Tom Brady and Greg Olsen — Fox’s top two NFL analysts — had dramatically different opinions on a decision made by the Green Bay Packers and coach Matt LaFleur during Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Green Bay scored a fourth-quarter touchdown, bringing the score to 27-16. Rather than kick the extra point make it 27-17, the Packers went for two. Brady, who was calling the game with partner Kevin Burkhardt, struggled to see the logic.
“I don’t understand this,” Brady said, before the ball was snapped.
The Packers did successfully convert the two-point try, bringing the score to 27-18.
“It’s a nine-point game,” Burkhardt said. “It’s still a two-possession game. I don’t know if that got you much. But gets ’em a little bit closer. I know that.”
“Yeah,” Brady added. “It could have cost you a lot had you not gotten it.’
The Packers went for 2 to get within 9, and they would’ve been set up for a potential game-winning field goal if they had gotten a stop on the Vikings’ game-sealing drive (Minnesota won 27-25).pic.twitter.com/7qzfs6VJIO https://t.co/nblTdEbnE4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 30, 2024
One person who understood and agreed with LaFleur’s logic was Olsen, the man Brady replaced as Fox’s No. 1 color analyst.
“Love @packers going for 2 to make it 9,” Olsen posted on X.
Love @packers going for 2 to make it 9
— Greg Olsen (@gregolsen88) December 30, 2024
After Green Bay scored again to make the score 27-25, Olsen reaffirmed his belief that the Packers made the right call.
“This is why,” Olsen said. “Now if GB gets the ball back a FG wins! Too often everyone worries about tying the game Win the game in regulation!”
This is why. Now if GB gets the ball back a FG wins!
Too often everyone worries about tying the game
Win the game in regulation! https://t.co/TQIQsWmssx
— Greg Olsen (@gregolsen88) December 30, 2024
It ended up being moot. While the Packers had a chance to get the ball back with plenty of time remaining, the Vikings sealed the game with a big third-down pass from San Darnold to Cam Akers.
Cam Akers makes a TOUGH catch and the Vikings hold off the Packers! 🏈🔥 #NFL pic.twitter.com/vlKx2fNKPq
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) December 30, 2024
As far as who was right, a solid case could be made for either.
Brady was right. It was a risky decision. An unsuccessful two-point conversion would mean either scoring two touchdowns to win the game, or needing a successful two-point try (plus a field goal) to even tie it. Conventional wisdom would have been to kick the extra point and make it a 10-point game.
Having said that, Olsen is also right. The successful two-point try gave the Packers a much clearer path to winning the game in regulation. Remember, even if they tie the game, the odds are still 50-50 that they’ll win in overtime. Also, as an unsuccessful two-point try would have kept the deficit at 11 points, Green Bay still could have tied the game with a touchdown and field goal.
There is plenty of logic in both arguments. It comes down to a preference of style.