The Green Bay Packers rapid-fall from playoff contention was finalized today with a 20-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville. The Packers suffered their 4th straight loss and 4th straight on the road in eliminating themselves from the playoff picture. It turns out it was just a formality with Minnesota running away from Arizona this afternoon, which would have also done the trick for the Packers.
David Garrard threw two touchdown passes, Maurice Jones-Drew scored twice and the Jaguars snapped a 4-game losing streak of their own.
The Packers started the 4th quarter with the lead at 13-7, but Garrard led a couple of scoring drives, resulting in a touchdown pass from Garrard to Jones-Drew and a 2-yard touchdown run by Jones-Drew.
The Packers tried to mount one final drive, but Aaron Rodgers was intercepted over the middle by Reggie Nelson with 40-seconds remaining. Rodgers finished 20 of 32 for 278 yards and a touchdown. James Jones caught four passes for 132 yards.
On the other side of the ball, the Packers defensive line failed to once again generate any kind of pass rush, allowing Garrard to throw for 238 yards on the day.
So the Packers go from 13-3 a year ago and a win shy of a trip to the Superbowl, to a 5-9 record with two games to play and nothing to play for but pride and playoff positioning for the April Draft. The Packers are off until a week from Monday night when they face the Chicago Bears in Chicago on Dec. 22nd.