What do you think of Green Bay Head Coach Matt LaFleur?

[Uncle Buck]

I wanted to get some opinions on LaFleur because I just really don't know what to think about him at this point.  He took over a team that had quit on Mike McCarthy and things have turned around for the Packers, with them in the hunt for what looks like anything from the #3 seed to possibly even the #1 seed in the playoffs if things fall right for them. 

The Packers' new GM, Brian Gutekunst, is a MASSIVE improvement over Ted Thompson, and he has made a lot of good moves since taking over a couple of years ago.  I give him a lot of credit for making the two-year transition from Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy.

When it comes to the head coach position in Green Bay, I haven't been able to get a read on how much Matt LaFleur has added to the team's success this year.  The Packers have a team with some good players, but it's not an all-world roster.  It's not a situation where LaFleur took over a team like Barry Switzer inherited with the Cowboys.  In spite of this, the Packers won the NFC North, and have found ways to win a lot of games this year.  I had last night's game in Minnesota chalked up as practically an automatic win for the Vikings all year.  I think the Vikings have a more talented team, and they were playing at home.  The Packers came into our house and found a way to come out of it with a win - in spite of turning the ball three times in the first half.  I have to give LaFleur credit for putting together a game plan that gave them enough to get the win.

I guess what I'm trying to figure out is what are they doing that is working in Green Bay this year?  Is it the offense?  They have looked good and bad at times this year.  Is it the defense?  They have some good players, but for much of the season, people were talking about the Packers' defense as having fallen off after a fast start early in the season.  This is not a knock on the Packers as a team.  They have been winning games, but there doesn't seem to be a distinct reason for how they have done it.  With that in mind, I'm thinking that maybe fans around the league (myself included) have not give Matt LaFleur enough credit this season.  Could he be a strong candidate for coach of the year?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  What do you think?  

[LeotheLion]

In between B and C for me. I'll go B if they win 1 playoff game. 

[Ryan_W]

I think very highly of Za'Darius Smith

[40Year Pack Fan]

28 minutes ago, LeotheLion said:

In between B and C for me. I'll go B if they win 1 playoff game. 

Sounds about right....

[Fl0nkerton]

[SBLIII]

I'm not really sure. Doesn't seem like their offense improved all that much. Their GM made good signings on defense and their defense went from bad to competent.

[Jlowe22]

Ranked 10th on both sides of the ball.  If they get home field, it’s gonna be hard to knock them out.  49ers and Saints defenses have been looking worse and worse, while Packers defense just beat up the Vikings on the road.

[DoleINGout]

Good looking man.

[El Ramster]

You can’t think much. As it’s all Rodgers. Damm if you do damm if you don’t. It’s just the nature of the beast. They look so bad thru out the year barely beating teams. Idk mang. 

[Packerraymond]

First off, I'll strongly disagree that Gute is a massive improvement over Ted. GMs with different philosophies meld perfectly to rosters at different stages. Ted Thompson with a young QB was one of the best GMs in the NFL, that 2010 team was setup for a much longer run if not for injuries. Ted is not a good late stage QB GM, he's not aggressive enough in the closing window, we made the switch at the perfect time and Gute did immediately start to push in the chips.

As far as LaFleur, we'll see, think he's a hell of a head coach as far as prep and control of a locker room go. His scheme has improved from the first month of the season to where we are now. Still needs to get Aaron Rodgers to play at a higher level.

[Hukos]

I really wanted him to be the Falcons OC after Kyle Shanahan left, so I think he's doing a pretty solid job in Green Bay, even if I'm not impressed with their chances of taking home the championship this year.

[sammymvpknight]

A day after a big win? This won’t be prone to recency bias....at all. 

[eagles18]

IMO their record is deceiving. they haven't played like a 12 win team this season. 

[Spartacus]

They are better than they have been given credit for... They are easily worse than the Saints/49ers. I put them in the same talent level as the Vikings & Seahawks. They have held a number of large leads in the 2nd half just for them to falter down the stretch to make the final score look closer than the game was. If the offense & defense could put together 4 quarters like the Vikings game they can be really good. 

Week 2: Up 21 to the Vikings to start the 3rd. 

Week 5: Up 28 Against the Cowboys in the 3rd. 

Week 7: Up 25 Against OAK in the 4th. 

Week 10: Up 14 Against the Panthers at the start of the 4th. 

Week 15: Up 15 Against the Bears to start the 4th. 

I see no reason they cannot make a run especially with a 1st round bye. 

 

[Pugger]

2 hours ago, ITS_RAMMY_PLAYBOI said:

You can’t think much. As it’s all Rodgers. Damm if you do damm if you don’t. It’s just the nature of the beast. They look so bad thru out the year barely beating teams. Idk mang. 

Rodgers isn't the QB he once was.  He shows flashes of his old self but his accuracy isn't good at times.  We are winning because we can run the ball some and our D is better.