We — and everyone else — have been blathering on about the Green Bay Packers defense.
Because this is Green Bay. The Packers haven’t played defense since the 1990s, but they’re playing some this year!
What kind of defense?
Top 10 defense, motherfucker!
The Packers have the seventh ranked defense in the NFL following Sunday’s week 5 games. They’re giving up an average of 316.4 yards per game.
Frankly, if they weren’t so shitty against the run, they could be a lot higher in total defense. The Packers are ranked fourth in pass defense, giving up an average of 186.2 yards per game. Meanwhile, they’re 29th against the run, with an average of 130.2 yards per game allowed.
Yes, the fourth-worst run defense in the league, but what did you expect?
They just gave up 191 to the Rams and they gave up 189 to the Bears in week 1. Eliminate those two games and the Packers’ run defense is pretty good, but those two displays were atrocious.
What’s most impressive is the Packers are third in scoring defense, giving up 16.2 per game. Only the Jets (13.8) and Broncos (15.8) are better.
So what’s with that run defense? Are those awful games an aberration?
Possibly.
The Packers lost Sam Barrington in week 1 and were forced to insert an unprepared Nate Palmer against the Bears. Palmer has looked better since. They lost their run defense anchor, B.J. Raji, against the Rams. We don’t yet know how that’s going to play out.
Injuries have played a part in those games. Otherwise, the Packers have been more than serviceable against the run.
Raji wouldn’t be as easily replaced as Barrington was, however.
Gurley and Forte to me, are the best 2 RB’s in football; so theres that. Also Gurley and Forte both had big runs, which great backs are going to do, but otherwise had just decent performances against our run d.
I think the Pack defense is even better than their statistics show, and im a skeptic about our defense normally. Clay Matthews is a fucking monster, Daniels is having a career year so far (is this a contract year for him?) and TT out did even himself with the drafting of the 2 rookie corners.
Of course injuries could change that pretty quick.
I agree, Gurley is the real deal. And he still doesn’t know where the blocks are going to be and he looks like he could be even faster at some point when he gets more comfortable.
Rams are 2-3, but I bet they nearly win out at this point as they have an easy schedule.
Good thing we fired Capers!
It all started at the bye week last year with moving Matthews inside. Was his A-gap sack yesterday awesome or what!
If we really wanted to stop the run, TT would have drafted one of the 4 top ILb last draft. TT realized that stopping the run is not as critical as stopping the pass so he drafted 2 DB’s in first 2 rounds. Opposing teams don’t have a chance against Rodgers’ offense by running the ball. So we don’t care if the other team runs. When the other team is down by 3 scores, running will not help them.
We will see, have to face AP twice yet.
At this point, Gurley is the better running back, so Peterson doesn’t scare me.
Packers run defense was okay agaisnt the rams. Take away his 50+ yard run, and he was averaging 3.5 – 3.6 a run.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed that.
It’s a weird defense. 1st quarters- gangbusters. 2nd quarter – busters. 3rd quarter – gangbusters. 4th quarter – busters and hold on for dear life. Or so it seems…
Yeah, I’ll take points allowed against any other stat on defense thank you. In the end it’s the only one that really matters.