Matt LaFluer’s first offseason program as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers is officially in the books. And while much attention has been brought to the new style and energy he has brought to the team throughout his first few practices; it’s his comments about the state of the offense that has stolen the limelight.

“The defense is definitely ahead of the game right now,” LaFleur said. “It’s not as crisp as I would like our operation to be.”

These remarks caused a bit of controversy in the Packers community, with fans and reporters alike trying to decipher meaning. Some in the media take this as an early sign that LaFluer and Aaron Rodgers won’t jive. Others believe it’s the beginning stages of a massive payout from aggressive offseason spending for defensive talent. But whether you interpret these remarks as optimistic or pessimistic, it’s important to remember one thing: Comments like these this early in the season need to be taken at face value. LaFleur simply said that the defense is leading the charge right now and the offense needs to catch up. Those are not remarks that should spark controversy. Of course, the defense should be ahead of the offense at this point, and here is why.

Mike Pettine’s second year

The Packers organization will be under renovation this upcoming season with the installation of the LaFleur regime. And while that will bring a significant culture change to the franchise, it has a minimal impact on the defensive side of the ball. LaFleur’s roots are on offense, and he will have his hands full orchestrating an offense around maybe the most talented quarterback ever to play the game. The defense is entirely Mike Pettine’s beast.

Pettine hasn’t been in Green Bay much longer than LaFleur has, but he’s still had an extra year to work with them. Green Bay made several vital defensive acquisitions this offseason, but the core of that unit is still intact from 2018. For them, the learning process began during last season’s OTA’s and minicamp. This year is about adding layers and expanding that system with some tweaks along the way to take advantage of the new pieces.

Offensively, Green Bay has just begun that learning process. Yes, the majority of the offense has played together and already has a great deal of chemistry, which is still a huge advantage. However, a new system means many things must be relearned. Everything from verbiage, to timing, and personnel packages will be completely foreign from the principles of Mike McCarthy.

Unlike the defense, the offense can’t start adding more complex layers until they have built a solid foundation. Even if they could somehow miraculously master the system in the few practice sessions they have been allotted, they’d still be at a significant disadvantage to the defense. Pettine and the gang have a full season of game tape to analyze and make adjustments on. They can look at schemes, concepts, and packages from in-game to decide how to flesh out the system for 2019. Any layers the offense would try to add would be shots at a dartboard. With no way of knowing what works and what doesn’t, they would need to wait to hit the field before they knew what to keep and what to scrap. Major advantage; Defense.

Defense learns quicker

One thing that is universally accepted across all levels of football is that defense is much easier to pick up than the offense. Sure, there are many complexities and nuances on an NFL defense that could make an average person have a brain aneurysm, but that generally pales in comparison to the offensive side of the ball. Pettine’s defense may look exotic, with multiple formations creating mirages and masking pressure. But at its core, his defense is about creating opportunities for pass rushers to pin their ears back and go after the ball.

Take note of what kind of scores are posted in week 1 of this upcoming season. Chances are, they will be modest compared to a few months down the line. This is because it takes offenses longer to get on the same page. Defensively if all else fails, guys will let their instincts take over to make plays.

Bulaga said it best

Packers’ lineman Bryan Bulaga made similar comments to LaFleur last week about the state of the offense.

“I mean this if my first year where I feel like the defense is ahead of the offense,” Bulaga said. “Where we are at, I think that is to be expected. They are in their 2nd year with this scheme, and we are freshly installing this thing and getting used to it. But we are making some strides.”

LaFleur should take notes from his player. The two pretty much made the same remarks; only Bulaga’s response was more fleshed out and articulate. The only real story with LaFleur’s comments was how he said it to them, not what he said. In time, he will become more media savvy and learn to craft responses that dispel any ounce of controversy. But for now, we must take what LaFleur said at face value: Right now, the defense is ahead of the offense — as it should be.

Ethan Knipfer is a writer at PFN covering the Green Bay Packers. You can follow him at @ethan_knipfer on Twitter.