Matt LaFleur has been a fixture for the Green Bay Packers since 2019. During that time, the head coach has enjoyed significant success. He reached two NFC Championship games right out of the gate and has made the playoffs in six of his seven seasons with the team. One would think he’d be revered in that town. Instead, fans have seemed to slowly turn on LaFleur. It began last season when the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in Philadelphia, scoring only ten points.
This season started off great, with a 9-3-1 record and a win over the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field, putting them in a strong position to claim the NFC North and chase the #1 seed. Then things unraveled. They lost an injury-plagued game in Denver where they led big, collapsed the next week again in Chicago after leading by 10 with two minutes left, and were crushed at home by a Baltimore Ravens team without Lamar Jackson. All of this has brought the pot to a boil.
Packers beat writer Matt Schneidman admitted that if the Packers lose in the first round of the playoffs, which has a strong likelihood of being against the Bears, the organization may decide it’s time to fire LaFleur.
Firing Matt LaFleur would be a monumental mistake.
While far from perfect, the young head coach has been the primary reason the Packers have remained competitive for so long. His scheming has done an excellent job of masking the bigger issue with the organization. That is the drafting of GM Brian Gutekunst. He took over for Ted Thompson in 2018. During that time, the Packers have seen a noticeable decline in the quality of their drafting. Only three of the players Gutekunst has drafted made a Pro Bowl. Three of his ten 1st round picks aren’t even on the team anymore. Others like Quay Walker, Lukas Van Ness, and Jordan Morgan have been big disappointments.
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Despite all of that, the Packers continue to win, and it’s because Matt LaFleur is one of the best schemers in the league, able to hide their faults effectively. Many in Green Bay don’t recognize this because they’re not willing to admit how much weaker the roster has become. They seem certain they can do better than LaFleur. Considering what he’s done for them over the past seven seasons, that feels like hubris. Here’s hoping the Bears get the chance to show them the truth.
