By now most football fans know that the 2023 season is going to be a drastic change for the Green Bay Packers. The Aaron Rodgers era is over and it is Jordan Love’s team. 2022 was quite a disaster and ultimately a failure. This coming season may very much not be any better than what last season brought. There are going to even more players asked to contribute in roles that they are not used to or possibly ready for. But, even in the tough years, there are still things to build on and to look forward to. Let’s take a look at three things that would warrant a successful 2023 season for the Green Bay Packers:
More Accountability On The Coaching Staff
When a team is not playing up their standards or are consistently struggling, the blame starts on the head coach. They are the ones who are responsible for getting their coaching staff and players prepared each week. Too many times last season, we saw the Packers not make any halftime adjustments, or make the right adjustments for that matter. One thing that I give Matt LaFluer a ton of credit for is how he takes on the blame in the postgame press conferences. However, some that blame needs to be put on the coordinators such as Joe Barry and Adam Stenavich. What we see on the field is the product of the gameplan that Barry and Stenavich devise. If things are not working, they need to be held accountable, which is something that I am not totally convinced was the case in 2022. If Matt LaFluer cannot hold his coaches accountable, then it is time Brian Gutekunst to hold LaFluer accountable for not doing the same thing. By changing things up, it will be for the best, but it is time for Matt LaFluer to shoulder off some the burden and keep his staff responsible for how things appear and shape on the field.
Jordan Love Progresses In The Second Half Of The Season
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The Jordan Love era is going to be a time that Packer fans are not accustomed to. We are used to seeing Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre make incredible throws and put up ridiculous statistics. We are not going to see that right away with Jordan Love. It is going to take the first year starter a good month, or four games, to get acclimated to the offense and feel 100% confident on the field. That time of struggle is warranted. But, the real question is going to be how Love improves once late-October or early November kicks in. At that point, he is not going to be seen as a newbie on the field. He will be seen as an experienced quarterback and needs to make plays to keep the offense moving. If there is gradual improvement on a weekly basis, then there is a chance that Jordan will have a new contract going forward. However, if we consistently see the rookie mistakes in the second half of the season, it could be back to the drawing boards in 2024.
The Offensive Line Stays Healthy For the Entirety Of The Season
One thing that was a thorn in Green Bay’s side last season was the injury bug. Elgton Jenkins and David Bakhtiari, the Packers two best offensive lineman, began the season on the injured list, which left Royce Newman and Jake Hanson to fill in. Needless to say, that is not a very good combination. What really hurt this unit last season was Bakhtiari’s questionable availability, which was an every week occurrence. The best thing that can build a new quarterback’s confidence is having an offensive line that is consistent all week. In 2022, we just did not see that with Green Bay’s starting unit. On top that, there was poor performances from Josh Myers and Yosh Njiman. I was a tad surprised to see that offensive line was not addressed in the NFL Draft, but that shows the confidence that Brian Gutekunst has in this group. When healthy, I do believe that this is still one of the best units in all of football.
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