The Green Bay Packers stole a crucial win against the New York Jets on Sunday in a game that, truthfully, they probably shouldn't have won. Despite the win, though, one glaring issue has shone through the team's first two games: Matt LaFleur.
The Packers' head coach, who recently signed a massive extension in the offseason, was one of the biggest factors in the team's stunning loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week. This week, he was not much better.
While Green Bay won, LaFleur's game plan seemed at odds with the actual events on the field yet again, and it almost had the Packers starting the season 0-2 for the first time in 20 years.
Matt LaFleur's play-calling leaves a lot to be desired after two games
With rain forecast, it was no secret that the game would call for a lot of running. It was a rainy, nasty day at MetLife Stadium, the type of weather that traditionally calls for a heavy dose of the ground game.
The problem with that, though, is that the Packers are not equipped to do that in any regard. Besides the obvious issues that exist on the Packers' offensive line (which only grew when starting tackle Zach Bako-Bewele went down with a seemingly season-ending injury), the team's running backs simply aren't the type to carry an entire game.
With Josh Jacobs still on the commissioner's exempt list, it was a running back-by-committee situation. Kaleb Johnson, MarShawn Lloyd, and Chris Brooks all split carries and totaled just 63 yards on 18 carries. The Packers couldn't get anything going on the ground, but frustratingly, that didn't stop LaFleur from continuing to try.
On nine of the team's 12 total drives, LaFleur opened up with a run on the first play. While it worked once or twice, it more often than not resulted in the offense immediately losing ground or gaining no yards whatsoever.
From there, the Packers were on the back foot, so to speak, and constantly needed to gain massive yards to keep drives going. Early in the fourth quarter, the predictability also led to a turnover, as Kaleb Johnson fumbled on a first-down run that led to the Jets going up 17-7.
LaFleur's moves weren't only predictable but also lacked any creativity. Nearly every call was a simple run up the middle, and all behind a patchwork offensive line that was struggling to create any separation or rhythm.
It'd be one thing if the team was leaning heavily on Jacobs or running behind its fully intact and healthy offensive line, but that isn't the case. And LaFleur's day got even more baffling on the team's final two drives in regulation.
Packers' final two drives were perfect examples of Matt LaFleur's odd decisions
After forcing a Jets punt that resulted in a 63-yard return by Skyy Moore, the Packers had the ball on the Jets' 15-yard line down by three. In probably the most head-scratching decisions of the day, LaFleur called back-to-back run plays, which resulted in three total yards after the second was stuffed for a one-yard loss.
The Packers then couldn't convert on third down and were forced to kick a game-tying field goal.
While scoring was nice, it looked more like LaFleur was intent on playing for a field goal, despite having an opportunity in the red zone. LaFleur wasn't done, though. After stopping the Jets on fourth down on the next drive, the Packers got the ball at the 50-yard line and were, for the first time all game, actually in a position to just run the ball and set up a game-winning field goal.
Of course, that didn't happen. All three play calls were passes, including a deep shot attempt on second down that, despite Love having room to run, made no sense. LaFleur salvaged the botched drive by expertly taking the game clock all the way down and forcing overtime, but there really wasn't any need to go into overtime at all.
Ultimately, I don't believe LaFleur to be a bad head coach or play caller. He has a proven track record of success in the league, even if the last few games have been rough. However, he continues to show what can only be described as a lack of in-game awareness, and seems to stick a little too close to his script rather than allowing the flow of the game to dictate what happens.
It's an issue that could lead to more games like this for the Packers, and a problem he needs to fix if they want to be the team they believe they are.
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