Packers at Halfway Point of Season: Defense Sinks

After a rare top-10 finish last season, the Green Bay Packers rank 17th in points allowed.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With 25.5 points allowed per game, the Green Bay Packers rank 17th in the league in scoring defense. It’s been a disappointing performance. Last year, they allowed 19.6 points per game, their first top-10 showing since winning the Super Bowl in 2010. That’s a difference of 5.9 points per game – almost a touchdown – despite largely the same personnel.

“I think it always starts and ends with our energy and effort,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday. “I think when our guys are out there flying around, having fun, bringing great energy, straining for one another, when they’re swarming ball-carriers, I think that leads to a lot of positive plays. There’s been times where it’s been really, really good and there’s been times where it quite hasn’t been to that standard. So, we’ve just got to make sure that we’re honest with ourselves on every play about giving it our all for the team and doing your 1/11th.”

MVP

On a defense that not only has failed to take the next step but taken a step or two in the wrong direction, cornerback Jaire Alexander continues to show he’s one of the best in the business. According to Pro Football Focus, 79 cornerbacks have played at least 50 percent of the defensive snaps. Of that group, Alexander is No. 6 in coverage snaps per reception and No. 3 in yards per coverage snap.

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Of his 139 yards allowed, almost half came in the opener against Minnesota. In his last six games, PFF charged him with just 54 yards.

“I challenge somebody to find a corner who’s having a better season than he is,” defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said last week.

Biggest Surprise

There were high hopes for Kingsley Keke to add some juice to the defensive line. He’s done just that after barely playing as a rookie. According to PFF, he leads the defensive line with 11 pressures. The rest of the team’s linemen have only 16. Officially, he has two sacks, three quarterback hits and one forced fumble.

Of 92 interior linemen with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps, Keke is tied for 35th in PFF’s pass-rushing metric. So, Keke hasn’t been great but he has bolstered the pass rush – a big deal considering the lengthy absence of Kenny Clark and his limited impact upon his return.

Biggest Disappointment

The Smith Bros. powered last year’s top-10 defense. Their lackluster play this season has been just as big a reason for the defense’s failings.

Za’Darius Smith has seven sacks, eight tackles for losses, 13 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. That’s phenomenal production. However, the play-to-play dominance from last year has vanished. After leading the NFL with 93 pressures last season, by PFF’s tally, he is tied for 41st with 23 pressures this season. Too often – and especially when losing – playing the run seems like an unwanted chore.

Preston Smith has practically disappeared, though he made a couple impact plays against San Francisco. He’s got one-half sack officially and 10 pressures, according to PFF. Last year, he had 12 sacks and 55 pressures. He’s dropped into coverage more this season but the difference is small and hardly makes up for the difference.

If the Smiths don’t start earning their enormous paydays, this defense will never get within shouting distance of last year’s standard.

Biggest Improvement

You have to look hard but there is some critical improvement. The Packers have allowed 27 plays of 20-plus yards this season, tied for the fifth-fewest in the league. Their 21 completions of 20-plus yards are the fourth-fewest. Last year, they were 19th with 64 gains of 20-plus yards and 22nd with 56 completions of 20-plus yards.

In theory, if a defense limits big plays, it eventually will make a play – a tackle for loss, a sack, a turnover or a forced penalty – to get off the field. The key for Pettine’s crew will be to get off the field on third down.

Biggest Sign of Trouble

Games are won and lost with situational football. Defensively, the Packers are No. 15 on third down (41.2 percent conversions) and No. 24 in the red zone (69.2 percent touchdowns). Last year, the Packers were No. 15 on third down (but 38.1 percent) but a superb No. 6 in the red zone (50.0 percent touchdowns). In goal-to-situations, the difference is even bigger: 82.4 percent in 2020 vs. 50.0 percent in 2019.

Meanwhile, the Packers are 30th with six takeaways – a pace of 12 after creating 25 last year. Turnovers sometimes come in bunches. Will what happened in San Francisco turn on the spigot? Or were those two takeaways against backup quarterback Nick Mullens and backup left tackle Justin Skule simply blips on the radar?