The Green Bay Packers were already hearing it from their own fans Thursday night when a former quarterback added another layer to the frustration surrounding Matt LaFleur.
Green Bay went into halftime trailing the winless Atlanta Falcons 17-7 at Lambeau Field, with boos following the Packers off the field after an ugly opening two quarters. Around the same time, former Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert made it clear who he believes should eventually replace LaFleur.
Then things got worse. Atlanta pushed the lead to 24-7 in the third quarter.
Kurt Benkert Calls for Matt LaFleur Replacement During Falcons Game
Former Packers quarterback Kurt Benkert needed only nine words to deliver his message, but the timing did most of the talking.
“Brian Flores should be the Packers next head coach,” Benkert wrote.
The post came as Green Bay was struggling through its home opener against an Atlanta team that entered Thursday 0-2 and had scored only 16 points through its first two games.
The Packers opened the scoring on Jordan Love’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson, but their offense went nowhere from there before halftime.
Atlanta answered with a Bijan Robinson touchdown run and a Nick Folk field goal before blocking Trey Smack’s 47-yard field-goal attempt late in the second quarter. Michael Penix Jr. then drove the Falcons 63 yards and found Austin Hooper for a 5-yard touchdown with 1:02 left, sending Atlanta into halftime up 17-7.
Green Bay had only 108 total yards, six first downs and 12 rushing yards at the break. The Packers were also 1-for-6 on third down, while Atlanta had 253 yards and controlled the ball for nearly 20 minutes.
The Lambeau Field crowd responded with boos as the Packers headed to the locker room.
Atlanta didn’t let up after halftime. Brian Robinson Jr.’s 7-yard touchdown run extended the Falcons’ advantage to 24-7 late in the third quarter.
Packers Already Saw Benkert’s Choice Up Close
Benkert didn’t explain why Flores was his choice, but the Packers don’t have to think very far back to understand the appeal.
Green Bay opened the season against Flores’ Minnesota Vikings defense and watched a 22-10 third-quarter lead turn into a 39-22 loss.
NFL.com’s Nick Shook reported Minnesota blitzed Love on 78.3% of his dropbacks and generated pressure on 50% of them.
The Vikings kept attacking late, forcing a Love strip-sack and an interception on consecutive fourth-quarter possessions. Both turnovers set up Minnesota touchdowns as the Packers surrendered 29 unanswered points.
Flores’ pressure packages were especially damaging once Green Bay was forced into obvious passing situations, with the offensive line repeatedly unable to account for Minnesota’s rushers.
That performance was only 11 days old when Benkert fired off his Thursday night post.
Benkert has a connection to the Packers beyond being another voice reacting on social media. Green Bay signed him in 2021, and he spent most of that season on the practice squad behind Aaron Rodgers and Love. He appeared in one regular-season game before the Packers released him in June 2022.
LaFleur also isn’t coaching on an expiring deal. The Packers announced a multi-year extension for LaFleur, general manager Brian Gutekunst and executive vice president Russ Ball in January.
Former Packers QB Calls for Matt LaFleur Replacement During Falcons Game