When the Packers hired MLF, one of the things he talked about which intrigued me were his comments about fielding an offense with an "illusion of complexity". We didn't get to see but glimpses of that largely because of former QB1's adherence to what he knew and was comfortable with.

One of the more interesting aspects of this coming season is what his offense looks like when it's run faithfully and consistently.

Hopefully the investiture of JL as triggerman gives us the opportunity to see whether it's effectively designed and whether this team can consistently execute it.

I don't think this year will tell the whole tale, just due to the youth and inexperience at the skill positions. The WRs outside of Watson, Doubs, and Toure are going to need a little time to gel (and even they probably need a little more seasoning). The TEs, while bursting with talent, are green as grass. I think we'll be better than expected by most this year, but potentially a juggernaut next year once the new guys have gotten a full season in and accustomed to the NFL.

"this year, good or bad, is all on him."

He better start by getting both of the lines the best or close to the best in the league.

All the young players won't matter if that doesn't happen. If it does happen (I think it will) these guys will surprise the NFL.

Well, I like your theory about "developing quarterbacks" but I'm not sure that's exactly correct. I think it's more about massaging his system for the quarterback. When "he who shall not be named" was here my opinion is that MLF was forced to keep bending his system to something he wasn't entirely comfortable with. At least that's what I hope was the case last year. I think most Packer fans have that same feeling of anticipation this season and hope that MLF's system will look more like "the illusion of complexity" he wants than the "modified with McCarthy's offense" run last year. I'm stoked for the season to come!

Great work, Bruce! It is definitely on Matt LaFleur to guide this team to success. He has more than many do to begin a new era.

Young players? Absolutely. But offensively, they run mostly through the skill positions WR & TE. His OL is loaded with veteran talent. His two feature RBs are both healthy and nearly in their prime.

I think about Belichick beginning a new era in New England, and what he had to work with. Entirely different coaches & situations. One a legend, with his own systems firmly in place. 6 Championship rings… says a lot but not the whole story.

LaFleur is in the oddest of places comparatively. I think his player situation is far better. Gutekunst has been improving as a GM (imho), providing a steady stream of new talent O, D, and STs. What LaFleur lacks 4 years into his tenure is any semblance his own systems, coaching style & leadership.

Hell, his own Team President didn’t trust him to hire his own DC & ST Coaches, (or was it control freak issues overlording his new hire?) setting LaFleur & his team years behind entering his 5th season as HC, nevermind the AR situation.

Can he overcome THAT? We know the “whys” of all of it. The dysfunction we’ve witnessed through much of his tenure, some of it not of his own doing. Can LaFleur establish himself as the sole leader of his football team as HC? Will he command the respect necessary to be a success for the Packers?

Will he game plan to win? Will he adjust properly in games real time? Will his players respond? I think he’s learned from his own mistakes. I’m confident that this young team is well positioned, and that they will respond to LaFleur. I think he will be a different HC with all those weights of the past removed.

We’ll see. Hoping for the best.

Wrong- I won't judge MLF a Bit.
I'll be judging Love.
If he can't get the ball to these Receivers.
It's going to be a Down year. Way Down.
The only thing you can judge MLF on.
Is Keeping Barry. But Defense wasn't his Forte.
So let's just keep MLF off the hot seat.
The biggest mistake is putting too much on MLF.
You have to judge the talent first.
And thats on Gutey. He shaped the roster.
Either we have a talented team to overcome
coaching mistakes. Or we Don't.

SO... I'll admit, when LaFleur was hired I wasn't thrilled, not even a little. When he hired his first coaching staff I thought they were a bunch of who's who in the hell are you offensive assistants. Then the man went out and won 13 games and took his team to the NFCCG...BEFORE Rodgers was playing at an MVP level. In 2020 I was full on loving this dude. The Red-Zone offense was one of the best EVER in the NFL, and the offense had much more motions and those illusion of complexity plays. I was ALL IN on LaFleur after the 2020 year.

Then came 2021...Not only did he hire Joe Barry after the DC who was forced upon him wasn't brought back, but he kept Mo Drayton in spite of weekly happenings of ST gaffs that made you wonder WTF LaFleur! Then losing in the divisional games to the 49ers the WAY they did was just too much. I mean you had to wonder after hiring Barry and keeping Drayton if the dude had a clue.

2022 was a nightmare. Rodgers did and said whatever the hell he wanted to and it seemed like LaFleur had ZERO control over his MVP QB. The "MLF Offense" seemed further and further away with every passing game and suddenly LaFleur who won MORE games than any other HC in NFL history his first three years was being questioned big time by many, myself included.

But this year I've forgotten ALL of what happened previously. After watching Rodgers do and say things this year with the Jets completely contradict what he said his last few seasons in GB (About OTA's, Mini-Camps, Team Building & Chemistry) it's made me look at Rodgers in an even darker light.

IMO you HAVE to take notice of LaFleur's previous coaching jobs and the jobs the QB's did prior to him coming to GB. Not only did he help Rodgers get back to MVP form (and he did). Matt Ryan won an MVP and went to a SB. Then in LA he helps Goff and the Rams get to a SB.

Coincidence? Nope, I don't think so. If one thing or even two then maybe, (No, I'm not counting Tennessee) but not EVERYWHERE. Like Bruce mentioned he wasn't the sole cause...But you have to believe he had a LOT to do with it. At least I do and I think he will. Jordan Love is in good hands and so is the Packers offense.

EDIT...WOW...This comment got REALLY long...Sorry guys, I'll try to keep it shorter...LOL..

This team will not improve until you remove the people in the front office. Its as simple as that. Prepare for a long season of losing...

This is totally MLF's team. How he & especially the assistants coach,train and develop this young, spirited team is ALL on them. The Ol & DL development ic critical on how far this team goes. Starts with line control, holes to run through, pass blocking to keep LJ upright. DL stop runs & sack QB's. Otherwise, all the talented backs & receivers won't mean squat. We'll all get a good look on just good the Pack's coaching staff really. Team is loaded with, talent, speed, size, energy and willingness too lean and absorb. Will be easy for Pack fans to evaluate the quality of MLF & staff. GPG!!!!

Well, I hope that finally we will be able to see what looks like the "Illusion of complexity". Because, what we were watching was "Complexity of illusion".

Whose guilt was that we yet have to see. Or we might never be sure.

Talking about true MLF offense is not easy. We can not forsee what the MLF schemas will be, as he has different type of players than he had in every of his previous jobs. We may talk about concept of offense, but expect something already seen before in total, I doubt in that.

I believe all coaching staff was at Green Bay through combine and, as reported, all of them was working on the new playbook. It will be interesting to see does he put in some "not his" plays that were successful last season.

I suppose Packers O will be very different this season comparing with previous 4, will it be successful, we need to wait to see.

I hope LaFleur will do well this year and I think he will. However, I would like to see the sole authority to evaluate the job that he does reside with Gute, the general manager rather than Murphey, the CEO. I simply feel that a general manager should be the single person in charge of football operations as it is being played on the field.

"Say what you want about what he did with the inherited pieces of the offense, but this year, good or bad, is all on him."

I disagree with this. This year good or bad is not all on LaFleur. Was he the one that said lets low ball Davante Adams enough to make him want out of GB? Was he the one that drafted Love to make Rodgers final 3 years in GB messy? Was it his decision to not go out and sign any bigger named free agents this year? No. While he may have had a part in it, this is not all on him. He is working with what he has been handed. This year is on the coaches to get the best out of what they have and its on the front office for providing the coaches what they need.

This year is kind of an up in the air year. We have no idea what we are going to get. We have a brand new starting QB. Sure they have been grooming him in the offense but we have no clue what he will do or won't do. We have a WR corp that I believe is the youngest in the league. We have some really big time talent. BUT, they are really inexperienced. Our TE group is the same way.

There will be a lot of ups and downs this year. We can call LaFleur out if he doesn't put his players in the best position at times. But this season is not solely on LaFleur. This is on the team. The players, to all of the coaches to the front office. It takes everyone.

MLF is fortunate in that he will in effect be having his second honeymoon season as the Packers HC. However, if the team is reasonably successful the expectations will be through the roof for 2024. I wish him well. Thanks, Since '61

Judge not yest ye be judged with a vengeance, alright then. As ye sew, so shall ye reek. -- Crustaceans 9:22

This is kind of like the “are we rebuilding” thing. Teams and schemes (and circus crowds) are constantly changing every year. Every team is rebuilding every year, if not every week. I’m pretty certain that the offense described as having the illusion of complexity would be 4-5 years old by now and quite stale were MLF to run the originally conceived version today. My hope is that our coach is fresh enough to dream up new offense wrinkles every week to keep the defenses playing catch up.

I’m betting he puts a quality offense on the field. My biggest concern is in those instances it doesn’t work…which is bound to happen sometime. He seems to have trouble with in game adjustments and shows that deer in headlights look.

I fully expect the inexperience to show at times, especially early in the season. However, by many accounts this is the most athletic roster on both sides of the ball that GB has had in the past few years. By the end of the year, I'm hoping the experience will take hold and the talent will shine.
Last year's slow train wreck is in the rear view mirror. Completely new season for all 32 teams. If these guys can find their mojo early, there is no reason why they can't compete anyone.

Yes this is the year. Already with the starting corners Love is having difficulty. Lafleur needs to use the RB talent he has to maximize the combined yards and that includes Goodson.

And to prove he is a good coach, he needs to reign in Barry. He needs that defense to be aggressive enough to win a few games.

If Lafleur can do this we may have ourselves a good season.

Spot on Bruce! Great article! 👏👏👏

Will MLF's offense be perfect? Definitely not... not with so many rookies and first year players. There are bound to be quite a mistakes from them.

However, I agree that we will know this year whether MLF has the goods.

Can't disagree with any of this, but it does read like a review for an offensive coordinator more than a head coach.

Granted, MLF was hired for his skills with an offense, but the job is far more than this. The HC sets the tone, establishes the team's culture and attitude, leads, directs the coordinators and the coaches-- all of them, in all phases of the game-- builds a winning mindset, and examines and adjusts all phases of the operation. Look at the great coaches; their teams were so often described as 'taking on the HC's personality' because the HC was involved in everything.

I know it's unpopular around here to think this-- "Rodgers has poisoned this team!"-- but I'm leaning toward some points made by ColdWorld and others, the suggestion that we have, perhaps, seen what kind of coach MLF is, and that this coming season will not show who he is but rather how he can improve.

This is the year Matt Lafleur finally wins the Coach of the Year award he shouldve won in 2019 and 2020.

MM had a stale offense. Gute...Gutted the team of older players like Jordy, Cobb, Matthews, Bilagga, and many more. Thru drafts and a ton of money in expiring contracts, Gute has completely replaced the OL but for Bak.
Completely replaced the defense but for Clark and JA. We are in CAP issues for resigning our prickly QB to an ill advised too expensive contract, pushing money and BAK highest paid LT demand. The best thing ML has done is designing plays to help WR's get open. Personally I don't like the run sideways "stretch" offense aspect of the run game and am much more into big OL who move their guys and open holes straight in front of them without the NEED of a TE. If we had this type OL with a nasty streak and did also use tough TE's, our run game would look smash mouth like SF or the Eagles a few years ago when they had 2 better TE's. What we do have NOW is SPEED...EVERYWHERE. Our biggest problem in the playoffs has been WHEN our run game had beed shut down, we did not have the WR horses to go toe to toe with other elite teams. We no longer have our future HOF QB.
What we DO have is excellent run game, solid OL and a youthful, talented WR corp and TE corp and a solid to upper defense once Gary is back and I truly believe this LVN kid is pretty special right out of the gate and gets much better. ML...if he uses all his weapons right...we will be exceptional in 2023. In 2024...I expect to go to the NFCC game at home and win. This team is loaded with talent, with a good enough QB who is going to get better and talent at every level. Keep the faith folks....GPG

We've won more games in the last four years than any other team in the NFL.

I already did judge him and if he as a HC can keep a loser of a defensive coach like Barry then its one of two things: Barry is Gutts guy and the HC doesnt want to upset that apple cart knowing who signs his checks or, He is a piss poor assessor of coaching ability and should be seriously looked at going forward. As of now he is a HC without any balls IMO

It's always on the head coach. Always. The Packers, for a number of years, were nothing until management hired Vince Lombardi.

The HC dreams and schemes, designs, trains, teaches, plans, hires ( or fires ) all other coaches for the team.

It's always on the head coach.

MLF, and possibly Gute, have at least until January/ February 2025. With MM leaving post-draft, a new broom might sweep clean if the results aren’t as hoped.

Seeing Love trying to run MLF's offense should be interesting. But, LaFleur has never shown any ability to adjust the offense when the opponent's defense shows they can shut it down. Could this be on Rodgers? Maybe. But this problem is definitely something to keep an eye on. Also, last season, at the start, the team seemed to stubbornly stick far too long with players on the OL who were clearly not able to do the job. This could be traced to Stenavich, who was the OL coach for so long. It seems that MLF would lean on him to help set the OL.

Judge not, lest ye too be judged.