Packers News: Joe Barry is here to stay

Matt LaFleur is committed to Joe Barry, for better or for worse.

Adam Stenavich said something earlier this year that I think will end up being printed on the 2022 Packers’ tombstones. I’ve made reference to this before, but it’s worth bringing up again. Asked why the Packers don’t run the ball more, Stenavich offered this explanation:

“It’s funny, everyone can say, ‘Just run the ball no matter what.’ That’s not how successful offenses work, you know what I mean? Bad offenses are just stubborn. ‘Hey, we’re doing this no matter what. I’m not changing, I’m not doing this, I’m just going to do whatever it is — throw it, pass it, whatever.’ I think that’s bad coaching, and players will look at that and be like, ‘Why are we doing this?’

But the Packers have been stubborn this year. Stubbornness basically defines this team. Right or wrong, Aaron Rodgers wants to do things his way. Right or wrong, Matt LaFleur wants to do it his. And LaFleur’s way includes hanging on to his (second choice) defensive coordinator, Joe Barry, the man responsible for the Packers’ defense, for good or ill.

The Packers’ defense hasn’t been outright terrible this year, but they have been forgettable. An afterthought. An inconvenience for better coached team, but never truly a threat. You can probably get by with a defense like that if your offense is outstanding, but the Packers’ isn’t. And more to the point, the Packers have invested extremely heavily on defense. Surely they can expect a better return.

But we’re hanging with Barry because Barry is the defensive coordinator. That’s all the explanation LaFleur seems inclined to offer, and that’s what we’ll have to live with wherever this season ends up.

LaFleur has no plans to shake up Packers defensive staff | ESPN

According to Rob Demovsky’s reporting, not everybody is on board with the idea.

What You Might’ve Missed: Diversity and diligence at tight end | Packers.com

Enough bad news, let’s talk about something everybody loves: tight ends.

Behind the Numbers: Digging into a fourth straight loss for the Packers | Packers Wire

Spoiler alert: they’re not great!

Kenneth Walker and the Legacy of Boom-or-Bust Backs | Football Outsiders

Kenneth Walker is having a fascinating season from an analytical perspective.

Swedish aquarium’s escaped cobra returns home on its own | UPI

I know it’s back where it belongs and I know it was all the way over in Sweden, but it still gives me the creeps to know a giant venomous snake was on the loose.