As always, the anticipation for Green Bay Packers football is at its peak after the opening preseason game. A 30-10 loss to the New York Jets and a very odd-looking 23-19 win over the Colts means that, after the final preseason game on Saturday, there will be plenty of overreactions leading into the regular season.

Certainly, most are channeling their inner Mike McDaniel, “Because we’re another day closer to death.”

The shining moments of the preseason so far have been Matthew Golden’s great snag from Jordan Love while being covered by Sauce Gardner and Amar Johnson’s 39-yard touchdown run against the Jets. Sean Clifford had an option to run for a TD to put the green and gold on top in the fourth against the Colts, but that’s about it.  

The receiver drops and poor defensive performances are significant issues, but they’re low-hanging fruit.

Dirty (Yellow) Laundry

For the past two years, the Packers have been in the top 10 of the most penalized teams in the NFL. Both exhibition matchups proved that this group still needs to make significant changes before games start counting.

Yellow laundry rained down on Lambeau and Lucas Oil (a total of 19 penalties), with the offensive line being the main culprit. Jacob Monk accounted for three, Donovan Jennings with two, and Anthony Belton accumulated a whopping seven over two games. Growing pains occur, but these aren’t just isolated rookie or backup errors — they signal deeper issues tied to Matt LaFleur.

LaFleur, now entering his seventh year at the helm, has built a reputation for being a sharp offensive mind. But where is the discipline? Preseason or not, this is becoming a persistent issue. In 2023, the Packers had 137 flags; in 2024, they had 139. That’s not the mark of a team ready to contend for a Super Bowl, and it’s squarely on LaFleur to fix.

The holding calls on the interior offensive line killed a promising drive that followed Malik Willis’ sack fumble against the Jets. Anthony Belton getting two personal foul penalties in one game is atrocious. If the backups cannot play disciplined football, what does that say about the head coach’s ability to instill fundamentals across the roster?

Anthony Belton’s sloppy technique and constantly committing penalties as a result is incredibly frustrating, but watching him bulldoze people in the trenches just shows you that it’s going to make it all worth it someday.

— zach jacobson (@zacobson) August 16, 2025

Actions over words

LaFleur made a case for poor officiating after the first game. LaFleur said, “I think a couple of those, and this goes both ways, are very iffy calls in my opinion that don’t typically get called in the regular season.”

The stakes are high, but this is camp, and the head coach should hold himself accountable. Penalties don’t just kill drives; they snap momentum, frustrate players, and give opponents the edge. The team is less than a month away from a five-day two-game gauntlet against the Lions and the Commanders. LaFleur cannot afford to let discipline issues linger, especially with last season’s slow offensive starts in the first half.

The challenge for LaFleur is clear: Stop complaining and take action. If he cannot, the Packers’ postseason dreams will be dashed before they even start. Fans are allowed to be nervous, and some will irrationally run with that feeling. At any rate, they have the right to expect more from a coach who’s had years to solve this problem, and it’s time for him to clean it up.