LaFleur Takes Job as Salesman

The Green Bay Packers are No. 1 in the NFL in scoring offense while the Detroit Lions are No. 31 in scoring defense.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Matt LaFleur serves a number of roles for the Green Bay Packers. First and foremost, he’s the team’s highly successful coach. Second, he’s the architect of the NFL’s highest-scoring offense. Third, he’s the unofficial team spokesman as the man who fields questions five days a week. Fourth, he’s a salesman.

Being a successful salesman – especially to the players on the offensive side of the ball – will be important this week with the Packers getting ready to face the Detroit Lions.

Green Bay recovered from a slow start to crush the Lions 42-21 in Week 2. The Packers piled up 488 yards, even with star receiver Davante Adams missing most of the second half with an injured hamstring. Aaron Jones had 236 total yards and three touchdowns, Aaron Rodgers had a 107.6 passer rating and the team scored on six of its first eight possessions.

Detroit’s defense was bad in that game and it’s been bad all season. The Lions are 31st in points allowed with 29.8 game. That includes a heinous 34.2 points per game in five home games. In fact, they rank in the bottom quartile in the league in total defense, yards per play, yards per pass play, third down, red zone, sacks and takeaways, as well.

In other words, this would appear to be an enormous mismatch between the offense that is scoring the most points in the NFL vs. the defense that’s allowing the second-most points.

This is where LaFleur has to wear his salesman’s hat. Somehow, he must sell the fact that a Lions defense that is terrible in most areas and could be without four of its most important players – defensive end Tre Flowers, defensive tackle Danny Shelton and cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Jeff Okudah – will provide a legit challenge to his high-powered attack.

LaFleur used his sales pitch in his Wednesday Zoom call with reporters.

“This is the National Football League,” he said. “There’s plenty of examples each and every week of the, quote-unquote, team that’s favored not getting it done. So, it doesn’t matter. You better bring your ‘A’ game each and every week. We’re going to have to play our best game as far I’m concerned. We’re going to have to play our best game to give ourselves a chance to win. This is a good football team.”