The Green Bay Packers have spent most of this season juggling their kicking situation, and Matt LaFleur finally drew a clear line. After weeks of insisting that every position is “a competition,” the head coach reaffirmed that veteran Brandon McManus is his kicker going forward, even with Lucas Havrisik lurking as a very real alternative.
That decision was not made in a vacuum. Havrisik drilled all four of his field-goal attempts and six extra points in two appearances, including a record-breaking 61-yarder, while McManus has missed three of seven field goals since returning from injury, two of them from under 50 yards. Still, LaFleur is betting on experience over the hotter leg.
That commitment became official on the transaction wire ahead of the Thanksgiving matchup with the Detroit Lions. According to Tom Pelissero, the Packers released kicker Lucas Havrisik, ending any short-term debate about who will be handling kicks in Green Bay. The move leaves McManus as the lone kicker on the active roster as the Packers prepare for a massive NFC North showdown in Detroit.
Letting Havrisik go is a gamble wrapped in logic. On one hand, the 25-year-old showed he can hit from deep and stay steady under pressure, which is exactly what you want in a late-season push.
On the other hand, McManus has a long track record of big-game kicking and was signed to stabilize a position that cost Green Bay wins last year. LaFleur clearly believes mechanics and timing will come back as McManus gets further removed from his leg issue.
The Packers are not just tinkering on special teams, either. On defense, star pass rusher Micah Parsons is busy crafting his own identity at Lambeau. As defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley told reporters, Parsons loves the idea of running out to “Enter Sandman” at home, borrowing the legendary closer’s anthem from Yankees great Mariano Rivera as a personal finishing touch whenever it is time to shut a game down.
Between a veteran kicker the staff still trusts and a defensive superstar leaning into his closer persona, Green Bay is making it clear who they want with the ball, or the game, on the line as they head into Detroit.
