With a record of 6-8, the Green Bay Packers have no room for mistake in the final three weeks of the season. Their prospects of making the NFL Playoffs have dropped to 19% after an ugly 34-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. If they win their remaining three games, against the Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears, their odds increase to 95%.
To do so, the Packers must address the flaws that have plagued them in their last two losses. The defense, and defensive coordinator Joe Barry in particular, have come under fire for their dismal performances during the losing streak.
Inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell said on X (previously Twitter) that he would no longer play hurt and made some cryptic comments, leading many to believe he was upset with his defensive coach. He has declined to comment since that post, but head coach Matt LaFleur chalked it up to frustrations from being injured and has given him the week off from practice to help him get his body back in shape.
Despite the post and the fans’ desire to relieve Barry of his duties, LaFleur said he has no plans to overhaul his coaching staff this season. In other words, he expects both coaches and players to put their best foot forward and do whatever it takes to win their final three games.
Green Bay Packers Inside Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell Supports Matt LaFleur’s Future Plan
According to LaFleur and several other players, the Packers’ head coach held an open meeting with defensive players during which they were free to express any concerns they had about how they were being instructed and how everyone was playing. According to all accounts, the meeting was incredibly positive and fruitful.
Following practice on Wednesday, Campbell declined to comment on his social media post, but did have the following to say about the defense’s approach moving forward:
“We’re attempting to prevail.” That is all we can think about right now. Right now, we’re making progress. Today is Wednesday. We like the strategy. So we’ll see where this goes.”
When asked about disagreements between players and coaches, Campbell stated:
“We’re discussing it. So we’ll wait and see if it’s rectified.”
Campbell also avoided blaming Barry and the coaching staff for the defense’s poor performance. When questioned if the communication issue was a coaching issue, he responded:
“No. It’s not that we don’t know what to do. We knew exactly what to do. It’s basically everyone on the field talking and getting along.”
In his interview, Campbell also praised Coach LaFleur and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work on his body.
