The Green Bay Packers were with a 7-3 record, so it was hard to complain much. At the same time, the performances were not convincing. In five days, though, a lot has changed. The Packers played their two best games of the season against the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins, scoring a combined total of 68 points and allowing only 27. The record is now 9-3, the Packers are much closer to the postseason, and head coach Matt LaFleur is proud of how his team has played.
“The one thing that stands out to me, we’re being physical in every phase of the football. That’s gonna do us well,” LaFleur said when asked about what changed since the previous Detroit Lions game. “It gives us a chance each and every week. It shows up all over the tape.”
A good example of that physicality is how skill position players have been committed to the task of helping the team in any way possible.
“Our receivers blocking, I can’t say enough about the job that (Dontayvion) Wicks does out there, the physicality. When you get it from the skill positions, it changes the complexion of your team,” LaFleur added. “Obviously, Josh Jacobs has been huge, he just continues to run really hard. Tucker Kraft, I can’t say enough great things about him, his ability to get downhill, he’s a tough guy to tackle. Really, in every phase of the game, I think our guys are being extremely physical. That’s something we can hang our hat on.”
That physicality and complementary football have been huge weapons for the Packers lately, and LaFleur agrees that Green Bay is getting to its best level.
“Yeah, I’d say so. I think Miami is a really good football team. It’s the National Football League, everybody’s gonna have their moments,” the coach pointed out. “Our ability to jump out to a big lead was instrumental, but I was really proud of our defense. They had a 2nd & goal at the one-yard line, and to be able to hold them out of the endzone there, that was a critical moment in the game.”
The Packers will play on Thursday again next week, against the Detroit Lions. So they will treat the next few days as a normal week. There will be treatment for players on Friday, a day off on Saturday, and then practices on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The team flies to Detroit on Wednesday.
