2023 NFL odds: Matt LaFleur has become NFL's 'Mr. December'
Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson is known as "Mr. October."
The NFL has a coach who should be dubbed "Mr. December."
It's Green Bay's Matt LaFleur, who is 16-0 in December since being hired by the Packers prior to the 2019 season.
RELATED: Jordan Love shines in Packers' win over Chiefs
LaFleur, 44, said the perfect mark in December isn't about him, it's about the players wearing green and gold. The Packers beat the Chiefs 27-19 on Sunday night.
"It's always about ‘us' in that room. That's why I try not to read too much, if anything," LaFleur said. "You don't want it to affect how you do your job. You gotta keep it about the team and understand that there's going to be challenges.
"Every week there's a new challenge, and you've gotta stay focused on what's right in front of you. As soon as you start feeling yourself, and you feel like you've arrived, this league has a way of knocking you off."
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It's not like the Packers' head coach shines in December but struggles the rest of the regular season.
LaFleur, who played wide receiver at Western Michigan (1998-99) and quarterback at Division II Saginaw Valley State (2000-02), is 53-25 (67.9%) in the regular season and 2-3 in the playoffs. He has moved into a tie for fifth in Coach of the Year odds (+2000, bet $10 to win $210 total).
LaFleur guided the Packers to the NFC North Division title in 2019-21, and Green Bay reached the NFC Championship Game in 2019-20 with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback.
Can LaFleur improve to 17-0 in December by winning at the New York Giants on Monday Night Football?
"The bottom line is we're a .500 football team — we're 6-6 right now," LaFleur said. "We've clawed out of a tough spot but every week you've got to bring your A-game and so the reason we were able to kind of overcome some of that adversity is because of the effort and the work we put in to get to where we are now."
Packers @ Giants (8:15 p.m. ET Monday, ABC)
Point spread: Packers -6.5 (Packers favored to win by more than 6.5 points, otherwise Giants cover)
Moneyline: Packers -307 favorites to win (bet $10 to win $13.26 total); Giants +243 underdogs to win (bet $10 to win $34.30 total)
Total scoring Over/Under: 37 points scored by both teams combined
FOX Sports' Dallas Cowboys Insider David Helman moved the Packers up six spots to No. 12 in his weekly power rankings.
"The Packers don't have an overly-difficult looking schedule," Helman said. "They've got the Giants this week, Panthers are still on the schedule, another Bears game. … I like the Packers' odds at continuing this run. I'm sure they're not going to win out, but I think the Packers finish with a winning record. I think they've got a great shot to be in the playoff field when it's all said and done."
LaFleur's Packers have won three in a row and four of the past five to move into a tie for second in the NFC North.
"This is the best their defense has played in several years," said FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd. "They're 16-0 in December under Matt LaFleur, three straight games without a turnover. … Matt is a great late-season coach."
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Here's a look at LaFleur's December results:
2023
Sunday: Packers 27, Chiefs 19
2022
12/4: Packers 28, Bears 19
12/11: Bye
12/19: Packers 24, Rams 12
12/25: Packers 26, Dolphins 20
2021
12/5: Bye
12/12: Packers 45, Bears 30
12/19: Packers 31, Ravens 30
12/25: Packers 24, Browns 22
2020
12/6: Packers 30, Eagles 16
12/13: Packers 31, Lions 24
12/19: Packers 24, Panthers 16
12/27: Packers 40, Titans 14
2019
12/1: Packers 31, Giants 13
12/8: Packers 20, Commanders 15
12/15: Packers 21, Bears 13
12/23: Packers 23, Vikings 10
12/29: Packers 23, Lions 20
After the Giants game, Green Bay has three more contests this month: Dec. 17 at home against the Buccaneers, Dec. 24 at the Panthers (broadcast on FOX and the FOX Sports App) and Dec. 31 at the Vikings on Sunday Night Football.
"I feel like we're coming together as a football team," LaFleur said. "We're getting better and better and better, but we've got to continue to prove it because it's only one game."
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