Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur announced that defensive coordinator Joe Barry will remain the defensive play-caller for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Questions about Barry’s job safety arose after the Packers gave up 34 points to the Baker Mayfield-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mayfield threw for four touchdowns on nearly 400 yards passing. He finished the game with a perfect 158.3 QB rating.
An article from Heavy outlines how LaFleur responded to questions regarding Barry’s future. The Packers head coach did not rule out the possibility of moving on after the season, but he did say that changes to the defense have to be made.
“Right now, we’re looking for solutions,” LaFleur said in his postgame presser. “So, I want to go back to it. As soon as we leave here, I am going to go right into my office and get to work on that. Because, like I said, it is extremely disappointing to have a home game against a team that is right in the thick of it in their division when you’re holding onto one of those spots and, you know, you get manhandled in the second half of a tight ballgame.
“It’s extremely disappointing.”
LaFleur was asked directly if he would consider making a mid-season change at the defensive coordinator position. He expressed his discontent with Barry’s lack of adjustments in the Tampa Bay game, but pushed off answers regarding Barry’s future to a later date.
“Now is not the time for that, to be honest with you,” he said.
Asked why that was, LaFleur said, “Because now is not the time, I am trying to find solutions. I have to go back and take a look at the film.”
The Green Bay Packers and defensive coordinator Joe Barry showed signs of life, but ultimately fall into the bottom third of NFL defenses
Before Mayfield’s career game, the Packers were in the middle of the pack with the No. 14 defense in the NFL. After the intraconference matchup, the Packers fell to the 21st best defense in the NFL.
While a bottom-third defense may seem undesirable, it is a significant step up from Joe Barry’s defenses of the past. At his previous jobs with the Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions, Barry’s defenses finished between 28th and 32nd in the NFL. His last season with Detroit was the season in which the Lions failed to win a game, and finished 0-16.
While Barry did have a top-ten defense in his first year with Green Bay, his Packers defenses have steadily declined since. In the 2023 season, Barry is 0-2 against teams that went on to fire their offensive coordinator. In the past two weeks, Barry is responsible for two NFC Players of the Week.
Two things Barry is commonly criticized for are his soft coverages in short yardage situations, and his proclivity to utilize pass-rushing linebackers in coverage.
Two separate plays on that last drive…
Joe Barry Special 💀 pic.twitter.com/3kUdqIwtHW
— CALEB 🧀💪 (@CalebGoPackGo) December 12, 2023
Honest question here. What was Joe Barry thinking with this call 3 over 2 to Evans/Godwin side and Preston Smith is your drop underneath defender??? pic.twitter.com/hnVjscWLgq
— Joshua Queipo (@josh_queipo) December 18, 2023
Green Bay Packers fans react to Matt LaFleur’s decision to stick with Joe Barry for the time being
Since joining the Packers in 2021, Barry has been in an uphill battle with Packers fans. His resume as the leader of the defense on an 0-16 team did not give fans hope for the future.
After starting his Packers tenure off with a defense that finished 9th and yards allowed, there was some hope that Barry could at least be a solid enough coordinator to help former quarterback Aaron Rodgers make a deep playoff run.
Since Rodgers’ departure, his replacement has had a solid “rookie” year at quarterback. While he is not officially a rookie, quarterback Jordan Love only started one game before this year. He has thrown 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions so far in a season that has given hope to Packers fans regarding future QB play.
Despite Love’s solid play, the Packers are just 6-8. Fans largely blame Barry for the losing record.
Jordan Love played a really good game today, and the Packers got blown out. If there was a nail to be put in the Joe Barry coffin, it was this pic.twitter.com/o01Nc2gKQf
— Ebenezer Barry🎄 (@Ferd_Turgeson) December 17, 2023
Joe Barry is trending Number 1 in America. Lord his antics have made it nationwide.
— Dadrian🧀 (@KingDay__) December 17, 2023
Joe Barry is making The Onion make Packer jokes he needs to go ASAP https://t.co/7RQvXWb96k
— Nathan (@NathanJH31) December 18, 2023
Joe Barry’s Packers defense ranks in 2023
22nd in yards per play
25th in expected points added
22nd in takeaways
26th in passer rating allowed
29th in interceptions
22nd in sacks
28th in yards/rush
21st in scoring%
25th in adjusted net YPA
25th in third down%
31st in plays/drive— Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) December 18, 2023
After being partially responsible for one of the worst seasons in NFL history, Barry was not allowed to be in a coordinator position for almost a decade. When he found his way back to the position with Washington in 2015 and 2016, he once again took a large hiatus from the position. The Packers gave him a third chance in 2021, and it looks like he will remain in that position until the end of the season.
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