Jeff Hafley makes his intentions clear before first game as the Packers defensive coordinator

This will certainly not be a usual week for Jeff Hafley. He has experience as a positional coach in the NFL and called defensive plays in college. But for the first time in his career, Hafley will call plays in the league. It's his first game as the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator, and it includes a trip to Brazil to face the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo.

The mindset is clear. Hafley wants to be aggressive .

"We're gonna work really hard, I'm gonna have the (call) sheet in front of me, and we're gonna let it rip,” Hafley said before flying to Brazil. "I trust the players, I trust the staff. They just gotta go play and execute, and I'm excited about that."

Schematic dilemma

It will probably take some time for the external public to fully understand what defense Jeff Hafley will run . He has obvious ties with a single-high-heavy, cover 1/3 from Pete Carroll in Seattle. That's what he primarily ran at Boston College, and that's why the San Francisco 49ers used to run when he worked there as a defensive backs coach.

At the same time, coaches from that tree, like Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans, evolved to adjust to a new NFL. With offensive minds such as Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, and Matt LaFleur dominating those types of defenses, the league has gone to a two-high and post-snap disguise world. Seeing how Hafley will integrate these wrinkles into what he philosophically wants to do is one of the most intriguing aspects of the Packers' first month of the season.

Against the Philadelphia Eagles, there are strong arguments for both sides. Jalen Hurts is a running quarterback, and especially after the addition of Saquon Barkley, playing with only one deep safety would make sense to reinforce the box.

However, the Eagles' offense is also strong throwing deep to AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, which makes playing two-high more appealing.

A mix of both is the most likely approach depending on the situation, and Hafley's ability to call plays at the right time will define how successful he will be early on.

New offense

Just like the Packers defense, the Eagles offense is also going through staff changes. The team fired offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and hired Kellen Moore, formerly with the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers.

So while there will be some carryover because head coach Nick Sirianni is an offensive mind, Moore is the playcaller leading the new era.

For Jeff Hafley, that's an extra challenge. He has to evaluate what the Eagles have done, what Kellen Moore have done, and the new personnel. Everything has an impact on what the Packers ultimately expect Philly to do.

"Any time you go into the season and there's a change at coordinator, you find yourself watching a lot of different film," Hafley said. "You're watching the Eagles' personnel. You're watching the Chargers."

It’s a new defensive era in Green Bay, and there are still questions to be answered. But based on what Jeff Hafley has said, fans can expect players flying around the field to attack the opposition. After years with a passive style , this is a breath of fresh air.

Related: The anti-Joe Barry: what Jeff Hafley's defense will look like with the Packers