Mina Kimes drops a scorching critique that puts Matt LaFleur’s offensive strategy under the microscope and fans are buzzing.QQ

For an obvious reason, Matt LaFleur may have to call plays a bit differently moving forward: the Packers no longer have the outstanding services of tight end Tucker Kraft.

His absence affects the offense in a multitude of ways. For one thing, Kraft was a go-to target for Jordan Love in just about any situation, racking up 22 first downs on 32 catches and leading the team with 489 receiving yards. Regardless of how those yards are accumulated, that’s a big chunk of production to replace.

How Kraft did accumulate those yards was a pillar of LaFleur’s conservative offensive philosophy. Kraft’s status as a YAC monster obviated the need for riskier downfield throws and still gave Green Bay big play upside. He was the only Packers to record 100 yards receiving in a single game this season, and he did it twice. 70 percent of Kraft’s total yards came after the catch.

After two consecutive losses in which the Packers mustered 20 total points, one with Kraft for part of the game and one without, NFL analyst Mina Kimes called on LaFleur to take a hard look in the mirror about what this offense is truly capable of and what adjustments he will have to make as a playcaller.

LaFleur must face reality of personnel he has to work with

Part of the Packers’ issues against the Eagles, Kimes suggested, was that they tried to run the same conservative short game against a defense primed to stop it.

“The offensive line was not holding up, right? But I think he fell into the trap that playcallers sometimes do with bad offensive lines, he simply believed he could run the ball and he couldn’t. That was my feeling. Or it was all short [passes].”

Against Philadelphia’s defense, that is not a recipe for success. “The Eagles are one of the best tackling defenses in the NFL,” Kimes added. “They’re amazing against short passes.”

Josh Jacobs carried 21 times for 74 yards, including a fourth-and-one run the Eagles knew was coming, barking out the play call in the moments before the ball was snapped.

Through the air, Jordan Love went 20-36 for 176 yards. He was also sacked three times, producing an average of four yards per pass play. It wasn’t just the box score, though, influenced as it was by the necessity of longer passes on third and long and the Packers’ trailing game state in the fourth quarter.

Mina Kimes issues Packers brutal reminder, calls on Matt LaFleur to rethink the offense 2 Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) passes the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, November 10, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Eagles won the game, 10-7.Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

According to Kimes, Green Bay relied so heavily on the short passing game as a table setting element of the offense that, in 11 first-half dropbacks on first or second down, Love’s average depth per target was 1.5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. He might as well have been playing with myopia.

There’s a reason the Packers will have an even harder time running that type of offense in the future.

“That’s the other thing. Tucker Kraft’s not there anymore, man. The YAC is no longer on the menu. You got to mix it up.”

Ouch. That one hurts, both for the loss of Kraft as an individual and what it does to the offense as a whole. It’s also something LaFleur needs to hear from the rest of his offensive staff.

Mina Kimes issues Packers brutal reminder, calls on Matt LaFleur to rethink the offense 3 Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur jogs off the field after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, November 10, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Eagles won the game, 10-7.Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Excluding running backs, Romeo Doubs is the next closest receiver in YAC. He has 92 YAC in nine games. Matthew Golden, who missed the Eagles game with a shoulder injury , has 86 YAC in eight games. That’s about it. Jayden Reed accumulated 380 yards after the catch last season, he remains out indefinitely following collarbone and foot surgeries. The Packers need to adjust.

“Until Jayden Reed comes back, that’s not who you are anymore. I think that’s my thing with LaFleur. … It feels to me like he wants to call the offense for a group of players he doesn’t have anymore.”