Packers Taking Improved Run Defense Into Sunday vs. Steelers

It’s been a long time since the Packers fielded a rugged run defense. Here’s why that negative trend has been reversing.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The term “run defense” has been an oxymoron for the Green Bay Packers for years.

The team’s defensive coordinator since 2021, Joe Barry has been given a lot of grief for that feeble phase of the game.

“Yeah, I know you have,” Barry said to laughter this week.

“Sometimes,” he added, “well-deserved.”

In 2021 and 2022, the Packers ranked 30th in the NFL with 4.84 yards allowed per rushing attempt. During that span, the Packers allowed eight games of 150-plus rushing yards. That was the third-most in the NFL – quite a feat considering they were playing from ahead more often than not.

In 2023, the Packers are a solid 13th with 3.97 yards allowed per rushing attempt.

The last two games, a unit that had been made out of Swiss cheese was now formed out of brick cheese.

Make that brick wall.

This year’s per-carry average is almost a full yard better than last year’s 28th-ranked 4.95 yards per attempt. Since 2009, the Packers have allowed less than 4.00 yards per carry just once (3.86 in 2017).

Against the Vikings two weeks ago, they allowed just 62 yards on 31 rushing attempts. It marked only the fourth time since the 1970 merger in which the Packers allowed 2.0 or fewer yards per carry in a game in which the opponent had 30-plus rushing attempts. Moreover, it was the first such game in the entire league since 2021. For an encore, the Packers held the Rams to 68 yards on 26 tries last week.

The 2.28 yards allowed per carry the last two-weeks is the second-best in the league.

According to the team’s Dope Sheet preview, the last time the Packers held their opponent to less than 70 rushing yards on 25-plus carries in consecutive games was 1945.

So, if you’re going to give the coordinator crap for the bad times, you better hand him a bouquet for the better times.

What’s gone right?

Eliminating big plays: While the Packers are tied for 22nd with 27 runs allowed of 10-plus yards, they gave up 18 the first four games but only one the last two games. The longest rush allowed against Los Angeles was an 8-yard scramble by quarterback Brett Rypien. The longest rush allowed against Minnesota was a single 10-yard run by running back Alexander Mattison.

“I think the biggest thing is the explosion play,” Barry said. “That’s where at least your run statistics can really get out of whack.”

Tackling: Related to that is tackling. The Packers have the NFL’s seventh-best missed-tackle percentage, according to Sport Radar. Combined, the team’s three main linebackers – starters De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker and frequent injury replacement Isaiah McDuffie – have missed seven. League-wide, 26 linebackers have missed more and 35 have missed at least seven.

Isaiah McDuffie (58) has provided quality run defense for the Packers :: Photo by Dan Powers/USA Today Sports Images

“You’ve got to tackle,” Barry said. “That’s the biggest way, especially in the run game, to eliminate explosion plays is to be good, solid tacklers, and we’ve done that, so we’ve got to keep that going.”

Toughness: One thing defensive tackle Kenny Clark talked about after the Minnesota game was mindset. Because the run defense has been so bad for so long, the Packers know teams are going to keep pounding away with the belief that, eventually, the defense will cave in.

That’s what was striking against the Vikings and Rams. Both teams kept testing Green Bay’s run defense. Both teams kept being denied.

“You get into games where you’re defending a lot of runs, it’s hard to just keep [stopping them],” Barry said. “Eventually, they get paid, too, and they practice also; they’re going to pop one. I always give credit to the position coaches; [they] have done a great job. The players have done a great job, just really buying into the plan every week, the style and system of offense we’re defending and the style of run game we’re defending.”

To be sure, the Packers’ run defense dominated two bad running teams. The Rams’ best running back, Kyren Williams, is on injured reserve and the Vikings are 27th in yards per carry and 29th in rushing yards per game following the offseason release of Dalvin Cook.

Looking at yards per carry allowed by the Packers vs. yards gained per carry by those teams:

Los Angeles averages 4.0. Packers allowed 2.6. Comparative: Win.

Minnesota averages 3.7. Packers allowed 2.0. Comparative: Win.

Denver averages 4.8. Packers allowed 5.8. Comparative: Loss.

Las Vegas averages 3.2. Packers allowed 3.3. Comparative: Basically a draw.

Detroit averages 4.3. Packers allowed 4.9. Comparative: Loss.

New Orleans averages 3.6. Packers allowed 3.5. Comparative: Basically a draw.

Atlanta averages 4.2. Packers allowed 4.7. Comparative: Loss.

Chicago averages 4.5. Packers allowed 4.2. Comparative: Win.

Overall, the Packers are 3-3-2 in terms of rushing average vs. their opponents’ season averages. However, they’re coming off back-to-back dominant performances.

Can they keep it going? Or was it two flukes? That’s the million-dollar, season-defining question.

By per-carry average, this week’s opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers, are 26th. After that, the Packers will host the Los Angeles Chargers (21st), play at the Detroit Lions (10th) and host the Kansas City Chiefs (16th).

Of the final nine games, the Chicago Bears (sixth) and Lions (10th) are the only teams in the top 15 in rushing yards per attempt, though the Chiefs’ Isiah Pacheco is eighth in rushing this year and the Chargers’ do-it-all Austin Ekeler topped 900 rushing yards and 1,500 total yards in 2021 and 2022.

“We’re all being disruptive (and) Coach is calling a great plan,” Clark said. “We’re switching it up between the movements and just playing regular defense. It’s been really good for us. Our linebackers are playing great ball. Defensive line, we’re being disruptive up front, and the safeties, the nickels, how they fit in those C and B gaps, they’re really playing fast right now and hitting those gaps. We’re playing at a high level in the run game right now.”

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