The Packers‘ stunning home loss to the Carolina Panthers Sunday could have long-reaching consequences for Green Bay.
After the Vikings and Bears won Sunday afternoon, the race tightened in the NFC North, leaving even slimmer margin for error for the Packers in the race for the division crown. Meanwhile, losing to the Panthers could prove significant in tiebreaker scenerios, both for the NFC North championship but also to merely qualify for a wild card spot.
Pressure building on Packers’ Matt LaFleur
Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur looks on in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Green Bay’s losses to the Cleveland Browns and Panthers, combined with a now habitual inability for the Packers to put teams away, could significantly raise the pressure on head coach Matt LaFleur.
Over at NFL Media, Jeffri Chadhia lists LaFleur as one of the figures across the league whose stock is falling, and could define the stretch run over the second half of the season.
“The Packers head coach has two issues working against him that landed him on this list this week,” Chadhia writes of LaFleur. “The first is the Packers have lost to Carolina and Cleveland this season, while also giving up 40 points to Dallas in a tie. Those are all games Green Bay should’ve won. The other problem is an area that falls under his purview: the offense.
“The Packers have scored a total of 23 points in their two defeats, and incredibly, that figure doesn’t sum up how feeble Green Bay has looked on that side of the ball lately. There are days when LaFleur looks like he’s coaching the best team in the NFC. There also have been days when you wonder if this team really can reach the Super Bowl.”
Oct 19, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Green Bay’s struggles this season could lower this team’s ceiling, regardless of the talent on both sides of the ball.
While injuries to Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed significantly alter the offense, it is incumbent on LaFleur to change, adapt, and evolve, which are things that the Packers have struggled to do through the season’s first half.
If things don’t quickly improve over the second half of the season, it could be a harsh indictment on LaFleur that could raise some major questions about his future in Green Bay.
Oct 26, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur challenges the call during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images