Green Bay Packers Offensive Strategy: How Have They Adapted Over Time?

Fans of the Green Bay Packers will have observed how the offense has been able to evolve under the leadership of Matt LaFleur.

Indeed, he has helped them since he arrived in 2019. In his sixth season in the role, he is on course to have managed five winning years. The Packers are currently 11-5 on the year. However, it seems postseason football is proving a bit of a problem in Green Bay.

The Packers have reached the postseason in all but one of his seasons in charge so far (not including this year), but have failed to get past the NFC Championship Game. Perhaps this is the year that they could get over that roadblock and find a way to win their first Super Bowl in 15 years?

What has LaFleur done to the offense?

As the Packers have managed to continue to find ways to win throughout LaFleur’s tenure during the regular season, it’s clear that the head coach has brought a new style of play to the offense.

The Packers have shifted to a run-heavy offense in recent years. This season, in helping them go to 11-5 thus far in a division that has both the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings at 143-2, Josh Jacobs has been a key component of the offense.

The team has utilized a run offense that sometimes uses a two-running-back formation (no longer common in the NFL), which has perhaps been put in place to help Jordan Love with additional pass protection. The quarterback has had sporadic issues with turnovers, with 11 having been recorded this season alone. In his career, Love has 25 total interceptions.

The use of Jacobs has helped to keep the Packers in the hunt for a wild card spot in the postseason. Although the latest NFL odds don’t suggest that they have a chance of winning the NFC North, they do highlight the possibility of the team being able to win the NFC Championship in a favorable light. The two running backs have been influential in making this a possibility.

Jayden Reed has also been used in the running game. While a wide receiver, Reed has managed to use his game on the ground to help the Packers move the ball forward. As per stats, he has 17 carries for 160 yards and a touchdown. Almost half of his carries (seven) have been for a first down. Lining him up in the backfield can cause opposition defenses trouble, as they may not know what to do with him when it comes to trying to stop him.

Jacobs is the primary ground attack for Green Bay. A natural running back, he has managed to thrive in the system that LaFleur has put in place. He has 14 rushing touchdowns for the year, having carried the ball 295 times prior to the Week 17 match with the Chicago Bears achieving 1,285 yards and 68 first downs.

LaFleur Getting The Best Out Of Packers Offense

With the utilization of a two-running-back formation, it seems LaFleur has been able to find a way to get the best out of his Packers roster and make them competitive in offense.

They have become one of the most efficient teams in the NFL, and one that has become dangerous with the ball. Of the 16 games played so far, they’ve scored 30+ points on eight occasions, with their five of their last six matches having seen that scored as a minimum.

Of course, the defense has held its own, too, having limited the teams they have faced to less than 20 points on nine occasions this season. In the five that they have lost, they have scored at least 25 points four times.

The two defeats to the Lions this season will have harmed their status and chances of reaching the postseason this year. However, while they have at least clinched a playoff spot, a new, energized and fresh offensive approach could be enough to help them get over the hump and compete for the Super Bowl.