Five lessons for the kids from these upstart Packers

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur marched into the post-game interview room last November and taught us all a lesson in accountability.

The Packers had just beaten the Chargers 23-20 at Lambeau, but their coach had made a few calls he’d like to take back. Particularly galling was the third-and-six play he called in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. A first down would have ended the game. He could have called a timeout and unleashed his young receiving corps. Instead, he called a run.

“Quite frankly, I’m embarrassed by it, just the conservativeness of that,” LaFleur said. “I’ve just got to be better in that situation and pop the timeout.” 

Lesson one: Own up to your mistakes, and then fix them.

LaFleur altered his game plan from that point, stopped trying to protect his youthful receivers and instead took advantage of their exuberance. He ended up developing an offense with so many weapons it’s hard to defend. Seven players caught passes for the Packers against Dallas on Sunday, and three receivers scored touchdowns. 

Lesson number two comes from that receiving corps. All season we heard how unselfish those players were and how they cheered each other on. There is such great strength in teamwork that it can overcome deficits. The lack of an established star can morph into a whole constellation. Teamwork starts in the living room with informal get-togethers, group dinners and inside jokes; it builds in the locker room on the strength of private pep talks and  honest high-fives and it explodes on the field with players whose route-running enthusiasm does not depend on how often the ball comes their way.

These young Packers have also found a way to tune out the noise and the naysayers and that’s lesson number three for the game and in life. People have opinions, podcasts to sell, social media platforms to boost. But rousers lose their rabble when their targets maintain their dignity and do the actual work. Who are these people anyway? Ignore the nonsense spewers and save your energy for the field.

Number 33 carries the fourth lesson in his sure hands. Aaron Jones runs and lives with grace. He’s the first guy to pick a player up and he’s the last one to put a teammate down. He took a $5 million pay cut to stay with the Packers this season, and now he’s leading them places few expected them to go. He is the purest example of what makes this Packer team special. Be bold with your values and let them define you.

The fifth lesson comes from a quietly confident quarterback, unflappable in the face of NFL adversity, maybe because he experienced real-life trauma when his father died 10 years ago. That kind of tragedy can give you perspective and maybe that’s the most important lesson of all.

Go Pack Go.