The Green Bay Packers once again fell short in the NFC Championship Game. Like 2016, it wasn’t close.

Hindsight is 20-20 of course, but there might be a reason to be more optimistic going forward versus 2016.

The Packers tallied 13 regular-season victories with a rookie head coach and an overhauled roster. It usually takes a little more time than that, if we’re being honest.

The offense never found an identity. The defense flashed moments of elite play but sort of hovered around above average.

Nevertheless, the core of the roster is intact contractually. Save for a few key re-signings like Bryan Bulaga or Mason Crosby, the Packers can focus on adding talent and building around Matt LaFleur’s vision of how he wants the offense to look.

The Packers probably overachieved this season. They never found a reliable counterpunch on offense outside of Davante Adams or Aaron Jones. On defense, they had three excellent defensive linemen and a handful of solid rotational players. But guys Kenny Clark can only play so many snaps inside and be effective.  The second level needs a speed upgrade. The secondary simply needs developmental time.

There’s a good chance the Packers are going to be a much better team next year, even if their record doesn’t say so.

A disappointing end to a good season.

Onto the takeaways.

Boatraced in the Bay, again

For the second straight time in San Francisco, the Packers were outmatched.

The defense’s best series wound up being its first when Kenny Clark and Za’Darius Smith broke through the San Francisco offensive line to force a punt and a three-and-out.

After that? Ugly.

Touchdown. Field Goal. Touchdown. Field Goal. Touchdown. And that was just in the first half.

The defense wouldn’t force a punt until late in the third quarter down 34-13.

The Packers compounded things on offense with a botched snap deep into San Francisco territory. Aaron Rodgers then threw a pick on the very next drive. With the Packers needing to play a perfect game to win, they played about as poorly as they did in Week 12.

Porous run defense

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine’s defensive ethos is to prioritize stopping the pass versus the run. You can fly to Miami faster than you drive, so they say.

But the Packers had no answer; Kyle Shanahan gunned the DeLorean to 88. Raheem Mostert carried the ball 29 times for 220 yards, averaging over 7.5 yards per rush. It’s rare to see that sort of efficiency. For reference, Aaron Rodgers averaged 8.3 yards per attempt.

The Packers played with both B.J. Goodson and Blake Martinez inside to start, but it didn’t make much of a difference. Mostert caught the edge whenever he needed it. Rarely did the Packers penetrate enough to bounce the running backs off their lines.

This game also laid bare the Packers’ talent deficiencies inside. Blake Martinez is reliably healthy and the coaches seem to like his acumen as an on-field director, but he lacks the speed necessary to close space on the edge, gets tied up in the trash between tackles, and often absorbs the tackle rather than deliver it.

Talent tilts the field

If the San Francisco 49ers are the standard – i.e. the talent level needed to make a Super Bowl – then the Packers have some work to do.

Nick Bosa. Arik Armstead. DeForest Buckner. Dee Ford. Dre Greenlaw. Fred Warner. Kwon Alexander. George Kittle. Deebo Samuel. This list goes on.

The 49ers played at a different speed. From start to finish, they were clearly the better team. Granted, there are mitigating circumstances as to how and why they have the players they do, but it’s immaterial to the Packers. What matters is the margin of difference between the two teams from a talent standpoint.

The Packers have a solid, albeit imperfect roster going into the offseason. They need speed and instincts on the second level. They lacked consistent playmaking ability outside of Davante Adams tonight, too.