It’s time for Matt LaFleur to face the music and tear up the old playbook.
The Packers need to stop pretending that they are an old-school offense and just let Jordan Love throw the ball 40 times a game. Trying to force a "balanced" attack right now is a total illusion. We are halfway through this season, and it is painfully obvious that this team will only go as far as Jordan Love’s right arm can carry them. Let the man eat.
Let’s be honest about the running game: it is completely stuck in the mud. Week after week, running the ball feels like sprinting head first into a brick wall, constantly putting the offense in desperate, long-yardage situations on third down. Case in point was the game against Dallas, where the ground attack put up a pathetic 2.1 yards per carry. There are sixth grade teams that put up better numbers than that. When your run plays consistently net zero or negative yards, they aren't establishing an identity — they are just killing drives.
A massive reason for that stagnation is an offensive line that has struggled to find its footing all year. The depth up front was clearly misjudged, forcing the front office into emergency mode just to patch up holes left by injuries. We’ve seen veteran stopgaps like Laken Tomlinson, Mekhi Becton, and Kevin Zeitler thrown into the mix. Tomlinson has started five games from Weeks 4-8, while Becton and Zeitler have yet to record a start. The Packers have used six different starting offensive line combinations through eight games. If this line can't push anyone off the ball, asking them to hold blocks for slow run plays is a losing battle. The solution is simple: spread the field, use a quick-passing game, and dial up the no-huddle to keep opposing pass rushes off balance.
When the Packers actually lean into the air assault, Love looks like a real MVP candidate. Just look at the masterpiece he put together against the Chicago Bears — shredding a great secondary for 367 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-7 blowout. He proved he can be an absolute savior when everything else breaks down.
Love leads the league with 2,246 passing yards, is fourth with 16 touchdowns, has a passer rating of 92.4 and he has thrown for over 250 yards six times.
Now, the blueprint has to adjust. Jayden Reed is unfortunately out for the season with a neck injury, and Dontayvion Wicks is no longer in Green Bay after being traded to the Eagles back in April. That means Love has to carry a younger, reinvented receiving room. Yes, guys like Matthew Golden are experiencing some early-career volatility and dropped passes, but Love's elite ball placement and talent elevate everyone around him. Love is literally putting the ball into the bucket whenever he wants and the best part is, when his receivers don’t hold up their end of the bargain, he doesn’t call them out. He’s a leader they want to follow.
This brings us to Sunday's game against the Patriots. Former Packer Romeo Doubs is playing for New England now, meaning the Patriots have some inside intel on LaFleur's usual tendencies.
What’s the best way to counter that?
Throw a complete curveball and attack through the air with relentless volume. Love can absolutely dismantle New England's secondary by hyper-targeting Christian Watson, tight end Tucker Kraft, and Golden. I know for LaFleur it will sound silly, but it’s time to push the running game to the side. The Packers can dictate the tempo and keep the Patriots on their heels. The Patriots are allowing 7.3 yards per pass attempt, which is 20th in the NFL.
The training wheels need to come off for good. Trying to force-feed a stalled running game behind a struggling line is only holding this team back. Give Love the keys, let him throw 40 times a game, and let him secure his banner year.
At what point will we consider Jordan Love a Top 5 QB?!? I’m genuinely asking https://t.co/4r8Wpy0Lwl
— Bryce DeGroat (@NFL_Convo) October 30, 2026
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn