Stale and Predictable Doesn't Win Games
The offensive approach needs to change fast
By GregMeinholz
Facing 4th and 1 at their own 44-yard line with about 1:30 left on the clock, down by three points, the Green Bay Packers ran a pathetic-looking inside run to Josh Jacobs that the Philadelphia Eagles' defense just absolutely blew up for a loss of 3-4 yards. If not for Philly's questionable calls following that play, trying to end the game, this would have been it for the Packers' offense in their loss Monday night. Even if they converted, the offense was called for illegal formation, which would have pushed them five yards back, making the 4th down conversion less manageable.
It was a rushed, seemingly uninspired play call. The Packers had 26 seconds left on the play clock and two timeouts if they needed some extra time to maybe choose a better play and get set. To make matters worse, it was revealed later on, via replay, that a Philadelphia defender, DT Moro Ojomo, was calling out the play as they lined up. He could be heard yelling, "Inside zone this way, inside zone this way!" Right before the snap, as he pointed exactly where the Packers would later try to run Jacobs.
Does it get any more embarrassing than that?
You can go ahead and hand credit over to Ojomo in recognizing the play before it got off. That shows a high football IQ and that he did his homework on the Packers' offense. But the frustrating part is the reminder that the Packers had 26 seconds left on the play clock and two timeouts. You have to imagine Jordan Love, or at least someone on Green Bay's side of the ball, had to have heard Ojomo shouting this. So, why couldn't they can the call and move to a different play? Or even call a timeout to think it over? It was perhaps one of the most important calls of the game, and it was unnecessarily rushed. The levels of frustration of having to watch this happen as a powerless fan are very high.
When defensive opponents watch film leading up to a game, they learn an offense's tendencies and try to predict what they're going to do on any given play. The job of the offense is to either change it up a bit to confuse the defense or execute the plays so flawlessly that the defense can't stop them despite knowing what's coming. Any Packer fan who knows their history could tell you that Lombardi's Packers succeeded on discipline and flawless execution more than anything. Everybody knew of Lombardi's power sweep; they couldn't stop it because the Packers did it so well. Expecting today's Packers to execute like Lombardi's would be a pipe dream, considering that era saw ten future Pro Football Hall of Famers. But they can tone down the predictability.
These last few games, I can't tell you how often I've called the Packers running the ball on first down. Or even running the ball on 2nd and long. While it's true that you need to establish the run to open up the pass, that doesn't mean running the same predictable hand-off over and over in the same situation, expecting different results. That's just the definition of insanity in football form. But whether improving that comes in the form of changing play calls or pushing for better execution, that's up to Matt LaFleur to decide. And he needs to figure that out before it's too late.
Avoiding the Same Fate
One of the top complaints regarding the former Packers Head Coach, Mike McCarthy, was that his approach and philosophy grew stale. He all but refused to deviate from "what worked before." As a result, the Packers grew to be predictable at times. It isn't quite the same situation, but perhaps Matt LaFleur can learn a thing or two from his predecessor.
As of late, the Packers often appear undisciplined and unprepared. Every player on that roster is a professional. They didn't get to where they are today by coasting through everything and not taking it seriously. So, we can easily toss out the "they don't care" ideas and that LaFleur needs to turn into a drill sergeant or something. Sure, Lombardi held a high standard of discipline with his players, but he still loved them all like they were his family and wasn't a stranger to having a drink or two with them in the locker room after a game. But perhaps LaFleur does need to change his approach a little bit. Ensure a focus on certain aspects of the team's preparation to avoid that stale, predictable outcome.
Does Matt LaFleur need to turn over play-calling to someone else? I don't think so. In fact, we saw Mike McCarthy turn over play-calling duties to Tom Clements years ago so he could "focus elsewhere." The result wasn't pretty. When McCarthy took back the call sheet, things got back on track. The same, in my opinion, might happen with Matt LaFleur. However, I do believe LaFleur needs to evaluate his other duties to see what he may be able to allocate to his assistants so that he may focus more on areas of greater need. Many successful coaches are very hands-on. LaFleur already excels in that category, but perhaps where he's hands-on needs to shift a bit.
It's time to get away from the stale predictability we've seen over the last few games. That isn't going to win us anything down the stretch. Whether that is achieved by changing what is called or by focusing more on execution and perfection, is something Matt LaFleur is going to have to discover quickly, before it's too late.
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Greg Meinholz is a lifelong devoted Packer fan. A contributor to CheeseheadTV as well as PackersTalk. Follow him on Twitter @gmeinholz and Bluesky @gmeinholz.bsky.social for Packers commentary, random humor, beer endorsements, and occasional Star Wars and Marvel ramblings.
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Comments (26)
splitpea1
November 12, 2025 at 03:03 pm
Just to highlight the absurdity....https://youtube.com/shorts/V6djCJ4Ga6c?si=pDuuQWtFJUC091dr
Mark Ballard
November 12, 2025 at 03:06 pm
Great article.
Alberta_Packer
November 12, 2025 at 03:10 pm
LaFleur has become predictably predictable. A gift for opposing DCs. What I am seeing is LaFleur's ceiling as a HC and offensive mind. You can't get blood from a stone, nor, LaFleur always play calling the ball to Jacobs on the first offensive play of every game. Then multiple times immediately afterwards until Jacobs has to be taken off the field. I repeat - a giveaway for the other team.
LambeauPlain
November 12, 2025 at 03:11 pm
"As of late, the Packers often appear undisciplined and unprepared."
As the season goes on, it seems the Packers practice fewer and fewer starters prior to game days, as opponents are probably practicing more snaps together while installing the game plans.
Nearly every week, nearly 30% of the active roster is on the injury list with a DNP or Limited designation.
It almost seems like practice time is optional.
stockholder
November 12, 2025 at 03:52 pm
Most would say a conservative approach is
aiming to control the clock and minimize mistakes.
Regardless;
I felt it might have been MLFs
trust in Jordan Love.
And his ability to make high-risk throws.
I mean we have seen the horror plays.
And then again, it's hard to blame Love.
Especially when This OL sucks, and
keeps making dumb penalties.
I'm going with "The Defense will win it."
So I won't be disappointed.
jannesbjornson
November 12, 2025 at 05:02 pm
Job Description for a Professional wide receiver is secure the ball delivered to your paws. If you want to play smash mouth, Heath is your picket guy. He's moving into McCarthy territory with the lazy game plans.
The Philly game @ Home is a challenge you have to win.
stockholder
November 12, 2025 at 05:13 pm
The grass is always greener on the other side.
Confidence is too low. To judge.
Coldworld
November 12, 2025 at 03:59 pm
McCarthy eventually painfully ran out of ideas and his offense was proven risibly predictable each week by opponents. LaFleur’s is too, though he’s never had as bad a roster as the one in 2018. His offense in 2022 was the same and, a brief period of late 2022 aside, has been since bar a few weeks of Willis. In fact it’s been almost identical except that we run more and Love is at QB not Rodgers.
He’s not found a way to defeat the same tactics. He still doesn’t help his OL and he still has the same coaches. He’s run out of ideas or we’d already be seeing them. He’s just run out of excuses and the epithet of offensive genius looks like a bad joke at this point. After all this time and repetition it’s just time to face the fact that he’s not the answer or future and stop making excuses.
NFLfan
November 12, 2025 at 06:29 pm
Until you bring Gutekunst's poor OL signings into the mix, your argument doesn't hold. MLF, his coaches and Gute
have all contributed to the weak OL.
13titles
November 12, 2025 at 04:04 pm
3 things:
1) Jordan Love tends to underthrow the long ball causing receivers to have to wait for it, increasing the risk of interception. Tucker Kraft gained yards after catch mostly because of his moves and power rather than open field, Jayden Reid gets yards after catch on crossers. (Rodgers tended to overthrow the long ball more often)
2) What's with inside runs out of the shotgun? Jacobs is not a shifty fast RB and every time I see that play I get ready for failure.
3) GB had a good o line coach stenovich and very good guard in Jenkins. Now the o line coach Butkus is wanting and we convert a great guard into a poor centre. It seems absurd to just have o linemen because they can move to any position rather than keeping the best ones for that position in that position. It's like trying to build with liquid Lego
marpag1
November 13, 2025 at 05:36 am
" Jordan Love tends to underthrow the long ball..."
Every quarterback underthrows the long ball when he has pressure up the middle in his face.
Leatherhead
November 13, 2025 at 02:25 pm
I think it would be easy to underthrow a guy like Watson.
crayzpackfan
November 12, 2025 at 04:11 pm
There is no way handing off the play calling to someone else will work. There is no one else. The entire offensive staff are even less qualified than MLF - He has made sure of that. If anything, he needs to delegate the in game HC duties to someone else while simply being the OC. However, at this point, I do not have faith anymore in his skills as an OC (where I once thought highly of him as a good offensive guy). This is just gonna have to play out, for better or worse. MLF either snaps out of it and puts on his big boy pants or hides under his desk. The 2025 ship has sailed and taking on water. We will learn if he's a leader of men and the captain of the ship or just a stowaway standing in line for a lifeboat.
jannesbjornson
November 12, 2025 at 05:04 pm
Getsy was the Bears OC. It didn't turn out too well.
LeotisHarris
November 12, 2025 at 05:55 pm
I recall 12 saying at the time that he wasn't surprised with Getsy and Hackett moving on because Hackett was never uncomfortable in the front of the room, and Getsy was a phenomenal coach. So, you know, they had that going for them.
ricky
November 12, 2025 at 04:33 pm
My wife and I were watching the game. She is a very casual observer, mostly drawn to the game because it means so much to me. In the second quarter, she asked, "Is it first down (for the Packers)?" I said it was. "So they're going to run the ball, right?" And so they did.
I wasn't sure whether to rage at the TV or laugh. I'm not a "knee jerk" fan. But LaFleur needs to go at the end of this season. Because even if he does change his approach due to pressure from the front office, once he gets a contract renewal, he'll return to his old ways very quickly. Because he doesn't trust Love, has a love of running the ball, and is getting more stubborn as things get worse.
pantz_bURp
November 12, 2025 at 05:26 pm
"Stale and Predictable"....
Please, leave my wife's cooking out of this. Now, back to the Packers. What a roller coaster ride. Remember not to long ago, some (including myself) thought the Packers were destined for great things after the victory of the KC Chiefs at Lambeau Field. Man, they looked good.
Outjuries suck, but they unfortunately are part of the game. I am losing faith more so with the coaches than the players. I could be wrong, and I have been wrong before. I am looking mainly at the HC and also the ST coach. Not sure if it is fair, but I don't see any maturation or confidence in either at this moment. The results tell me.
Anywhooo, in the meantime, I will revisit video of Chester Marcol, Phillip Epps, James Starks, BJ Raji, etc...
It will all play out and we will have memories because of it.
Peace and carrotz,
Burp at your Service
*Our boom or bust reminds me of Ginger. We need to play like Mary Ann. She isn't afraid to get dirty.
Lphill
November 13, 2025 at 06:33 am
if the Packers lose to a depleted Giants team, MLF should be fired give the team to Hafley .
Tundraboy
November 13, 2025 at 01:07 pm
I would not be terribly unhappy with that. Team needs a fresh approach.
Lare
November 13, 2025 at 06:53 am
What I can’t figure out is:
You have the HC/OC calling the play,
You have the QB calling the play,
You now have the defense calling out the play,
But you have offensive linemen making the same mistakes on every play.
Somebody isn’t very bright.
Leatherhead
November 13, 2025 at 08:34 am
The Eagles scored 10 points. Was Sirianni stale and predictable?
Packerpasty
November 13, 2025 at 09:43 am
yes, and dumb...the eagles are not an offensive juggernaut...
Leatherhead
November 13, 2025 at 10:48 am
They are 12th in scoring, so that would make them a better offense than 20 other teams. I guess, they're stale, and predictable.....and dumb, And why aren't the Eagles an offensive juggernaut? They have Barkley, and Hurts, and AJ Brown, and Goedert.....They certainly should be as good of an offense as Green Bay.
No, I think the Eagles should fire Sirianni for being stale and predictable.
BritPack
November 13, 2025 at 11:45 am
MLF is arguably the worst HC in our division right now. The days of him being regarded as an offensive innovator are long gone.
Love will arguably become the worst QB in the division (when Williams and McCarthy get more experienced) but he doesn't need to be. He's being hampered by the aforementioned HC not realising the limitations of his QB, which is not a recipe for success.
Love is not elite, he is not going to win games with his sheer brilliance He needs a system that enables him to get the ball out quickly,
similar to what the Vikes did with Darnold last season.
I know I'll get negatives for this, especially from those with the greenest tinted glasses, but you have to see it for what it is.
Leatherhead
November 13, 2025 at 02:24 pm
The other three division coaches have won 2 playoff games, combined (both by Campbell).
Where were you when we hung 35 on Pittsburgh two weeks ago.?
BritPack
November 13, 2025 at 11:52 pm
Well where were you when we scored 23 points combined in losses to Cleveland and Carolina? Individual games are not an indicator of overall performance levels.
Campbell has been in Detroit since '21, and had to turn around a poor team. O'Connell since '22, and Johnson is in his first season, so you're compariing apples with oranges as far as playoff wins go. Lets see what they achieve given the same amount of time if you want to make a genuine comparison. MLF has only won 3 playoff games in his time here, by the way.
MLF inherited a hof QB and receiver combination who inflated his win stats. Since Rodgers and Adams have gone, his win percentage has nosedived.
My other point about ML F is, when was the last time we ran a play that you thought wow, that was really inventive, I didn't see that coming? The other teams in our division seem to come up with at least one every week.