The Packers continue their off-season moves to bolster a team that finished a disappointing 6-9-1 this season. The hiring of Nathaniel Hackett as new offensive coordinator on Wednesday is a controversial move that could pay off. Hackett has LaFleur’s respect – saying he is a “great fit” for the position. I think he may actually be on the right path.
Hackett has proven he can be one of the most effective play callers. In his first season as offensive coordinator in Buffalo in 2013, the Bills ranked second in the league in rushing yards per game and the team’s best in 21 years. In addition, the Bills ranked first in red-zone scoring efficiency.
Hired by the Jaguars as quarterbacks coach in 2015, Hackett was named interim offensive coordinator in 2016 and officially as offensive coordinator in January 2017. In his first season as offensive coordinator, Hackett lead a Blake Bortles and Leonard Fournette based offensive to the fifth highest scoring offense in the league and second most efficient team in the red-zone. Displaying an innovative and diverse run game, the Jaguars lead the league in rushing for the first time in franchise history.
After winning the AFC Championship in 2017, things went south for the Jaguars and Hackett suffered through a tough seasons as a play caller, mainly attributed to mediocre and inconsistent play by their quarterback and also injuries to key players. At a loss to the Bills this past November by a score of 24-21, Hackett was fired by the Jaguars.
Despite being fired, LaFleur has nothing but high praise for Hackett, calling him “experienced” and “so organized” in his play calling. Especially when also considering Jaguars’ struggles this season, LaFleur is impressed with Hackett’s work in Jacksonville, noting the adversity this year. The fact that the two have a similar background adds to the connection that LaFleur believes the two will develop following a natural learning curve.
The hiring could be extremely beneficial to an already solid running game lead by second year running back Aaron Jones out of UTEP. Jones ran for 728 yards on 5.5 per attempt in 12 games this season before being placed on the injured reserve with a knee injury. He also averaged 5.5 yards a carry in 12 games his rookie season. Leonard Fournette was a 1000-yard rusher in his rookie season under Hackett’s influence and Jones should be in capable hands with Hackett’s guidance and play design capabilities.
LaFleur and Hackett plan on being in the quarterback room as much as possible to ensure they get the most out of Aaron Rodgers this season. Rodgers already threw for over 4400 yards and 25 touchdowns this season. If the coaches get any more out of him and an improved Jones could pose nightmares for every defense in the NFL; we just need our own defense to show up.
There is a lot of koolaid being drank these past couple weeks.
Yea there is Kato.
I’m reading this article and i was actually grinning, grinning because of the seemingly genuine optimism. So as i’m reading, i’m thinking of what i’m going to write to set this cat straight. But then it dawned on me, not all Packers fans think, or feel the same way. I should let him enjoy his optimism i thought to myself, so i decided to let it go even before i finished reading. Maybe it’s just the new kindler, gentler PF4L (yea i doubt so also). I don’t know who Ed Rooney is, but he might have been on 60 minutes or something.
I’ve been watching this movie year after year after year, after year after year. I’ve seen all i care to see, the soda is flat, the popcorn is mushy and no longer edible. The show isn’t very good.
To think i’d get excited just over these two working together is outside my wheelhouse. I couldn’t even fake that if i tried.
I’ll get excited when…..i see with my own eyes, this team showing me something to get excited about. Optimism follows excitement. I’m waiting for the day i get excited about this team.
“After winning the AFC Championship in 2017”
I believe you mean AFC SOUTH* Championship, or getting the the AFC Championship. I don’t recall the Jaguars being in the Super Bowl.
It should have said…after blowing the AFC Championship game in 2017 to the cheating asshats by doing a McCarthy choke job, things went South. Just like when the Packers blew a conference championship game…things went South after that too.
I posted this same response on Rob’s article . . . It holds water with this one as well. So I will repost it on here:
Time will tell on this one. I would love to share in the optimism, but as long as Mark Murphy is at the controls I will remain skeptical. First off, the needs to better the Green Bay Packer personnel must be addressed. No matter the scheme, the personnel must be able to PHYSICALLY execute it. In my opinion, there are not nearly enough Blue Chip players on this team, let alone above average players. Ted Thompson and Buffoon certainly made sure of that. One year removed from TT, we are just now seeing the mediocrity of the talent level on this team. Moreover, Gutekunst did not impress me with many of his FA moves. Nelson and Graham were about as wrong as it gets regarding free agency. We all must remember that Schneider, Dorsey, and to lesser degrees Wolf and McKenzie were all part of TT’s player acquisition team before they all left for greener pastures. That left Gutekunst, Buffoon and to a lesser degree Russ Ball as potential player assessors (this does NOT include regional scouts etc.) but you get my drift. The boat that seemed to at least choose better players left Green Bay quite some time ago . . . Leaving us with Gutekunst and Ball in charge with Ted Thompson, with Murphy overseeing the process (yeah sure! lol!). That DID NOT workout so well those last 2 to 3 years. Now we have Gutekunst and Ball in there. I am not very confident about their abilities (based on their tenure with TT) he undoubtedly rubbed off on them at least a little bit through the years? Or perhaps they rubbed off on him? . . .
Tell ya what dipshit. If you dont like the direction of this team you can just come on down here and smooch my big ole white butt. Pucker up buttercup.
If you are directing this at me, I am without question wondering about you sexual proclivities . . . Sad to say it, but people who usually bark the loudest when reading something that they do not agree with either are in the know, or better still, fear that the truth may be what they just read. I’ll go with the later. I DO NOT like Murphy, I believe that he IS most of the problem in Green Bay. Personally, I have followed the Packers since the mid 60’s. I know the good years and the bad years very well. I CORRECTLY called out the problems YEARS AGO with TT, Buffoon, Slocum and Zook. I have not seen much from you at all. So, either put your money where your mouth is . . . Or you pucker up dipshit (as you like to say). I love the Packers. Just NOT who is running the ship. BIG difference, one that obviously goes way over your head.
It’s amazing when someone’s been a fan since 2010, chirps up like this. Ask them to name 5 players from the 1996 team, and they come up with 2, they come up with Favre or White. Sometimes even both.
Lol! Thanks PF4L . . .
I understand the hiring of LaFluer. He’s part of the crop of a New Wave of coaches. The Packers have had their best success hiring young coordinators with proven QB coaching skills.
But the more I read about the offenses they want to run, the less I think it will work in Green Bay. McVay, LaFleur, Hackett- they all call mostly running plays. But Rodgers is not a good play action QB and he’s going to quickly get frustrated with an offense where the majority of calls are run plays.
But who knows. Rodgers skills have greatly diminished and maybe this is the offense the Packers need.