Matt LaFleur could have played it safe. He just didn’t think he needed to – not after what he’d seen from JK Scott and Hunter Bradley in practice, and not after all those backyard snaps he’d heard about.



With his Packers trailing by two points but driving for a go-ahead score during Monday night’s game against the Lions, the first-year head coach had a plan: Instead of scoring a touchdown – and doing so too quickly, thereby giving the Lions the ball back with a chance to retake the lead and win the game – LaFleur’s would get into field-goal position, drain the clock and put the game on the reliable right foot of veteran kicker Mason Crosby.



It proved to be a sound strategy. Crosby made a 27-yarder as time expired, giving the Packers a 23-22 victory that moved them to 5-1 on the season entering Sunday’s game against the Raiders at Lambeau Field.



But here’s the thing: After running back Jamaal Williams...