Former Packers Offensive Lineman Rips Into Matt LaFleur

The Green Bay Packers suffered a brutal loss to the New York Giants in London this past week.  A disappointing loss for any NFL team is surely going to bring national media attention.  For Packers fans, this week has been especially brutal given the expectations of the team.  Harsh criticisms of Matt LaFleur and where this team is at, have been on full blast all week.  Many analysts who cover the NFL like to give bold takes. Or hot takes they know will get the attention of the public. Most notably Steven A. Smith and Skip Bayless come to mind.  However, former Packers offensive lineman Jeff Saturday usually keeps a level head.  He is typically pretty honest with his evaluations and provides some clarity.  On yesterday’s episode of Get Up, Saturday was the opposite.

Jeff Saturday Rips Head Coach Matt LaFleur 

You want to talk about common sense isn’t common? Have a 17 point lead and then don’t run the football. And then when the Giants tie you up at 20 all go three and out and take like nine seconds off the clock because you throw it three times. That is dumb football. And a team that runs the ball eight times and passes it 17 times in the second half is not a team that’s playing in their strengths.

I have a big issue with(what) Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers are doing right now. Because again all these checks you see on the go line he hands that ball off and he walks in. I get the blitz and it’s going to be confusing and it’s going to be all these things but at some point you play to your strengths when you have two backs like that. You don’t give AJ Dillon 6 touches. It just doesn’t fit. And we knew the receivers were going to be at work in progress.

So I understand the numbers they are what they are. I think those numbers get better as the season goes but in the interim you have to play to your strengths….right now they don’t have an identity.

Are we in a full on free fall for the Green Bay Packers?  Absolutely not.  There is way too much talent on this team to give up after a +.500 record after 5 weeks.  However, is there some serious reason for concern?  Absolutely.  This team (and Matt LaFleur) needs to put a full game together and find its identity before they run out of time.  Currently they are one game back from the Minnesota Vikings in the division.  A few more losses and that gap could grow wide open.  It is important this team figures out a path forward sooner rather than later.

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