Cheesehead
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- Mar 19, 2019
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2. The Packers' search for a new defensive coordinator is underway
The Packers will have a pair of new coordinators in 2021 after LaFleur announced Friday that Shawn Mennenga has been dismissed and Mike Pettine will not return after his contract expired.
LaFleur said he's already tabbed assistant coach Maurice Drayton to replace Mennenga, believing Drayton's energy and excellent communication skills will spur the turnaround the Packers are looking for on special teams.
On the defensive side, LaFleur plans to conduct a thorough search to find the right individual to elevate the league's ninth-ranked total defense.
"I think if you look at the great defenses around the league, there's a certain (aggressive) mentality that comes with that," LaFleur said. "And it's not necessarily what you're calling, but how you're playing every call. I do think that there's some areas where we can continue to educate our players and be great in those situations so that if it's a third down and short, that you're not playing way off. You don't want to give up any freebies. You want to make people earn every inch out there on grass."
It should be an attractive job. The Packers have a good balance of established Pro Bowlers (Za'Darius Smith, Kenny Clark and Jaire Alexander) and up-and-coming talent (Darnell Savage, Rashan Gary and Kingsley Keke).
"I think we've steadily gotten better," Gutekunst said. "We're not there yet. I don't think we're where we want to be completely but I do have a lot of faith in a lot of the players that are on that side of the ball and being able to accomplish what we needed to do. … I think we're moving in the right direction.";
3. LaFleur stands by his decision to kick the field goal
While much has been made about the Packers opting to kick a field goal late against Tampa Bay, LaFleur stands by the decision and everything that went into it.
LaFleur said he spoke with one of his analysts in the press box when the Packers were down 31-23 and facing fourth-and-8, and believed it was a situation you could go either way.
Knowing the Buccaneers would still have a chance to play for the win even if Green Bay tied the game at 31, LaFleur sent out Mason Crosby because he felt "it was the best thing to do to give us the best opportunity to win the game."
"Let's say you score and get the two-point conversion, you still have to stop them regardless," LaFleur said. "No matter how you cut it, you had to get a stop defensively. I felt our defense was playing at a really high level at that moment."
The defense nearly got that stop, too, before back judge Perry Paganelli flagged cornerback Kevin King for defensive holding on Tyler Johnson on third-and-4 with 1:46 remaining to give Tampa Bay a fresh set of downs.
"I'm not sitting here making excuses. It didn't work out. I'll own it," LaFleur said. "But if I had to do it again, if it's fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard line, we're kicking a field goal. If it's fourth-and-goal from the 5, I think we have a different discussion. You've got to play the percentages."