Sunday, Oct 26, 2025. Packers-Steelers under the lights on Sunday Night Football. This was the most anticipated game on the schedule for the state of Wisconsin.
Down by a score at the half, the Packers climbed a hill and went on a 28-9 scoring run to beat their former future Hall of Fame Quarterback. Why is this significant? Because it’s been over 300 days since the Packers last scored more than 14 points in the second half.
Is he too conservative? Does he not take enough risks? When he does take risks, are they educated decisions? Certainly, these questions weren’t even considered by Ed Policy and Brian Gutekunst before handing over the extension.
Hope the Lead Holds
Does anyone fear the Green Bay Packers? It’s very hard to imagine that any NFL team is worried after last year. Their last win came in December of ‘25!
Matt LaFleur does not close games. He just assumes that they will stay closed.
Last season the Packers had a double-digit lead in the final four minutes three times. Twice against Chicago, once against Cleveland(!) and they lost all three contests. In January, they led the Bears 21-3 at halftime in a playoff game and punted on their first four second-half drives. 14 plays, net of 9 yards, 0.64 yards per play. 31-27 Bears.
Week 1 of this season was the very same. Up 22-10. They outscored them 29-0 the rest of the way. The Vikings were the first team in NFL history to trail by 12 or more with under 20 minutes left and win by 17 or more.
Against the NFC North alone, it’s much worse. From November 1983 through December 19 of last year, the green and gold blew just three double-digit second-half leads against NFC North teams. Starting December 20th of last year, they have blown three more.
Three meltdowns like this in less than a year are not just bad luck…
Hope the Next Gamble Works
LaFleur sent out the field-goal unit in the 2020 NFC Championship Game.
He was one of the most conservative coaches in 2024. He was the most aggressive in the league after week 8 last season.
On Sunday, he took three points off the board with a failed long QB sneak when the O-Line was getting beaten to death. The Packers O-Line did not receive a Pro Football Focus grade of 60.0 or better. If running a long QB sneak behind that line doesn’t speak hope, I don’t know what does.
The Packers created 10 explosive plays for 313 yards and scored 22 points! He can coach! But then, in the second half, when the game gets closer, on 3rd & 11, he runs it with Chris Brooks?
Sure, you’re facing Carson Wentz, but on the road, you cannot be satisfied with starting two drives inside enemy territory and only get three points.
Hope the Same Answers Work
The way they lose may change numerically on the scoreboard, but the press conference does not.
Chicago in December: “You got to find a way to close out and got to find a way to finish.” Again after the playoff game in Chicago, “We had plenty of opportunities to slam the door shut and we didn’t get it done.” Lack of execution, not composure. Put players in position.
Most recently, Sunday evening in Minnesota, rinse and repeat. “Coaching, playing, it’s all of us. We have to do a better job of putting our players in position, we have to execute.” Then a line that fans should be most concerned over: “It’s going to be a topic of conversation for all you guys until we do it. That’s the bottom line.”
Six straight losses, including the playoffs, are historic for Titletown.
Denver, Chicago, Baltimore, Minnesota, Chicago again, and now Minnesota again. The words no longer sound like accountability. They sound like a loop.
As harsh as this article is, it’s not like LaFleur is lying. He’s also not saying anything he hasn’t already said, and things haven’t gotten better. This is the coach, GM Brian Gutekunst, and President Ed Policy who chose to give the player a multi-year extension after their arch-nemesis walked them out of the playoffs. They’ve made their bed.
Matt LaFleur coaches on hope and nothing else. His game decisions over the past few seasons have been on either side of the spectrum. The game in Pittsburgh last year is what seemed like the last time coaching on hope actually worked. After this six-game skid, it’s getting difficult to see that night as anything other than a lucky break.
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