OK, I Changed My Mind. It's Time for the Packers to Consider a New Coach

Let me start out by saying the Green Bay Packers' playoff collapse against the Chicago Bears wasn't completely Matt LaFleur's fault. The Packers were up 21-3 at one point and held the lead late in the fourth quarter. They even would have likely won had it not been for two missed field goals and a missed extra point by kicker Brandon McManus

Still, after watching Green Bay once again lose a game against the Bears they should have won and seeing a glaring trend that popped up in many of the team's 7 regular season losses, I am no longer as confident he is the right guy to lead the team as I was when I defended him a couple days ago, especially with quarterback Jordan Love entering his prime years.

To be clear, I'm not saying the Packers should definitely move on from a coach that has taken the team to the playoffs in 6 of his 7 seasons. I'm just saying it wouldn't hurt to pause for a moment and look around before signing him to an extension.

The Packers this year (and previous years) are a bit like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. At their best, they are a Super Bowl contender. At their worst, they are a team that can't even beat the worst team in the league. There doesn't seem to be an in between.

This was on full display last night, with the Packers scoring three straight touchdowns and looking as though they would dominate the Bears then, after the half-time break, seeming to completely forget how to play offense until the final few minutes of the fourth quarter and managing a net of 9 yards on their first four possessions of the second half.

This isn't the first time we've seen this. Something similar happened in their second regular season game against the Bears, when they were up 16-6 with about five minutes left in the game, only to lose in overtime 22-16. They shut out the Cleveland Browns for more than 57 minutes before losing 13-10. 

Ironically, one of the game's late bright spots doesn't make LaFleur look all that good either. First round pick Matthew Golden's playmaking ability put the team in a position to win late, legitimizing fan and media questions about why the rookie wasn't used more during the regular season, even when the team was struggling to put points on the board. 

There are a lot of reasons to give LaFleur a pass, including some I made a couple days ago - a young team and key injuries on top the list. However, with the Packers without their next two first round picks and about to lose some playmakers in free agency, it may be time to stop making excuses for him and at least attempt to find an upgrade before Love's best years are wasted.

If the upgrade isn't there and LaFleur remains the best option, extend him. If there's someone available who is clearly better and wants to come to Green Bay, consider the change.