Matt LaFleur lacks winning game plan for inexperienced Packers offense

To overcome its youth and inexperience, the Packers offense requires heavily tailored game plans from head coach Matt LaFleur. Of late, he has fallen short.

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The Green Bay Packers had 11 days to prepare for their Week 5 tilt with the 1-3 Las Vegas Raiders, though you could hardly tell. Despite the return of Jaire Alexander and Elgton Jenkins and increased workloads for Rashan Gary and Christian Watson, Green Bay seemed woefully unprepared for a prime-time game against a subprime opponent.

The new-look Packers offense suffered through its worst performance of the season thus far, managing only three trips to the red zone and 13 points against a bottom-5 defense by DVOA. Green Bay's only touchdown drive of the night directly followed a boneheaded interception from Jimmy Garoppolo that set up the offense in Las Vegas territory. Meanwhile, Jordan Love tossed a career-high three picks, including a game-ender in the final minute.

And while the Packers defense technically allowed just 17 points, the Raiders deserve plenty of credit for the low scoring output. After Love's first pick of the game started them off inside the Green Bay 10-yard line, head coach Josh McDaniels' play-calling choices held the offense to just three points. Kicker Daniel Carlson later missed a long field goal near the end of the first half that would have extended the lead to two possessions. McDaniels short-circuited again late in the game, opting for a field goal instead of trying to move the sticks on a highly convertible fourth-and-short to effectively end the contest.

More than one party deserves blame for Monday night's performance, but none more so than Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur and his offense. After a hot start to the 2023 season, the Packers offense has looked overwhelmed in their last three contests, especially early. The team has produced just six first-half points in those games combined.