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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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The Green Bay Packers couldn't have been handed a more golden opportunity Thursday night. Playing at home at Lambeau Field, the Packers hosted the winless Atlanta Falcons, a team whose offense had struggled to get anything going through the first two weeks. Green Bay entered as 4.5-point favorites, coming off a win over the New York Jets on the road in Week 2.
Instead, the Falcons offense exploded with Michael Penix Jr. back under center, and the Packers got blown out 35-14 at home.
On Friday's episode of "First Take," ESPN's Stephen A. Smith called out Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, saying his time in Green Bay could be coming to an end.
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"I think it is," Smith said when asked if the Packers' season was over. "I think it's the end of Matt LaFleur. I think Matt LaFleur will be lucky to finish the first half of the season with a job as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers. They look like a soft team. They look like a team that can be pushed around ... I think all the signs are there. I don't expect Matt LaFleur to have a job within the next few weeks."
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Green Bay looked well on its way to beating rival Minnesota in Week 1, going up 22-10 midway through the third quarter. Then they gave up 29 unanswered points, 22 alone in the fourth quarter, and lost 39-22.
Even in Week 2 against the Jets, things didn't look great. They played from behind for most of the second half, needing overtime to knock home a game-winning field goal.
The Falcons game feels like the worst yet, though, since it looked like a gimme and it was the Packers' home opener.
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LaFleur has had plenty of success in Green Bay. He won 13 games in each of his first three seasons and has missed the playoffs just once in his seven years as head coach. But this is a team built to win now, and if things don't turn around soon, he could quickly find himself on the hot seat.
Next up, the Packers travel to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers before home matchups against the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys.
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