They Blew Leads With 99% Odds, And One NFL Team Is STILL Losing Sleep Over It

Yo, you ever watch a game where your team is absolutely cruising, holding a solid lead, then just… implodes? The Green Bay Packers know that feeling all too well. Like, *really* well. They just wrapped up their offseason program, and their number one focus was figuring out how they kept snatching defeat from the jaws of victory last year, especially when the odds were stacked 97-99% in their favor. Talk about a gut punch.

The Meltdowns Were Historic

It's not just a feeling, it's a pattern, and Coach Matt LaFleur is straight up obsessed with fixing their finish-game problem from 2025. Sean Rhyan, their center, put it perfectly: everyone can start fast, but can you *sustain* it and finish where you started? Safety Xavier McKinney echoed that, admitting there were times last year where they felt the game was "good," but they could have been a lot better in crucial situations. This starts in practice, he says, maintaining that same energy and execution toward the end. And the examples? Man, they sting. Remember Week 3 against Cleveland? Packers up 10-0 with a mere 3:38 left, looking like a sure win to improve to 3-0. Nope. The Browns scored the final 13 points, capped by Andre Szmyt’s 55-yard field goal as time expired for a 13-10 loss. Wild. Then Week 4, they led Dallas 13-0 before settling for a 40-40 tie. And that December 20th game against Chicago? They were up 16-6 with only two minutes left! Chicago still rallied to force overtime, then Caleb Williams hit D.J. Moore with a 46-yard touchdown pass to give the Bears a stunning 22-16 win in the extra session. Insane.

Spurs-Level Collapses, But Statistically Worse?

And this wasn't just a regular season issue. Their Wild Card game against Chicago? They blew a 21-3 HALFTIME lead, then a 21-6 advantage after the third quarter, eventually losing 31-27. Chicago became only the third team in NFL history to score at least 25 points in the fourth quarter during a postseason game, marking their biggest comeback in franchise playoff history. The San Antonio Spurs, who are currently trailing the New York Knicks 3-1 in the NBA Finals, are experiencing a similar problem. They've held double-digit leads in all four Finals games but lost three of them, including a mind-blowing 29-point collapse in a 107-106 loss. That's the largest meltdown in NBA history. But the Packers? Their odds of winning those two Chicago games and the Cleveland game in the final minutes ranged between 97-99%. The chances of them losing *all three* of those contests? A staggering 1-in-250,000! That's not just bad luck, that's a deep-seated problem. Safety Javon Bullard put it bluntly: "That (expletive), it’s starting to get damn-near embarrassing." Running back Josh Jacobs added, "No way you should lose games in this league when you’re up that much."

What's Next For Green Bay

LaFleur, now in his eighth year at the helm, isn't messing around. He's been drilling the finishing aspect into his team throughout the offseason practices, even making them watch video from last season's late-game choke jobs. "I think it's just constantly being reinforced on a daily basis," LaFleur said. They know this has to change. So, what does this mean for them heading into the upcoming season? It means every single snap, every lead, every late-game situation is going to be under a microscope. Can they actually flip the script and learn how to close out games? That's the biggest question facing them when the whistle blows for real this fall.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.