'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Matt LaFleur proved on Thursday Night Football that the Packers could win games without Aaron Rodgers carrying the team. When a team has the reigning MVP at quarterback, people will often credit the player after victories and blame the coach in the wake of defeats.
Matt LaFleur has always found himself in such a bind. During his reign as the team's head coach, the Packers' success has primarily been attributed to Aaron Rodgers. But in their victory against the previously unbeaten Arizona Cardinals, the Packers coach proved his detractors wrong.
Matt LaFleur is as good a coach as Aaron Rodgers is a player
Over the past year, all the talk in Green Bay has been about Aaron Rodgers. First, he wowed the entire league by winning the MVP last season. After they lost in the NFC Championship Game, the whole offseason was dominated by Aaron Rodgers wanting away.
Matt LaFleur and his designs for the team almost became an afterthought, as if Aaron Rodgers was the main man behind the Packers winning machine. But all that talk obscures the record the Packers head coach has picked up.
Matt LaFleur took charge of his 40th game as Packers head coach in their win over the Arizona Cardinals. In those 40 games, his record stands at 33-7, with a win percentage of 0.825. That is the best record any head coach has ever had over their first forty games in the Super Bowl era.
In terms of win percentage, Matt LaFleur beat out the legendary Don Shula, who had a win percentage of 0.815 in his first forty games with a 31-7-2 record. For the total number of wins, he edged out Chuck Knox and George Seifert, who had identical 32-8 records.
These numbers should be sufficient to point out how good Matt LaFleur has been. But there has always been the caveat: he has Aaron Rodgers.
Matt LaFleur defeated the Arizona Cardinals with Aaron Rodgers muted
The Green Bay Packers came into the game missing three of their first-choice wide receivers. They also faced the joint meanest defense in the league, which had been giving up only 16.3 points per game to their opponents. But if there was a weakness, it was Arizona's run defense that gave up 115.7 rushing yards per game.
Matt LaFleur realized that his rushing attack would have to carry the offense against the Cardinals. He duly devised a run-heavy game plan and it worked to perfection. The Green Bay Packers outrushed the Arizona Cardinals 151-74.
The passing game was weaker than the running game. Aaron Rodgers could only complete 10 of his 21 passes in the first half. He picked it up in the second half but ended the night with just 184 yards in passing, with a 59.5% completion rate.
To wit, Aaron Rodgers managed just 33 yards more in the air than the rushing game Matt LaFleur devised. Consider also that LaFleur had additional responsibilities because Joe Barry, their defensive coordinator, could not travel due to COVID protocols. Yet, their defense made the final pivotal play that won the Packers the game.
Matt LaFleur clearly showed that he could win even if Aaron Rodgers were neutralized. In a game in which Matt LaFleur broke longstanding NFL records, he also dispelled a myth and came into his own.
