Packers Defense Must Carry the Team until the Offense Gets in Gear.

Aaron Rodgers’ fundamentals, Eddie Lacy’s lack of carries, Jared Cook’s non-utilization and the 7 rostered wide receivers’ lack of evenly distributed snap counts; yes, the Packers offense has certainly been the focus of fanatic concern throughout the first two weeks of the 2016 season. 
 
While these issues have been a reason for consternation among Packer faithful, it should be a glimmer of hope that the rush defense has been in dominant form. Opponents have carried the rock 48 times in two contests for a meager 78 yards against the highly debated front 7 of the unit. The Packers are number 1 in the NFL in rushing yards allowed as a defense, posting an impressively paltry 1.6 yards per carry.
 
Coming into the season, it could be argued that the middle of the Packers defense was the weakest part of the entire team. Lacking stout defensive tackle depth and starting young middle linebackers, it’s not surprising this would be a concern for weakness. Through a small sample size of two weeks, that hasn’t been the case. 
 
Everything defensive coordinator Dom Capers has dialed up to stop the opposing run game has been dialed in. The rotation between middle linebackers Blake Martinez, Jake Ryan and Joe Thomas has been orchestrated seamlessly thus far in the season. Martinez looks like an immediate contributor for Ted Thompson and the Packers, and Joe Thomas seemingly took a giant leap from a season ago. 
 
The defensive front has shown force from Mike Daniels, Datone Jones and Letroy Guion with aggressive play. It’s a noticeable difference when Nick Perry is healthy on the outside defending the run, and he has shown up repeatedly. It’s clear that Perry’s presence has been more impactful than Clay Matthews at this point in the season. 
 
Each season Mike Daniels becomes a better player, posting one of the highest positional ratings on pro football focus last week on defense with an 85. Consistently Daniels showed consistent domination up front and spent most of the Vikings game in their offensive backfield. 
 
As Packer fans already know, Letroy Guion’s second quarter MCL injury during the Vikings game could be detrimental to the team. Kenny Clark or Christian Ringo will be thrown into the fire as the starting DT, and it will bring Brian Price up from the practice squad to fill the defensive line void for week 3. It will also require Julius Peppers to line up on the defensive front in a 3-point stance, which is clearly not his strong suit. 
 
As dominant as the run defense has excelled over the first two games of the 2016 season, the pass defense has been a bit underwhelming under Dom Capers’ watch. Largely considered as the deepest group on the entire Green Bay Packers roster, the defensive backs have seemingly under communicated and under performed for the 2016 campaign. 
 
Sam Shields suffered his 4th documented NFL concussion in week one against the Jacksonville Jaguars and is a major cause for concern because his 3rd concussion was extremely serious, and caused him to miss significant time last season. This was clearly a detriment to the Packers covering the Vikings’ Stefon Diggs, who torched backup cornerback Damarious Randall for 9 catches, 182 yards and 1 touchdown. With Shields anchoring one corner spot, the Packers are clearly a better secondary. 
 
Even if the secondary struggling for the first two weeks of the season, it’s encouraging the Packers have started effectively on defense. In the “terrible” loss to the Vikings, the Packers defense only yielded 17 points. With an offense led by Aaron Rodgers, the offense should constantly score more than 17 points on most occasions. 
 
If the defense continually plays at this level up front and the secondary improves its’ communication and assignment responsibilities, this could be a top 10 defense. If the offense improves from a season ago as most fans expect, this squad has the potential to be a major contender in the playoffs. 
 
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Comments (10)

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ray nichkee's picture

September 24, 2016 at 07:07 pm

Patience you must have. Long is the season. Still crappy the lions are. A must is resting these players. This game a loss may be a win but a win we need. A win may the packers gain Sunday. A packer fan is Yoda. With the packers the force will be. Defeat the packers will.

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Amanofthenorth's picture

September 24, 2016 at 07:14 pm

I think the d will gladly accept and respond to this. They believe.

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Horse's picture

September 24, 2016 at 07:38 pm

The D is down 5 top personnel. The offense has to step up tomorrow.

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Bearmeat's picture

September 24, 2016 at 08:47 pm

The front 7 on D has been a pleasant surprise. The secondary hasn't looked like we thought it would, but they should recover.

The real question is the offense. ARE they going to recover? They've looked AWFUL for 16 games. There is no physical reason for them to be struggling like this, but there is PLENTY of mental reasons for them to be doing so. The worst tendencies in ARs game are magnified and MM's 311 no-huddle attack is just tired.

If they don't pick it up, they should be fired. Because the team will miss the playoffs and they have the talent to be in the super bowl.

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al bundy's picture

September 24, 2016 at 08:50 pm

Pass defense is way over rated on this team by the fans. The passing game is stale and lacks inventiveness. Rogers needs to quit lookng at jordy to save his ass. TE play is wasted using them to do more blocking then catching. Other receivers not being used.

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Samson's picture

September 24, 2016 at 08:57 pm

CM3, Burnett and Shields are all 'out' for this game. Both Guion and D. Jones are 'questionable'.

AR and the offense need to shake the early season jitters starting Sunday against the Lions, not sometime after the bye.

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Rossonero's picture

September 24, 2016 at 09:27 pm

This could very well be a shoot out. Both sides with loads of injuries on defense. Whoever's defense decides to show up will make the difference.

Also, I hate to say this, but I fear Sam Shields' career is over. 4 concussions and he blacked out after the 3rd one last season? It took him 5 weeks to recover from the 3rd one, why risk becoming a vegetable? Just retire already. Thanks for the memories Sam. Please be with your family now.

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Grandfathered's picture

September 24, 2016 at 10:49 pm

Any brain injury is specific to the individual, and we won't get specific info unless the team decides to place him on IR, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated".

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al bundy's picture

September 24, 2016 at 09:52 pm

Just read interesting article. Sports writer asked former head coach, scout, and sports analyst to discuss the packers porblems. They were all offense.
1. Rogers making mistakes a rookie would make
2. Rogers scrambling way before he needs to. Trying to make sandlot plays only works so lone.
3. Teams are not lining up to stop a guy avg 55 yards a game. Spending more emphasis in coverage.
4. Lack of outside speed. Speed guys are sitting on the bench, could be used to stretch the field.
5 safeties are playing up forcing tight coverage and receivers lack overall speed so they are covered and not open.
6. Rogers scrambling is forcing mike to change play calling.
7. Jordy is not ready yet. Not in top shape.
8. O line not a unit. Disfunctional.

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Grandfathered's picture

September 24, 2016 at 10:31 pm

Both Pennel and Goodson coming back

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