3 reasons Packers should fire defensive coordinator Mike Pettine
2. Playcalling
It’s been a tradition like none other in Green Bay to question the defensive coordinator’s playcalling and publicly complaining about it on social media. The hashtag #FirePettine has also been prominent. The tradition started before Pettine’s arrival, but it has certainly continued over the last year or two.
That may be the worst defensive design I’ve ever seen with 8 seconds and no timeouts left. Green Bay—I’m not sure how you play inside technique man to man and nit just play zone and protect the sideline and the end zone? Amazing.
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) January 24, 2021
Pettine has made a number of questionable decisions as the play-caller for the Packers’ defense and this was on full display as Green Bay ended the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pettine’s man coverage allowed Tom Brady to find Scotty Miller behind the defense for a touchdown with one second remaining. That score completely shifted the outcome of the game and put the Packers in a hole they were never able to recover from. It’s that exact call that could ultimately cost Pettine his job.