Green Bay Packers: With Matt LaFleur comes innovative offense

After firing Mike McCarthy, the Green Bay Packers needed a head coach who wouldn’t be afraid to challenge Aaron Rodgers. New head coach Matt LaFleur seems primed to do just that.

The Green Bay Packers and former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur agreed to a four-year deal on Tuesday to become the Packers’ new head coach, according to NFL Network’s Tom Peliserro. LaFleur is primed to bring in a new, innovative offense to Green Bay.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past month, former head coach Mike McCarthy was fired after the Packers lost to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13. LaFleur, who was one of 10 candidates interviewed by the Packers, clearly stood out among the bunch.

One of the biggest criticisms of McCarthy during his final years in Green Bay was his inability to adapt during critical in-game situations. McCarthy often appeared stubborn and rigid in his play calling, which led to the demise of the Packers’ offense.

LaFleur, who falls under the Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay coaching tree, looks to bring in a fresh offensive scheme to Green Bay. Although he only has one year of experience as a play caller (last year in Tennessee), LaFleur has extensive experience working with quarterbacks.

We all know Aaron Rodgers is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. But even he has his faults. As the weeks went on following McCarthy’s firing, more and more stories started leaking regarding the broken relationship between former coach and quarterback.

As Albert Breer of the MMQB put it, “As I understand it, it had gotten to the point where Rodgers — who has autonomy to adjust as he sees fit — was regularly changing plays, which would make it difficult for McCarthy to find his rhythm as a play-caller.”

LaFleur, who’s just four years older than Rodgers, is prepared to challenge his new quarterback in ways Rodgers may have never seen before. As a former quarterback himself, LaFleur may be able to connect with Rodgers both as a play caller and mentor while also holding him accountable.

Another huge criticism of McCarthy was his inability to utilize the talent around him. For instance, it took several weeks for McCarthy to hand over the starting job to dynamic runner Aaron Jones, who still seized work to Jamaal Williams thereafter. Jones finished the 2018 season with a league-best 5.5 yards per carry.

If LaFleur learned anything from McCarthy’s shortcomings, he’ll bring in an offensive system that fits his players’ strengths. Just look at what Kyle Shanahan, one of LaFleur’s mentors, has gotten out of backup quarterback Nick Mullens this season.

Have the stories surrounding Rodgers been exaggerated a bit? Probably. But there’s no doubt the Packers wanted a head coach who would not only challenge Rodgers, but could utilize his talents to the fullest extent.

After an exhaustive coaching search, the Packers have undoubtedly found their guy. Matt LaFleur brings a lot to the table at just 39 years old, and Green Bay thinks they may have found the next Sean McVay.