First off: The Green Bay Packers didn’t lose their divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers because Anders Carlson missed a key kick in the fourth quarter.
It still would have been 24-17, with the Niners able to tie the game. Sure, it didn’t help, but there was also that Jordan Love game-sealing interception and a few other rough moments.
That said, there’s one quote about Carlson that had everyone raising their eyebrows: Fox’s Tom Rinaldi reported that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that whenever Carlson goes out to kick, “I just pray.”
Not great! While I’m sure a lot of head coaches do the same, it doesn’t sound good. Other NFL fans and others agreed:
The Tom Rinaldi story about how Matt LaFleur feels every time Anders Carlson attempts a kick was crazy, “when he goes out there, I just pray.”
If that's truly the case, no reason Carlson should have been the kicker in the playoffs. #Packers #Kickers pic.twitter.com/LceUQmcQSX
— John Breech (@johnbreech) January 21, 2024
What a report from Tom Rinaldi recounting Matt LaFleur talking about Packers kicker Anders Carlson: “when he goes out there, I just pray.”
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) January 21, 2024
“When he goes out there, I just pray” -Matt LaFluer on Anders Carlson. That’s an actual quote. Yikes
— Joe C (@mc_wittle) January 21, 2024
"All I can do is pray when he goes on the field."
"If we had the answer we would have fixed it"
Matt LaFleur talking about Anders Carlson does not sound like a coach who's confident in his kicker, and he should not be.
— MJ Hurley (@mjhurleytdt) January 21, 2024