LaFleur Earns Career Highlight as Packers Upset Colts

With Jordan Love missing the Green Bay Packers’ 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts, there’s no star quarterback to attribute the win. Rather, it was coach Matt LaFleur’s game plan.

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is shown during the first quarter of their game against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, September 15, 2024 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Matt LaFleur’s success has always had an asterisk next to it for some.

When the head coach joined the Green Bay Packers in 2019, his 13-3 debut season was mostly attributed to Aaron Rodgers. 

Though he was given credit for turning around the 2023 season with a young team, some still attributed it to Jordan Love’s talent alone, overlooking the role LaFleur played in Love’s development.

In the Packers’ 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts, however, there was no gray area for how much credit LaFleur deserved. When he was asked if the win was one of his favorites of his career, his answer revealed his relishing of challenges.

“Absolutely,” LaFleur said in his postgame press conference. “They’re all great but, certainly, just the challenges of going into a football game without your quarterback with a guy that's been here for three weeks, and it's a credit to everybody.”

With third-year player Malik Willis at quarterback in place of an injured Love, LaFleur called a run-heavy, efficient game. 

Willis, who Green Bay traded for just 20 days ahead of the Week 3 win, understandably has a minimal understanding of the offense. LaFleur, along with the rest of the offensive staff, had to be mindful of how much they put on the 25-year-old.

“There’s a little bit of an unknown going into a game,” LaFleur said of Willis. “It’s one thing to do it in practice when the pressure isn't quite as high. It's another thing to go out there in front of 80,000 fans and be able to articulate the play calls”

The first half, and especially the first quarter, was LaFleur at his best. Involving six different players in the run game, the Packers picked up 164 yards in the first quarter alone. The offensive line, along with the receivers and tight ends on the perimeter, opened up wide lanes.

According to LaFleur, the coaching staff added numerous wrinkles to run plays in preparation for this week.

“We had a variety of schemes up,” LaFleur said of the run game plan. “You've got to give a lot of credit to (offensive coordinator) Adam Stenavich and all our coaches. … The diversity within our run game and the ability to put guys in certain positions, using our receivers in the running game.” 

The Packers ended the day with 53 carries, led by running back Josh Jacobs’ career-high of 32 carries. With the Colts knowing all week that the Packers would favor the running game, LaFleur had to get creative. 

“Fifty-three rushes, that's what we wanted to do coming into this game," he said. "It's one thing to want to do that but to be able to be out there and execute that, I think that says a lot about really all 11 out there.”

The offensive line escorted the rushers en route to the team’s 261 rushing yards. The unit, who lost first-round pick Jordan Morgan with a shoulder injury sustained during the second quarter, stepped up at LaFleur’s command.

“We had a shaky day at practice (on Wednesday),” LaFleur said of his offensive line. “I went in there and said, 'We're winning this game through you guys.’ I thought they stepped up.”

Though the running game propelled the Packers to a fast start, there were plenty of times the Packers found themselves stuck in the sand. But LaFleur was able to drive them out. The challenge of suddenly having to prepare without your starting quarterback was already a tough test.

“Adversity is coming every week in this league. You face it in game, you face it going into the game when you don't have your star quarterback," he said.

With this win, LaFleur now adds another badge to his resume. There's possibly never been a clearer display of his ability as a play-caller and leader.

"You just got to find a way to win because, at the end of the day, nobody cares.”

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Josh Myers threw up on the ball during the game and was incredibly emotional after the game.

On a powerful day by the #Packers' offensive line. ⬇️https://t.co/OKCqSV9qEN

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 15, 2024

Game story: Packers 16, Colts 10 | Stock report: Who’s up? Who’s Down? | Vomit, sweat and tears