What did Packers coach Matt LaFleur say about his decision to remove defensive coordinator Joe Barry?
Barry has been dismissed from his duties after helping Green Bay reach the NFC Divisional playoffs against the odds.
Few expected the Green Bay Packers to do as well as they have done in the NFL 2023 season, but it will be of little consolation to Joe Barry, who has been fired as the team’s defensive coordinator by coach Matt LaFleur.
Green Bay surprise reach NFC Divisional playoffs
Many had predicted the Packers would finish last in NFC North and those predictions didn’t look to be that far off for much of the year. However, they ended up with a 9-8 winning record after closing the regular season with three straight victories, which even saw them sneak into the playoffs.
Not only that, they resoundingly defeated the Dallas Cowboys 48-32 in the Wild Card round before narrowly losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional playoffs.
Aaron Rodgers’ departure to the New York Jets hasn’t led to the offensive decline many predicted, with Jordan Love impressing on the whole in his first year as starting quarterback. As expected, there have been periods of inconsistency, yet there’s also been plenty for Green Bay fans to get excited about too.
Game-winning drives an issue throughout the season
The Packers have struggled defensively, however. Not at first glance or on paper, perhaps, with only eight of the 31 other teams allowing fewer points this year. One of their primary difficulties has been giving up game-winning drives throughout the regular season and the playoffs, particularly in the defeat to the 49ers when Brock Purdy’s run late in the fourth quarter led to a game-winning touchdown for Christian McCaffrey.
The writing appeared to be on the wall for Barry after the Packers’ 33-30 win over the Carolina Panthers, who concluded the season with the joint worst offence in the NFL. LaFleur had stated he himself would be assuming greater responsibility for the team’s defense and it appears the faith he had in the former Rams assistant has been totally broken, with Barry having been dismissed from his duties on Wednesday after three years with the organization.
