Time will tell what exactly that looks like, and it may not even be discernible to outside observers who aren’t in the meeting rooms and on the practice field throughout each week.
But Rodgers felt the few times the Packers did move the ball against the Jets, they did so with simple plays and simple concepts. So it’s time to build the offense around those, because as Head Coach Matt LaFleur said, “I don’t think there’s many things we’re leaning on very well right now.”
Which is to say there’s no go-to play call or notion to get back on track and build some momentum when things go awry.
In the same breaths, neither LaFleur nor Rodgers ruled out personnel changes, and Jake Hanson taking over at right guard for Royce Newman before getting hurt could just be the first trial move with the lineup. LaFleur stressed everything’s up for discussion.
But Rodgers also drew a line between potential changes to the playbook and personnel, versus changing the preparation routine. He would qualify that as an overreaction to the struggles.
“If it’s good enough when we were 3-1, it’s got to be good when we’re 3-3,” Rodgers said “Can’t ride the rollercoaster wave of emotions.
“I’m going to be steady with the guys and I expect our leadership to do the same.”
That leadership, which includes six team captains (Rodgers, Marcedes Lewis, Aaron Jones, Kenny Clark, Adrian Amos, De’Vondre Campbell) plus additional veteran players such as David Bakhtiari, Preston Smith, and others, has a significant challenge on its hands with the young players in the locker room.
This marks the first time in the LaFleur era, dating back to 2019, that the Packers have been tagged with their third loss prior to late November. A whole slew of players on this team have never been through this in the early part of an NFL season before.
That’s why so much falls on the veteran leaders, but Rodgers said he’s up for it and sounded confident the others are, too. He’s always believed the best teams are player-led, as does LaFleur, which was reiterated.
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