Rankings Show Packers Have Right Play-Callers Calling Shots

Players win games, but it’s up to the coaches to put them in the right position.

Pro Football Network ranked all 32 play-callers on offense and defense. The Green Bay Packers are in good hands. On offense, Packers coach Matt LaFleur was No. 5. On defense, coordinator Jeff Hafley was No. 10.

LaFleur has his flaws – the 0-6 record against the three NFC teams with the best records last season and the lack of big-time playoff success topping the list. However, he successfully navigated the Aaron Rodgers-to-Jordan Love transition in 2023 and then helped the Packers succeed with Malik Willis replacing Jordan Love for about three games in 2024.

Green Bay ranked 14th in points and 17th in yards in 2022, Rodgers’ last season. The Packers improved to 12th in points and 10th in yards in 2023 and eighth in points and fifth in yards in 2024. Green Bay hadn’t finished inside the top 10 in points since leading the league in 2021.

“Matt LaFleur has quietly reaffirmed his place among the NFL’s top play-callers, thanks to a 2024 campaign that showcased his flexibility and schematic creativity,” PFN wrote, citing its offensive metrics and noting Love’s injury and the overall youth on offense. 

“LaFleur adapted to a limited QB situation, then transitioned to a more aggressive system once Jordan Love returned. His nuanced run-game design helps set him apart, while LaFleur's system also channels Love’s volatility into a productive and often explosive attack.”

The addition of Josh Jacobs changed everything on offense. A pass-first offense throughout LaFleur’s tenure, Green Bay operated the third-most run-heavy attack in the league. Meanwhile, if not for his injuries, Love would have led the NFL in passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield. It was the ultimate thunder-and-lightning approach.

With a revamped offensive line, the additions of receivers Matthew Golden and Savion Williams in the draft and the potential impact of tight end Luke Musgrave and running back MarShawn Lloyd after injury-plagued seasons, the arrow is pointed up.

“With their young weapons developing and Love showing real promise, LaFleur’s offense is ascending,” PFN wrote.

Meanwhile, on defense, Green Bay finished the season ranked sixth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed. In both areas, it was its best season since ranking second in points allowed and fifth in total defense during the Super Bowl season of 2010.

Hafley worked wonders. The pass rush was painfully inconsistent, which put a lot of stress on the secondary. Complicating matters, one of the most talented members of that secondary, former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander, missed most of the season due to injuries. The Packers counted on two rookie safeties and a rookie linebacker to overcome disappointing statistical seasons by veterans Kenny Clark and Rashan Gary.

“Probably the biggest thing is I thought we were playing really hard at the end of the year,” Hafley said. “We were really running to the ball, guys were playing confident, guys were communicating. I just felt like we came alive, and that’s probably the thing. 

“Throw out the numbers, the statistics and where we were. I think we played harder than our opponents at the end of the year and we were more physical. And that’s what I’m most proud of and appreciate the most of the guys.”

With a potential star in second-year linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, the free-agent addition of cornerback Nate Hobbs and an offseason to figure out the pass rush, it’s possible Green Bay’s defense will be even better in 2025, although the quarterbacks on the schedule will have a say in that.

“In a perfect world, you want to get back to where you left off as fast as possible and build from there, so how fast can we do that?” Hafley said. “We need to evolve. We can’t just do the same thing and say, ‘Here’s the playbook and this is what we’re running.’ No. We’re a different team. It’s a different year. Offenses are going to evolve; we have to evolve. 

“My relationship with the players in Year 2, I feel like there’s kind of a trust built so the relationship I think can get even better. But to me, it’s how fast can we get to where we finished the season and then build from there and evolve and be more consistent.”