Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur pointed to the creation of explosive plays as one of the biggest points of emphasis for the Packers offense during the 2020 season.
In an interview on Thursday with ESPN Wisconsin’s “Wilde and Tausch” podcast, LaFleur said he’s prepared to dial up more playcalls down the field in an effort to create more big plays for the offense.
“One area we really need to improve upon is creating more explosive plays,” LaFleur said. “We were pretty efficient as an offense, I think we were fourth in efficiency but we were 23rd in explosive plays. I think it does start with the playcalling. Maybe taking a few more chances to generate those plays down the field. Typically, if you’re getting explosive, you have a much better chance at scoring points.”
Many consider a pass play of at least 20 yards and a run of at least 15 yards as an explosive play.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 52 passes of at least 20 yards during the 2019 season, his first year working with LaFleur. Running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams had 13 runs of at least 15 yards.
According to LaFleur’s numbers, only nine NFL teams had fewer explosive plays than the Packers in 2019.
Asked who besides Jones and receiver Davante Adams could help create more explosive plays, LaFleur began listing his receivers and tight ends, starting with Allen Lazard and ending with gadget running back Tyler Ervin.
An explosive player can create separation with speed at the intermediate to deep levels of the field, win underneath with quickness, change of direction ability and elusiveness, or create big plays after the catch or with the football in his hands.
Do the Packers have the explosive players to be an explosive offense? The offseason certainly didn’t provide any.
The Packers made only a few acquisitions at receiver and tight end, signing veteran Devin Funchess in free agency and selecting tight end Josiah Deguara in the third round of the draft. Neither Funchess or Deguara fits the “explosive” mold. The Packers also signed former CFL star Reggie Begelton and will get back third-year receiver Equanimeous St. Brown. Of the two, only St. Brown looks like a potentially explosive weapon.
LaFleur will have to bank on internal improvement within the offense and jumps from young players such as Lazard, St. Brown, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jace Sternberger to truly become a more explosive offense. The coach can rip his own playcalling, but players are always more important than plays, and it’s fair to wonder if the Packers have enough explosive players on the offense to accomplish LaFleur’s goal.
Can he truly scheme up more explosive opportunities? Creating big plays is always much easier with explosive players, and no one outside of Adams and Jones can truly claim to be an explosive player as the 2020 season nears.