Matt LaFleur explains tactical decision, Green Bay adds intriguing veteran

The Packers are coming off a bitter defeat to the Lions on Thursday Night Football but the team cannot afford to lick their wounds. This week’s assignment is a stern test at Seattle on Sunday night. Green Bay needs a bounceback win to build momentum ahead of what they hope will be a lengthy postseason run.

As always, plenty of news is emanating from Green Bay in the middle of the week. Plenty of introspection is taking place after the loss to Detroit. Equal attention is being paid on what’s necessary to achieve a valuable win at Seattle.

Packers fans who want to know what’s going on with their favorite team this week should pay close attention to the following news items.

Packers news No. 1: Matt LaFleur explains the lack of a ground game against the Lions

It’s no secret that Matt LaFleur wants to base his offense around effectively running the ball. That’s why many Packers fans were surprised to see their offense lean so heavily on the pass early in the game against the Lions.

LaFleur’s explanation for leaning on the aerial attack is rather simple. He claims the Lions’ defense was “inviting” their team to throw the football. Unfortunately for Green Bay, that strategy did not pay off. They only managed one first down in their first three drives on Thursday. That first down occured via a Detroit penalty.

LaFleur’s comments seem to indicate he won’t fall into that trap again. He acknowledges that Josh Jacobs is a running back who thrives on a heavy workload. He even admitted that will require giving his star running back the ball against fronts that are designed to stop the run.

The Seahawks should expect to see a lot of Jacobs early and often on Sunday. If the Packers can get their running game going early in the first quarter it should open things up for Jordan Love and the passing game as the night rolls along.

Packers news No. 2: Packers add valuable offensive line depth

Adding a free agent guard doesn’t quality as a sexy acquisition for GM Brian Gutekunst and his staff. Even so, signing a lineman with Michael Jordan’s experience this late in the season represents good value for Green Bay.

Jordan has started 19 total games in his career for the Bengals and Panthers. He also spent time with the Packers’ practice squad back in 2023. The veteran really struggled earlier this year for the Patriots as a run blocker but he did perform reasonably well as a pass blocker.

The hope in Green Bay is that Jordan can remain on their practice squad and never take a regular-season snap. He still represents a good insurance policy for a team that needs to keep interior rushers away from their star quarterback. It should not surprise anyone if Jordan finds a way to the active roster as a reserve ahead of the team’s playoff push.

Packers news No. 3: Green Bay is linked to a high-ceiling quarterback in Round 1

Jaire Alexander’s lack of availability has been a big issue for Green Bay’s defense this year. That’s precisely why a lot of mock drafts are starting to zero in on the cornerback position as the team’s priority in Round 1.

Pro Football Focus believes that Packers might use their late first-round pick on ECU standout Shavon Revel. His draft position will hinge on how quickly he can recover from the torn ACL he suffered during the season but all indications are he’ll make a full recovery in time for the 2025 campaign.

Revel isn’t the finished article at cornerback because he still shows a lot of technical inconsistencies on film. That doesn’t detract from the fact that he has excellent athleticism and measurables to become a top-flight outside corner. If the Packers draft him they’ll be betting on his athletic talent rather than his technique. That’s precisely the sort of gamble Green Bay should be making with their first round draft choice.

Packers news No. 4: Lions wide receiver has words for Jayden Reed

The Lions secondary held Jayden Reed to zero catches on Thursday night. That was a big reason why Love and his passing attack couldn’t get going. It’s safe to say that Lions wideout Jameson Williams took notice of Reed’s struggles.

When asked about Reed’s performance on the night Williams quickly asked “did he come?” It was a sharp response to Reed’s declaration that the Lions should wait to see what he could do when he came to Detroit earlier in the year.

Williams asked the same question that plenty of Packers fans had on their minds after the loss to their NFC North rivals. Reed is the team’s most explosive wide receiver. Getting the ball in his hands adds an extra element of danger for Green Bay’s offense.

Reed could have been especially important on Thursday given Green Bay’s struggles to protect Love in the pocket. He is a pass-catcher who can turn short throws into big gains. LaFleur and his offensive coaching staff must find more ways to get him the ball in space moving forward.

Expect Reed to get the ball early and often against the Seahawks this weekend. The Packers cannot afford to let one of their most lethal weapons go unutilized again this week. Seattle’s defense will need to key on Reed early if they don’t want to see him explode.