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12/28 17:18 CST The Packers won't have a long playoff run if teams keep running all over them The Packers won't have a long playoff run if teams keep running all over them By STEVE MEGARGEE AP Sports Writer GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) --- For the second straight year, the Green Bay Packers are heading in the wrong direction as the playoffs approach. They'll be staring at the likelihood of a second straight one-and-done postseason unless they shore up their run defense. "Everybody has to acknowledge it and accept it and accept it for what it is, and then you've got to learn from it," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Sunday, a day after the Packers allowed Derrick Henry to rush for 216 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-24 loss to Baltimore. "We cannot put ourselves in that situation again. Otherwise, it's going to be the same song and dance." Green Bay (9-6-1) has dropped three straight games and will be the NFC's seventh and final playoff seed for a third straight season. Last year, the Packers lost their final two regular-season games, then were eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round. Now the Packers must figure out how to stop the run, something that hadn't been a problem for much of the season. It's become an issue since defensive linemen Micah Parsons and Devonte Wyatt were lost for the season to injuries. Wyatt injured his ankle in a Thanksgiving Day win at Detroit and Parsons tore an ACL in a Dec. 14 loss at Denver. Green Bay was ranked eighth in the NFL in run defense heading into its game at Chicago last weekend. The Packers gave up 150 yards on 26 carries as the Bears won 22-16 in overtime. Then the Packers allowed Henry to rush for the most yards by visiting player at Lambeau Field. "There was way too many mistakes in regards to misalignments and missed assignments, and when you do that against a good football team, you see the results," LaFleur said. "That was what was probably the most disappointing thing after watching the tape is just how many times we weren't playing the right technique or just in the right position to make a play." Green Bay hadn't been making those types of errors for most of the season. Before Saturday, the only player to run for as many as 100 yards against the Packers was Carolina's Rico Dowdle. "That's what was so baffling, I would say, is sitting in there with the defensive staff today," LaFleur said. "That hasn't been a trend, that hasn't been something that has really happened throughout the course of the season. For it to show up in that game, it was really bothersome."

What's working Moving the ball. The Packers haven't punted in their last two games.

What needs help Until Baltimore took a knee to end Saturday's game, the Packers had allowed seven touchdowns and four field goals while forcing just one punt and no turnovers over their last 12 defensive series. ... Green Bay has recorded just one sack during its three-game skid. ... The Packers allowed 307 yards rushing, the most they had yielded since giving up 363 in a 40-33 loss at Philadelphia in 2022.

Stock up QB Malik Willis continues to make a case that he merits a chance to earn a starting opportunity when he hits free agency in the offseason. Willis went 18 of 21 for a career-high 288 yards with a touchdown, and he rushed for 60 yards and two scores on nine carries while starting in place of Jordan Love, who's in the concussion protocol. ... Christian Watson had five catches for 113 yards, the third-highest total of his career.

Stock down CB Carrington Valentine struggled enough that he was losing playing time before injuries to Nate Hobbs and Kamal Hadden left the Packers with limited options. DL Rashan Gary has gone nine straight games without a sack after collecting 7 1/2 in Green Bay's first seven contests.

Injuries Hadden (ankle), Hobbs (knee), S Zayne Anderson (ankle) and DL Jordon Riley (Achilles tendon) and WR Dontayvion Wicks (concussion) all left Saturday's game. RT Zach Tom (back/knee) and WR Savion Williams (foot) didn't play. LaFleur said Hadden and Riley will miss the rest of the season.

Key number 3 --- The Packers have played three games this season in which they haven't punted --- and they've lost all of them.

Next steps The Packers close the regular season next weekend at Minnesota while they wait to learn where they'll be going for their playoff opener. With Green Bay locked into the No. 7 seed, LaFleur said he hadn't yet decided on how or if he will play his starters. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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