After a surprising run last season, Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers are ready to surpass what they built during their previous campaign. That can be possible, especially with a coaching staff that’s among the best in the entire NFL.
Matt LaFleur has been a highly successful head coach for the Green Bay Packers, even though he has not won a Super Bowl or a Coach of the Year award yet. In his first three seasons, he won 13 games each year and led the team to two NFC Championship games. He has effectively managed the relationship between star quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the front office, and he has developed Jordan Love as Rodgers’ successor.
Despite not winning a Super Bowl, LaFleur has been a home run hire for the Packers. He has adapted well to losing assistant coaches, dealt with unfavorable headlines, and consistently found ways to plug holes when key players have been hurt or moved on. Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, and other elite quarterbacks have thrived under head coaches known more for their defensive expertise, rather than offensive play-calling. The most important factor for a young quarterback’s success is having a stable environment and talent around him, rather than necessarily having an offensive-minded head coach.
While the Packers could still use some depth at cornerback and wide receiver, the team has a strong core and LaFleur has proven himself to be an excellent head coach, even without a Super Bowl title or Coach of the Year award. His ability to adapt, develop players, and sustain success makes him a highly valuable asset for the Packers.
Green Bay Packers’ Coaching Staff Ranked Eighth In The Entire NFL Ahead Of Upcoming Season
With LaFleur heading Green Bay’s coaching staff, the chances of the Jordan Love-led squad to go far in the playoffs is certainly strong. This is the same train of thought applied by ESPN’s Ben Solak in ranking this particular part of the Packers organization as the eighth-best in the NFL.
“At 56-27 (.675), LaFleur has the 11th-best win-loss percentage in NFL history. Only Jim Harbaugh (.695 in four seasons with the 49ers) is better than him in the 21st century. LaFleur’s regular-season success was more of a fun novelty than a meaningful achievement when all of his wins came with Aaron Rodgers at the helm. Now that he has successfully launched the career of Jordan Love, it’s easier to see just how much value he brings.
It is very hard to do what LaFleur did last season: win with youth. The Packers’ snap-weighted age on offense was 24.6, the youngest in the league, and their offense was riddled with mental and situational mistakes early in the season. But they rallied, never lost confidence and improved. When they beat the Cowboys in the wild-card round, they became the youngest team to win a playoff game since the merger (1970). Think about how many young teams you’ve seen let the lights get too bright for them — LaFleur’s Packers got the job done as 7.5-point underdogs on the road,” Solak wrote.
The Packers are expected to build on their 9-8 season, with a win total over of 9.5 and the fifth-best odds to win the NFC. Their offense, led by Jordan Love, and a talented but young offensive line, combined with a revamped defense under new coordinator Jeff Hafley, has the team poised for an 11-6 season.
It remains to be seen whether Green Bay’s coaching staff can rise up the rankings as the season progresses or drop down before their campaign ends. In any case, a lot of Packers fans will be watching out for their team to see how they’ll perform on the field.
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