How Bad is the Packers’ Pass Defense?
The Green Bay Packers’ pass defense is the weakest link on a team full of weak links.
Just how bad are they? Quite possibly the worst unit in the entire NFL.
Amazingly, the Packers are somehow ranked 23rd in pass defense. Not that that’s a good ranking, but we actually expected them to be much worse. The individual play is more of what stands out, though.
Over the past two games, all of the Packers’ defensive backs have been exposed badly in coverage.
Packers' coverage has been ugly as of late. These numbers (via Next Gen Stats) are, somehow, uglier. pic.twitter.com/xpouJy2g8G
— Nick Shook (@TheNickShook) November 22, 2016
And here’s where it gets even uglier.
#Packers pass defense… Allowing worst yds per attempt (8.61), yards per completion (13.28), TD % (6.7%).. And 31st in QB rating (105.5)
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) November 22, 2016
So what’s the deal here?
The Packers are playing a lot of man coverage. Their corners are getting beat because they’re either not fast enough or they’re looking in the backfield and losing track of their man. The safeties are at times doing the one thing a safety is never supposed to do — let someone get behind them.
The linebackers aren’t without blame here either, but the back end of the Packers’ defense is primarily to blame for this fiasco.
Of the Packers’ cornerbacks, the only one who Pro Football Focus has graded above poor, which is their worst category, is LaDarius Gunter, with a 72.4. Quinten Rollins is graded at 58.0, Micah Hyde at 57.6 and Damarious Randall at 38.3. The injured Demetri Goodson got a 43.2 and even Sam Shields gets only a 38.3. Of course, Shields’ sample size is tiny.
When your supposed best cornerback is doing crap like this, you know you’re in trouble.
Packers' defensive problems include leaving wide open spaces in coverage in multiple games. This ended in a sack, but really, what is this? pic.twitter.com/k0L4I3cNNS
— Nick Shook (@TheNickShook) November 22, 2016
The Packers have been mixing in zone coverage, but they’re getting beat there too, usually because of a stupid mistake or a miscommunication.
We keep hearing people talk about execution. This is one area where there has been little to none.
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Bad enough to be 4-6?
Bad enough to be 4-12 ….. !
lol…..I’m going 6-10, we still have the cubs and kitty cats.
Just 8 days ago……..
Capers: ‘Nobody’s panicking’
(12:42) By packers.com – Posted Nov 14, 2016
McCarthy: I’m not worried about the football team
(13:36) By packers.com – Posted Nov 14, 2016
Fuck,,,,,i love these guys, so entertaining.
The secondary is bad and the GM isn’t doing anything to try to fix it. We have another CB who suffered a “significant” injury Sunday, today is Tuesday (almost Wednesday by now), and he is still on the active roster. Demetri Goodson should have been on IR by the time the plane landed at Austin Straubel International Airport and 4 or 5 potential replacement CBs (not fullbacks) should have been coming in for tryouts on Monday.
This is TT’s mess, but honestly, what is he going to do at this point of the season to fix it? There isn’t some magical wand to waive and make everything better. This is no street free agent that is going to fix this, not with six weeks left. Rollins is probably playing at less than 100%, much like Clay Matthews was, out of necessity. Micah Hyde can’t play corner but is forced to. Injuries and a lack of veteran depth doomed them. From the time Randall and Rollins went down, they were doomed, absolute worst case scenario. Oh, and Dix is a bust.
The name of this site should be changed to “Total Piss and Moan”.
Articles and comments by a bunch of armchair GM’s who would shit themselves and fold up like a $5 K-mart tent if they were faced with making one significant team decision.
Yea, that’s probably true. I know if i was the GM, The only time i’d show my face was at draft time, the start of the season and when the camera see’s me up in my luxury box that’s protected by security.
Very different to how it is now.
Now, if i was President. I would be seen working hard with a symbolic gold shovel and a photo crew. I’d also be seen attempting to cut a ribbon. I would also hold a press conference announcing a photo of Favre, Starr and Rodgers together, announcing that they’ll be on sale in time for the Holidays.
Very different to how it is now.
Who cares at this point?? The shitface GM who stocked this team with these bums is under NO pressure. and he’ll be back next year with another draft of stiffs & projects. But Hey?? he’s not worried bout job security.
The secondary is bad, however the team can not get consistent pressure on the QB. The end of the defensive failure may show up as totally being on the DBs. The start of the defensive failure is on the front four or seven. It takes pressure on the QB from the four rushing to help out the DBs. Both groups are failing. How often has anyone seen quick pressure up the middle in the pass rush? That is what gets QBs off their comfort zone.
^this. The defense really isn’t playing well in any facet.
Howard hit the nail on the head.
Just going to go ahead and state the obvious, we are really missing Hayward right now. I remember Kato giving me shit on here for rather resigning Hayward over Crosby. Looks like I was right Kato :)
I am old – a recliner is my chair of choice, not an arm chair.