The return of Aaron Rodgers didn't go as planned, as the Carolina Panthers escaped with a 31-24 win over the Packers to effectively dash Green Bay's playoff hopes.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
Rodgers is rusty in return
So, he is human after all. Many expected the quarterback to seamlessly slide back into the lineup and recapture his stellar form from earlier in the season.
Instead, Rodgers threw three interceptions for the first time since 2009 and looked a half-second slow at times, which was always a danger after an eight-week absence.
A full-strength Rodgers possesses the rare ability to make throws with necessary velocity even when off balance and without properly setting his feet. But he underthrew a handful of passes in these situations against Carolina, including a pick on a deep attempt to Jordy Nelson.
For his entire career, Rodgers has defied logic and created magic. But in the end, Week 15 was too steep a mountain for even the future Hall of Famer to climb.
What could have been
While it wasn't the same Rodgers we've watched torch defenses for the better part of a decade, there were flashes of greatness.
Rodgers showed no fear of reinjuring his collarbone, using his legs a surprising amount and absorbing several hits to keep plays alive, including a vintage 33-yard touchdown to Randall Cobb.
When Rodgers went down with his injury, he left the Packers at 4-2. The team struggled without him and had a razor-thin margin for error if they hoped to make the postseason. Green Bay and the NFL world will likely be wondering what could have been had Rodgers been given enough breathing room to get back up to full speed.
Packers need new era on defense
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers has been a target for criticism from the team's fan base for several years, and his unit once again failed to step up when it counted most.
The Panthers jumped out to a 7-0 lead on their first drive and Rodgers was playing catchup for the rest of the game. Green Bay simply had no answer for Cam Newton. He threw four touchdowns, added 59 yards on the ground, was sacked just once, and had zero turnovers.
The Packers will still be a contender in 2018 if they stand pat on defense, but it may be time to inject that side of the ball with new life by firing Capers. Green Bay can't keep expecting Rodgers to work miracles with an untrustworthy defense backing him up.
Rest of NFC can exhale
Rodgers didn't look like himself, but the Packers still almost pulled off a stunning comeback, successfully recovering an onside kick before Geronimo Allison fumbled away the team's playoff hopes on the potential game-tying drive.
And you can bet the rest of the NFC breathed a sigh of relief.
If the Packers had won out and snuck into the postseason as a wild-card team, no one in the conference would have been excited about facing Rodgers and Co. The NFC playoff picture is still set to be as competitive as it's been in years, but Rodgers had the potential to throw the postseason into beautiful chaos.
Newton rounding into form at best time
As mentioned above, there was one NFL MVP on the field who looked as good as advertised: Newton.
The Panthers quarterback was playing with such confidence that he called his shot to a Packers defender before throwing the first of his four touchdowns. He didn't look back after that.
Newton started the season off slowly as he worked through a shoulder injury, but the signal-caller is getting hot at just the right time. While the current NFC standings boast a host of dangerous playoff teams, none have the kind of game-breaking player under center quite like the Panthers do.
