How fortunate we were to have not added another page to the annals of clock mismanagement 101.

Thank you Al...I just relived Sunday night reading your piece. Not a pleasant feeling. I don't know what to think of this team but I don't trust MLF to be able to make the right coaching decisions all the way on a SB run. That would mean another 13 regular season games, most likely 3 more playoff games, AND then the SB. That would mean MLF would have to make good decisions for another 17 games.

Do you believe in miracles? I do, just not when it comes to Matt LaFleur making solid decisions for 17 consecutive games.

After watching Mecole Hardman field punts in the preseason, I don't ever want to see him doing it again. He looked like a scared rookie back there. I heard he had ball security issues even in his heyday, which was a long time ago.

Prescott was just a half tick better than the rush on a lot of his splash plays.

It was interesting, where 'interesting' is like watching your boat burn up, to see the Packers D go from swarming to the ball to whiffing and chasing once Wyatt left the game.

As has been said before, "We're on to Cincinnati."

No one supervises MLF and he is allowed to make the same mistakes over and over with no consequences.
He gets away with the 'I'll do better' schtick every week. He cannot/will not recognize his blind spots.
It's like giving the keys of an expensive car to an erratic driver while the occupants (fans) are forced to go along for the ride.

Ed Policy, should he be up to the task, needs to either fire MLF or insist on hiring a good OC, someone vetted by by a knowledgeable football committee. He also needs to locate top-notch OL and ST coaches.

If he allows the status quo, then the Packers will remain a middling team.

The Dallas offense was highly effective, but they were also inches from being out of the game. I don't remember a team making so many toe tapping sideline catches that were inches if not less from being out of bounds. Tough to replicate that circumstance game in and game out.

As for LaFleur, welcome to the club Al. I have had my doubts about LaFleur's in-game management skills for many years. Given his inability to make in-game adjustments on offense as well as your detailed assessment of his feel for the game, I continue to lobby for him to give up play calling. I think he is great at play design and needs to be involved in game planning during the week, but he is just not good at in-game management and that has hurt the Packers from time to time. Is LaFleur up to that level of self assessment? I have my doubts.

I'm so disgusted with these things recurring that I'm glad it's the bye week and I'll leave this alone for a while and it will all fix itself.

Fans may have to storm the Bastille.

I've watched the game twice....MLF has great offensive mindset. He, like Andy Ried, has a mental block on time management. We all watch other coaches have their team march down the field and utilize all the clock before they go for a field goal. Most of the time they score TDs. Not Green Bay! This dates back to AR so there is something that the coaches are doing that keeps the QB from having a luxury of scanning the field before a snap.
Game management isn't a strength of MLF. As Jersey Al pointed out...there is a disconnect on knowing the ebb and flow of the game.
STs are the cause for the outcome of the last two games. Maybe injuries have an affect with a diminished roster maybe not, but they could be the reason that causes MLF to be fired one day.
JMHO

Dear Flummoxed,

You have a legitimate complaint. You are not deranged. The clock and rhythm of the game have Coach LaFluer and his attendant, Coach Bissacia, in a headlock, They can't escape. Even as they are thrown, time and time again, into the turnbuckle, they return to the safety and confusion of the headlock.

The illusion of competence has dissolved. Coldworld has often asked what Coach LaFluer brings to the party. It's a good question.

Count your blessings, not your problems. This too shall pass.

Dear Abby

Not to de-rail, but the current state of affairs is tied to Murphy. He changed the structure of the previous hierarchy, placed himself on top, hired guys who would not challenge him, did not adequately supervise them and was distracted by the expansion of Titletown.
MLF has clearly not been held accountable for his repeated lack of in-game lapses-this has been happening for years.

There's so much that can be said about the weakness of Le Fleur, but maybe it's best to keep it in simple Haiku.

Lambeau roars in shame,
LaFleur’s weak hands choke the Pack—
Cut him. End this reign.

I feel Hobbs, at CB, had a better game, than Valentine did, at CB. The conservative play calling at the end of OT, and the poor clock management there, was almost beyond belief. We should have had at least three plays, to the end zone, in the final series, instead of one broken up play, to Golden, where it appeared Kraft was open, on the goal line.

Al: 100% agreement on your comments.
Regarding ST: Packers won SB in 1997 because of Holmgren/Wolf's knowledge that ST are as important as the offensive and defensive. In fact, the SB MVP was the return man (Howard). And, obviously, the success of your ST is much more than simply having a good kicker and punter.
Murphy hired MLF, after Rodgers ran McCarthy out of town. I believe Murphy was searching for a candidate who could work with (accommodate) Rodgers. That relationship worked OK, as Rodgers' abilities can mask a multitude of deficiencies. However, Rodgers is gone, and we are left with a HC is out of his element. He strikes me as a mid-level college HC (lots of rah-rah and high-fives). I think he is an above average OC, and he appears to be a fine man. But HC aren't candidates for the Walter Payton Man-of-The-Year award. I think w/ MLF as HC, the best the Packers will be is above average (make the play-offs as WC, then lose and go home). And as they are currently coached, I wonder if they go 1-5 in the Division again.

Three shots at the end zone: On the first play, Diggs seemed to know what was coming and got to the spot before Doubs could make the block. Second play: A useless choice with no hope of succeeding as the clock ran; that's where they needed to take a shot. I don't know why they drafted Musgrave if they weren't going to use him for situations like this, maybe a high ball to the back or side of the end zone. Third play: the lack of urgency almost cost them a shot at the FG.

Punt returner: They should have retained Hardman if their only other options were Golden (what a shot he took) and Doubs (Yikes, do you really want a concussion-prone receiver, who by the way happens to be the QB's most trusted option). He also is useful for stretching the field and maybe a couple receptions.

Best play of the game: The Love lateral to Jacobs with the excellent downfield blocking of Brooks. That's as good as anything I've seen Mahomes do. I'd love for the Packers to work more on these kind of improvisations because they have the talent to do it. Example: if Mahomes can do those shovel passes to Kelce, then why can't Love do it with Kraft?

"...but why wait until disaster strikes?"

Yes! might as well be the special teams if not the teams mantra at times.

I didn't get home to watch ,until after the blocked extra point, but when I did ,and saw the referee crew, I had the proverbial , oh no! feeling. This was in Dallas afterall and if it is a close game things usually things don't go our way.. I can't recall how much swearing I've done at the TV but it was a lot.

One more game where it is blatantly obvious that LaFleur is an Offensive Coordinator masquerading as a Head Coach.

I sure hope if Hafley starts getting HC offers Gutey says "Hold on a minute Jeff - you can have this job if you want it". Maybe he will be another coordinator that can't cut it as a HC or maybe not, but I think it's pretty clear that MLF can't.

Rodgers' experience and smarts covered a lot of MLF's short comings but they are on full display for everyone to see now. Costly mistakes that keep happening over and over without correction is a sign that can't be ignored any longer. The clock management to finish that game was shocking for someone of his experience and his post game comments make him sound like he was just a spectator.

Totally agree Al the play calling was conervative when it should have been aggressive. My only two thouhgts I can muster is: were a run team and dammit I will prove that ot, I cant afford to let Love pass into the end zone he aint that good at it in practice, tossing a lot of picks.
What else can it be?

Al touched on the key point inn his article. The Packers just don't play situational football very well. I have posted for years here that the Packers need to be better at situational football. It seems they either don't know what they are trying to do or they make poor decisions as Al pointed out with the 4th and two situation and they take a delay of game and punt. IMO, at that point in the game even going for it and failing to make it sends a stronger statement to the Packers and their opponent that they are going to set the tone for the game. Show some faith in your OL and your defense in that situation. Give your OL the chance to make the first down and build the confidence of what has been an excellent defense to this point that you will depend on them to make a stop if the offense fails to get the first down.

It's better for both sides of the ball. Plus it keeps the disastrous STs off the field. Situational football; prepare for it during the week and execute it during the game. Play aggressively for 60 minutes and leave nothing on the field. GPG! Thanks, Since '61

MLF flat out sucks. The more pressure the situation has the worse his decisions get...... over and over and over.

When do I get to look at MLF with some stink eye? How many years does he get to stand in front of the camera and admit there’s plenty of situations to learn from? Lots of similar learning moments over the last three years so they’re young with three years of experience and playoff games, not just young and inexperienced. How long does it take to learn these lessons?

Good points Al, but I have 1 more criticism about Matt going for 2 after a TD and being unsuccessful. It seems that most of his attempts for 2 have failed. This time that lost extra point cost us the game. I'm a big believer in taking the points because in close games, those few points matter. Matt is a nice guy, but his ingame decisions cost us precious minutes and points time and time again. Ugh!!!

Rich B has got to go. FYI, against the Browns, Tucker Kraft didn't attempt to block any one on the left side, This mistake resulted in the blocked FG and a loss to the Browns..