Packers: Matt LaFleur non-committal on Mike Pettine’s future

It sure looks like Mike Pettine’s time in Green Bay could be coming to an end.

Mike Pettine was hired as part of Mike McCarthy’s staff in 2018, but there seems to be a chance Matt LaFleur will want to bring in his own defensive coordinator this offseason.

Despite adding talent at edge rusher and safety last spring, the Green Bay Packers defense didn’t see the significant improvements we expected.

After an awful performance by the defense in the NFC Championship Game, questions have been asked about Pettine’s future with the team. On Wednesday, LaFleur was asked directly whether he plans to stick with Pettine and the defensive coaching staff.

“We’re still working through everything right now,” LaFleur said during his season-ending press conference.

That’s hardly a glowing endorsement for Pettine or a sign he’s likely to remain the defensive coordinator. At the very least, LaFleur hasn’t made a decision yet.

The Smith Bros. were an incredible and the secondary also improved, but the defense as a whole was still inconsistent. The Packers finished No. 18 in total defense, No. 14 against the pass but No. 23 against the run.

And run defense was a major issue in the NFC Championship Game. The Packers had no answer for a 49ers offense which ran the ball at will all game long, with Raheem Mostert leading the way with 29 carries for 220 yards and four touchdowns.

San Francisco ran the ball 42 times, threw just eight times and put up 37 points.

That’s an inexcusable performance by the Green Bay defense, and it could have been Pettine’s final game as defensive coordinator.

Only time will tell how LaFleur plans to make changes to his coaching staff, if at all. But based on his comments in his season-ending press conference, it sure looks like the Packers may be about to make a change at defensive coordinator.