The Green Bay Packers were criticized by some for the talk of going undefeated after their Week 2 victory over the Washington Commanders. While it isn't the reason why fans would have hoped to hear that conversation come to a close, we can say with certainty that there will be no further discussions concerning an undefeated run after the Packers, inexplicably, fell to the lowly Cleveland Browns, 13-10, on Sunday.
Losing the way the Packers did, having the go-ahead field goal blocked with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation before Cleveland kicks a walk-off field goal of their own at the horn, was brutal enough for Green Bay fans. The comments made after the loss by long snapper Matt Orzech only made things look even worse for the Packers and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia.
Bisaccia Looks Even Worse After Packers' Long Snapper Speaks on Loss
While that kick was what ultimately pushed Cleveland ahead for good, it was the block from Shelby Harris, the sixth blocked field-goal attempt of his career, that provided the Browns with the opportunity in the first place. That raises the question, why didn't Bisaccia slide protection to put a second set of eyes on Harris, given that he and his players were aware that he has more than any other player in the league since he entered the NFL in 2014?
"He's a really elite field-goal rusher," long snapper Matt Orzech said, via the Packers' official website. "So, you've got to look out for him, know where he is, and know they're going to try to get him free if they can."
Despite the outcome of the field goal attempt, Orzech felt confident that he and his teammates along the line did a good enough job of blocking the Browns' attempt to rush the kick. That all changed when the Packers' long snapper heard the thud of the ball hitting the hand of Harris, though.
“It’s the last thing you’re expecting to hear when you know the timing is good,” Orzech said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “So it definitely hits you like a brick wall.”
With Bisaccia reportedly earning roughly $2 million per year from Green Bay to be in charge of the team's special teams efforts, Packers fans didn't wait very long to begin calling for Bisaccia to be fired as some members of the fan base were more than fine with the idea of leaving him behind in Cleveland before the rest of the team returned to Wisconsin.
Despite the calls from cheeseheads throughout the country, the likelihood that Bisaccia loses his job over this blocked field goal is slim. If these kinds of struggles continue, though, coupled with his own players suggesting they weren't fully prepared to deal with the competition on the other side of the ball, Bisaccia might not be as lucky in the coming weeks.