Throughout the 2020 season, I repeatedly stated that while the Packers should be considered a frontrunner for a Super Bowl championship, they would find it an uphill battle so long as Mike Pettine remained the team’s defensive coordinator.
Pettine’s refusal to get away from a soft, passive philosophy frequently put his players in a difficult position to make plays and disincentivized aggressiveness. Ultimately, the team’s defense bore a large portion of the responsibility for yet another collapse in the NFC Championship game.
The hope was that a change in coordinator (which was much-needed, there’s no doubt about it) would put the players in a better position to succeed and develop a new defensive philosophy.