Following the Green Bay Packers’ 10-7 Week 10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday Night Football,” head coach Matt LaFleur was immediately bombarded with questions about his job security.
Though he has a 72-36-1 record in six-and-a-half seasons with the Packers, LaFleur has come under fire in recent years for his third-, second-, and third-place finishes in the NFC North, respectively, the last three seasons.
Some might say it’s a bit premature to put LaFleur on the hot seat, but others like The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, believe the 46-year-old could be coaching for his job the rest of the season.
“I’ll leave that for everybody else to decide,” LaFleur said about whether he thinks his job is at risk. “I’ll just focus on the day-to-day. … I feel like you’re always coaching for everything in this league, you know? … That’s just my mindset and that will be my mindset ’til they tell me not to coach anymore.”
While the calls for LaFleur’s job will likely only get louder with each Packers loss, some feel he could have quelled some of those unruly fans wanting him ousted if he had done one simple thing: relinquish his offensive play-calling duties.
However, as LaFleur informed reporters during Wednesday’s media availability, that’s not something he’s willing to do at this moment.
“With a chuckle, Matt LaFleur says he isn’t giving up play calling,” Schneidman tweeted.
With a chuckle, Matt LaFleur says he isn’t giving up play calling.
While the Packers are playing championship-caliber defense through 10 games, the same can’t be said of the offense.
Green Bay ranks 12th in yards per game (349.3), 15th in points per game (23.7), and it has the 20th-ranked rushing offense. The Packers also have the sixth-worst average yards per rush (3.9).
Those numbers, while not terrible, don’t exactly paint the picture of an offense poised to make a deep playoff run.
LaFleur admitted that he knows changes have to be made.
“I think that, especially as the play-caller, you’re trying to put people in the best position possible to go out there and have success,” LaFleur added, via ESPN. “And when we’re not having collective success … you have to challenge yourself to do better, to find something else in order to go out there and move the ball and score points.”
Offensive struggles are something new for the Packers under LaFleur.
In his previous six season, Green Bay had a top-11 offense four times, including having the fifth-best offense last season.
That track record is likely why star quarterback Jordan Love hasn’t lost faith in his head coach. After Monday’s loss, Love stood up for his head coach, stating no one should be counting LaFleur out just yet.
“I’ve got a lot of trust in Matt,” Love said. “That’s something that’s not wavering at all. I’ve been with Matt since I got here. I know exactly what he’s capable of, what the whole staff is capable of; that’s not wavering. It comes back to all of us — players, coaches, everybody — finding ways to improve and get better.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers had several defensive players not on the field at practice Wednesday. The team also had a new injury development to watch along the offensive line. But the good news at Wednesday’s practice for the Steelers was starting left guard Isaac Seumalo was back on the field.
The Steelers listed Seumalo as a limited participant. It was the first time, though, Seumalo practiced since before Week 9.
The left guard missed Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers because of a pectoral injury. Seumalo also exited the previous two games with a pectoral issue.
When Seumalo hasn’t been on the field the past three weeks, the Steelers offense hasn’t been as effective on the ground. The unit has missed Seumalo at left guard, but in his absence, the team also an’t as effectively run its jumbo package.
Therefore, getting back the starting left guard would give the Steelers a big boost for their critical Week 11 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Steelers running game started very slowly at the beginning of the season, averaging 63 rushing yards per contest in the first three weeks. However, from Weeks 4-7, the Steelers posted 126 rushing yards per contest.
Week 4 was when the Steelers began using their jumbo package with sixth offensive lineman Spencer Anderson and 300-pound tight end Darnell Washington. The formation appeared to help open up new possibilities for the Pittsburgh offense.
But Anderson replaced Seumalo at left guard when the starter hasn’t been available the past three weeks. That has somewhat limited Pittsburgh’s ability to use its jumbo package.
The Steelers tried to deploy veteran Andrus Peat as a sixth offensive lineman in Week 10. The team, though, only trusted Peat for eight offensive snaps after he committed a false start on the first play of the game.
Pittsburgh hasn’t rushed for more than 93 yards in any game since Seumalo has been dealing with his pectoral injury. Over the past three weeks, the Steelers are averaging just 68 rushing yards per contest.
The Bengals don’t have an elite run defense. But Seumalo getting back in the lineup, which would allow Anderson to return into his No. 6 role, could be a key factor for the Steelers in Week 11.
Seumalo back at practice, even in limited fashion Wednesday, gives the Steelers hope that the team will have its regular offensive line lineup in Week 11. Of course, that assumes the other four starters also play along with Seumalo.
That appears to be in doubt. Starting left tackle Broderick Jones sat out Wednesday’s practice because of a groin injury.
Head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t address Jones’ injury to the media Tuesday. So, it might not be a serious ailment.
But if Jones also misses or is limited in practice Thursday or Friday, then the left tackle’s status is going to become more concerning.
Should Jones have to miss Week 11, Calvin Anderson could receive his first starting opportunity this season.
In the six games this season, Calvin Anderson has only played on special teams. But he has six years of NFL experience.
Peat could also be an option for the Steelers at left tackle. That, though, could depend on if Pittsburgh also anticipates missing Seumalo in Week 11.
How much the two starting linemen on the left side of Pittsburgh’s offensive line participate in practice is a story line entering the latter part of the week.