleur said that’s what he’ll always do in that situation.
“I didn’t think about that. I just think there’s a way you handle winning in this league. I’ve got a lot of respect for those guys we’re competing against,” LaFleur said.
It was pointed out to LaFleur that point differential is one of the playoff tiebreakers, but LaFleur responded that playoff tiebreakers aren’t something he thinks about during a game. He also said he wasn’t bothered by the Rams using their timeouts late in the game even as there was virtually no chance of them winning.
“If I knew that was going to be the difference, certainly, you do what you’ve got to do, but I think there’s karma involved in that, and I don’t want to be about that, and I’ve got too much respect for them,” LaFleur said. “I’m not worried about that.”
The people who were worried about it were those who bet the point total on Monday night’s game: The over/under was 39.5 points, meaning the under hit, but the over would have hit if the Packers had scored another touchdown.