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Green Bay Packers: Matt LaFleur viewed as a top coach in the NFL

By Steven Schauer

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers looks on from the sidelines in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers during the NFC Championship game at Levi's Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers looks on from the sidelines in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers during the NFC Championship game at Levi's Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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The Green Bay Packers have made back-to-back appearances in the NFC Championship, and as a result, Matt LaFleur is now viewed as one of the top coaches in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.

He took over the Packers two years ago and has been a few plays away from advancing to at least one Super Bowl. LaFleur took over a team that was on a downward trend and failed to make the playoffs in 2017 and 2018. The offensive-minded leader has guided Green Bay to an eye-popping 26-6 record in his first two seasons.

PFF ranked LaFleur as the third-best head coach in the league behind Kansas City’s Andy Reid and Baltimore’s John Harbaugh. One could debate whether LaFleur should be ahead of Harbaugh, but not necessarily over Reid. The Chiefs have appeared in the last two Super Bowls, winning in 2019.

Eric Eager from PPF, who ranked the NFL’s top seven head coaches, says, LaFleur reminds him of “former 49ers and Panthers head coach George Seifert (although without the early Super Bowl title).”

Eager also wonders what this Green Bay Packers team would look like without the three-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.

LaFleur was also ranked as the best offensive play-caller by PPF ahead of the 2021 season. The Packers led the NFL in 2020 at 31.5 points per game, which was eight points better than the 2019 season. They topped 35 points seven times last year.

"“The Packers were the most efficient team in terms of turning cap dollars into wins above replacement in the passing game in 2020, and they did so without much in the way of productivity from secondary wide receivers,” said PFF."

Yes, LaFleur has proved his worth as the Green Bay Packers head coach and signal-caller, but he also has a future Hall of Fame quarterback slinging the ball all over the field. While Rodgers does make up for some of the lack of talent at times, the Packers did have seven Pro Bowl players last year, including five on the offensive side of the ball.

The LaFleur and Rodgers connection is rivaled by many teams around the league, and for good reason. The two are on the same wavelength all the time.

WIll LaFleur make the right calls in those handful of critical moments during the season to put Green Bay in a position to bring the Lombardi Trophy home to Titletown?

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