The Matt LaFleur era has begun in Green Bay. After 12 years of Mike McCarthy, the Packers have a new man in charge to take them back to the top of the NFC North.
LaFleur was hired in hopes that he will become the next Sean McVay for a Packers franchise that is used to success. Dating back to the days of Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr, Green Bay expects greatness every season. Recently, they have not gotten that.
The Packers have not reached the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Over two years, the Packers have gone 13-18-1, finishing in third place in the NFC North twice.
This forced them to make a change at head coach. Heading into 2019, the Packers will have playoff aspirations like they do every season. This is a year that they could not only make the postseason, but they could win the division for the first time since 2016. Here are the three main reasons why:
3. Aaron Rodgers
It is a simple equation: when Rogers is under center, the Packers win. Last season was an exception to that rule.
Rodgers missed most of 2017 with a broken collarbone. The quarterback returned to action last season, lighting up opposing defenses. He threw for 4,442 yards with 25 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He is arguably the most skilled quarterback of all time, a true generational talent that may never be seen again in the NFL.
There is no way to replace Rodgers. He has had injury problems in the past, and the Packers were not able to recover. In 2019, he will be a huge reason why they are successful. If Rodgers can play 16 games once again, there is no reason why Green Bay cannot get back to the top of the NFC North.
2. Revamped Defense
The Packers got 16 games out of their super star quarterback last season, but it did not prevent them from going 6-9-1. Their defense let them down every week. Heading into free agency, Green Bay knew that they would need to put a product on the field that could succeed on the other side of Rodgers.
Green Bay was aggressive from the start. They brought in Preston Smith from Washington to attack the quarterback. Meanwhile, Za'Darius Smith was part of a winning team in Baltimore last season in his fourth year. He will add toughness to the front seven of the Packers.
To round it out, they added Adrian Amos to their secondary. Green Bay's defense will not be one of the best in the league, but they have improved significantly from just a season ago.
1. Offensive-Minded Coach
The Packers parted ways with longtime coach Mike McCarthy midway through the 2018 season. Rodgers and McCarthy did not have the best relationship, at least at the end of his tenure. McCarthy was thought to finish the season, but the Packers had different ideas.
Now, they will ride with LeFleur. The 39-year old coach has previously worked as quarterbacks coach for the Washington Redskins and Atlanta Falcons. He was also the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, and most recently the Tennessee Titans.
Simply put, this move was made for Rodgers. Green Bay knows they need someone who has a strong offensive mind, and will get along with their quarterback. If LeFleur and Rodgers get this offense back to normal, they have a legitimate chance to win the division over the rival Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings.
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