Not with a Bang...

Lambeau Field. 11/16/2014 dwm photo

 It ended with a whimper at Lambeau Field Saturday night as a pair of blocked kicks kept three points off the board for the Packers and gave seven to the 49ers.

 The Packer Not-So-Special Teams failed in the biggest moment of the season when they allowed two defenders to knife between the blockers and knock the ball down.

 Final score, San Francisco 13, Green Bay 10.  San Francisco advances to the NFC Championship game and the Packers have no idea what is to come.

 Is the Aaron Rodgers era over in Green Bay?

Will Davante Adams wear green and gold next season?

Is a 30 year stretch of success over?

Play-off football is cruel in the suddenness of the finish.  From victory to a tie to a loss unfolded very quickly.

The pundits are paid to offer opinions and they are quick about it.  There are arguments to be made on both sides for or against the quarterback going or the team choosing to take a different approach.  

It seems quite arrogant to presume the 2020 first round draft pick will pick up the mantle of Favre and Rodgers to become a third sure-fire Hall-of-Fame quarterback.  It's a decision that requires a thoughtful approach, and unless the brain trust believes without a doubt in the man named Jordan Love (like Ted Thompson and company did when they said good-bye to Brett Favre), then I suggest it makes sense to find a way to keep Aaron Rodgers in a Packer uniform until he takes it off for the last time.

However, the quarterback and his favorite receiver referred to the 2021 season as "The Last Dance," so next year may mean Jordan Love taking snaps and a much different team assembled around him for the 2022 campaign.

Perhaps the changes and adjustments made during the season persuaded Rodgers that his best chance for another Super Bowl is still in Titletown and team management devises a way to handle the salary cap to reload.  As optimistic as I've been this season that the quarterback and General Manager were coming around to the idea of keeping the team together, in the aftermath of a gut-busting defeat it feels like we will be starting over in August.

The quarterback promised a quick conclusion to whether he stays or goes - until that happens, I'm going to hold on to hope while mourning what felt like a very good opportunity for the Packers to win their 14th title.

However it goes, I'll still say, Go Pack, Go!