When Matt LaFleur was hired by the Green Bay Packers in January of 2019, many called it the dream spot for a head coach. Future Hall Of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers was still under center, and the roster was chock-full of talent.
As a result, LaFleur probably hasn’t gotten his flowers as much as he should’ve in his first few years in Green Bay. That changed Sunday when LaFleur put on a masterclass with a backup quarterback.
After a loss in Brazil in Week 1 to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Packers had salt funneled into their wounds with the injury to quarterback Jordan Love. In Week 2, they would have to turn the keys over to Malik Willis. Willis had just been acquired from Tennessee a few weeks ago by the Packers after backup options Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt severely underwhelmed during the offseason. How much of the playbook did Willis even know?
It didn’t matter.
Green Bay ran the ball 20 times in the first quarter for 164 yards.
You read that correctly. Not first half. First quarter. It was the most by a team in the first quarter since the Denver Broncos ran for 167 back in back in 2011.
LaFleur had the Packers in some sort of pre-snap motion on seemingly every play. They ran counter plays, dive plays, jet sweeps. It kept the Indianapolis defense on skates all afternoon.
What’s most impressive about this feat, and the win overall, is that the Colts knew the Packers were without Love. A backup quarterback can often be a recipe for a disaster. The simple strategy appeared to be for Indianapolis to stack the box and make Willis beat them with his arm.
One problem: LaFleur was dialing up all sorts of different runs that also included getting Willis’ legs involved.
LaFleur deflected any credit afterwards.
“I just think we had a variety of schemes up,” he said postgame. “I think you gotta give credit to Adam Stenavich and all our coaches that kind of come up with that run plan. Just the diversity within our run game and then the ability to put guys in certain positions, using our receivers in the running game, our tight ends blocking their butt off.”
Earlier in the week when LaFleur and seemingly everyone else except the Colts knew the Packers would lean heavily on the run, Green Bay’s head coach challenged his big boys up front.
“Again, I told the O-line, I challenged them the other day and we had a shaky day at practice, I think on Wednesday, and I went in there and said, ‘Hey, we’re winning this game through you guys,’ and I thought they stepped up.”
No first-time head coach won more games in their first three years in NFL history than LaFleur (39). Much of that credit was given to Rodgers by pundits and skeptics who thought Green Bay’s coach just lucked out with his landing spot.
Green Bay has the league’s best home record since LaFleur took over at 32-9. Much of that has been credited to the atmosphere and the mystique of Lambeau Field and the players on the roster.
What will those doubters say now?
Many were down on Willis after a small sample size of three starts in two years in Tennessee. He was written off by plenty of people.
Did Willis dominate on Sunday and take over the game?
No.
He didn’t have to.
Why?
LaFleur.
Willis finished an admirable 12 of 14 for 122 yards and a touchdown. It was his first career passing touchdown in the NFL.
LaFleur’s scheme was so picture perfect that Green Bay didn’t have to stress much on offense. Certainly the players deserve the credit but they were set up to succeed with the blueprint given to them. Green Bay had nine plays of 10-plus yards in the first half. They had an additional three that were wiped out due to penalty.
The Packers were a three-point underdog according to the oddsmakers. They never trailed on Sunday.
There are moments in the fast-moving world of football that demand a pause for appreciation. Nobody is crowning LaFleur the next Bill Belichick, nor should they. A Week 2 win is fine and dandy, but this team should have far greater aspirations than beating a young Colts squad. Still, winning in the NFL is tough; ask Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson who are a combined 0-4. It’s even tougher to win with a backup quarterback at the helm, and LaFleur orchestrated the whole improbable victory.
On Sunday, Matt LaFleur proved his worth to whoever still needed confirmation. The same plan likely won’t work a second week in a row when the Packers travel to take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 3. LaFleur knows that, and he’ll adjust — just like he did when Love went down and Willis ran out of the tunnel.
