The Green Bay Packers lost 31-27 to the Chicago Bears on Sunday in the NFC Wild Card Game.

The game was tragic as the Packers lost their 21-3 halftime lead and watched the Bears make a 28-point comeback in the second half.

NFL execs are criticizing the Packers’ head coach, Matt LaFleur, for his rushed, aggressive play calls, aimed to win or at least balance the points and end in a tie.

La Fleur’s handling of a “late offensive drive” instead of running the clock has garnered negative press with strong words from one NFL coach. 

His management was flagged, and as writer Mike Sando noted that “One had to look closely for evidence that LaFleur was running a four-minute offense to eat up the game clock after the Packers took possession with 4:12 remaining and led the Bears by three.”

After quarterback Caleb Williams made an eight-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, the Packers got the ball with just a few minutes left.

Other Coaches Chime in

Maintaining anonymity, Sando reported that a coach called out LaFleur’s “smugness.”

“The smugness of playing your regular offense, with huge air-yard plays, in a four-minute situation,” he said. “Of course, you are not going to have (the clock moving). They are trying to score an explosive touchdown. Who does that?”

“When we played them, I was like, ‘Man, this ball is going downfield — he don’t give a s***’,” he said.

Another coach, before the season commenced, shared similar sentiments about Jordon Love.

“You don’t see a lot of quarterbacks play like that these days. It’s almost like they build it into their offense and see the benefits of making you defend the whole field and hitting a couple in exchange for a pick or two.”

Against the Bears, Love attempted and missed deep throw to Luke Musgrave. The tight end had made only 24 catches and showed the players weren’t focused on making well-managed and better clock-safe plays. 

Love attempted again on 3rd-and-15 from the Bears’ 26-yard line with wide receiver Romeo Doubs in the end zone. It resulted in Brandon McManus missing a 44-yard field goal attempt, benefiting the Bears.

“Where is ball control, short passing game?” the coach asked Sando. “Where are the angle routes?”

As LaFluer dodges questions about his job security, making such aggressive play calls don’t reflect well on his resume. 

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Joyita Das