Special Teams Woes Continue to Plague Packers Under Rich Bisaccia
Green Bay Packers fans have suffered through more than their fair share of special teams disasters, particularly in the playoffs. The hiring of Rich Bisaccia was meant to change all that. Brought in as the NFL’s highest-paid special teams coordinator, Bisaccia was tasked with fixing a unit infamous for its costly mistakes—none more glaring than a blocked-punt touchdown that ended their playoff hopes.
Unfortunately, the nightmares on fourth down persist.
The Packers’ recent 12-point loss to the Eagles could have been much closer if Bisaccia’s unit had delivered a clean performance. Instead, the struggles began immediately.
On the game’s opening kickoff, Keisean Nixon fumbled the ball. Although Nixon appeared to recover it, the officials ruled otherwise, giving the Eagles possession and setting up a quick touchdown. Green Bay found itself playing catch-up from the outset.
While head coach Matt LaFleur took issue with the referee’s call, the broader issue lies with Bisaccia. Nixon’s fumble was just the start of another error-filled outing.
The Packers were penalized 10 yards on a kick return and later missed a 38-yard field goal, marking three costly special teams mistakes in the first half alone.
Is Bisaccia directly responsible for fumbles or missed kicks? No. But when special teams failures become a pattern, the accountability ultimately rests with the coordinator. The Eagles game was a frustrating snapshot of what has plagued the Packers’ special teams for years, even under new leadership.
If these recurring issues aren’t addressed, they could spell the end of Bisaccia’s tenure in Green Bay. For a franchise with championship aspirations, the margin for error is slim—and special teams continue to be the Achilles’ heel.
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There’s a reason why the Packers finished the regular season with Pro Football Focus’ worst special teams grade. It’s something different in every game.
In Week 18, the Packers were fooled by a Bears trick play, resulting in a punt-return touchdown that contributed to their downfall.
It’s often the decision-making. Rewind to the win over the Houston Texans in Week 7. Nixon bizarrely left a punt alone at the final moment, which led to it deflecting off Corey Ballentine and handing the ball back to Houston. Later in the game, Jayden Reed fair-caught a ball at the 2-yard line instead of letting it bounce into the end zone. It was a snapshot of the Packers’ season-long special teams woes and reflected poorly on Bisaccia.
This group regularly makes routine mistakes. They should know better.
On Sunday, Green Bay lost by 12 points. It spotted Philadelphia a seven-point lead after Nixon’s fumble, a moment that swung the entire game in what turned out to be a defensive battle. Brandon McManus’ miss cost them a further three points.
Once again, special teams haunted the Packers in the playoffs. It hurts even more because general manager Brian Gutekunst has prioritized special teams contributors by bringing in players like Nixon, Zayne Anderson, and Eric Wilson.
Green Bay has failed to make significant progress in Bisaccia’s three-year tenure. It’s time for change.
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