Paul Bretl | 10/15/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — As he’s done since arriving in Green Bay this offseason, Packers’ rookie safety Evan Williams continues to put himself around the football and again came up with a few key plays in the team’s win over Arizona.
“Like I said during camp,” said Jaire Alexander after the game, “you seen him making plays all camp. He was getting after the ball. He was attacking the ball, probably had one of the most production points out of the secondary, so I mean it’s no secret. He practices like that and it shows up in the game.”
Alexander has also previously compared Williams to former Packers’ safety Micah Hyde because of his ball-hawking mentality and regular presence around the football.
The first big play from Sunday’s game came in the second quarter with the Cardinals’ offense facing a third-and-one. Williams came down from the safety position and showed blitz from the right side of the defensive alignment.
When the ball was snapped, quarterback Kyler Murray ran a read-option, but Williams didn’t get overly aggressive and pursue the running back who was running up the middle. Instead, he kept his focus on Murray–who kept the ball–and then made the open field tackle on one of the game’s more elusive players, forcing Arizona to punt.
“I figured, because of the situation, it was third-and-1 and K hadn’t really gotten anything going,” said Williams of the play. “He hadn’t been able to make a play with his feet yet, so I’d assume that he’s probably eager to make something happen. I know I’m coming off the edge and I know there’s a possibility of read-option where he’s reading me.
“I figured a guy like that would want the ball in his hands on that third down. Didn’t really do anything but did my job. He pulled it, I was in a great spot, had level feet – they say when you get your shoulders parallel to the sideline, bad things happen in read-option – and he pulled it, tried to make a move and I stayed squared and was able to make that play.”
Although the Packers were up 17-0 at this time, this proved to be an important play given the sequence that followed. On the Cardinals’ ensuing punt, Keisean Nixon returned it 39 yards and then on the first play from the offense, Jordan Love connected with Christian Watson for a 44-yard score. After the game, LaFleur called this sequence a big turning point in the game.
Then late in the third quarter, down 13-34, the Cardinals found themselves inside Packers’ territory–attempting to make a late push. On a pass from Murray to Greg Dortch that turned into a 16 yard gain following some YAC, Williams made a textbook punch out, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Alexander.
Williams found himself in a good position and knew he had help around him to bring Dortch to the ground if his strike didn’t land–so he went for the big play.
“I was squared up,” said Williams of the play. “He was kind of just running down the center of my helmet, so knew that had a couple guys that were hitting him already and that I was gonna have a good chance to punch the ball out and we teach that, as they fall, the ball gets a little separated form the body and yeah, just try to stick my face right through the ball and it popped out. Ja with the recovery and got to celebrate with the guys.”
Again, in a bit of a timeshare with fellow rookie safety Javon Bullard–who played 54 snaps–Williams was on the field for 38 snaps on Sunday. In total, he made three tackles and allowed one completion in coverage for only nine yards.
The Packers found different ways to get Williams on the field. In some instances, when Williams was in the game, we would see Bullard lined up in the nickel and then there were times when it was Nixon who was in the nickel while Bullard was out for those few plays. There were also some snaps where Williams was on the field next to Xavier McKinney when the Packers were lined up in their base 4-3 defense.
However, almost regardless of the personnel grouping around Williams when he was out there, the Packers had him filling the all-important deep safety role in Jeff Hafley’s defense.
“He just does a great job,” said Matt LaFleur. “I think it’s a credit to him. He’s a smart football player, and that’s something that we saw in him and our scouting staff saw in him coming out of the draft. He’s a really intelligent guy that has great instincts and awareness, and can take the plan and go out there and execute it.”
Those qualities that LaFleur mentioned have been used to describe Williams since the team drafted him back in April. At that time, long-time scout Sam Seale described Williams has smart, instinctive, and someone who is always around the football.
Those qualities were on display for the duration of training camp, with Williams recording a handful of interceptions in practice, along with forcing a fumble in the Packers’ preseason opener against Cleveland. And now as Williams gains more experience and continues to refine his weekly preparation, not surprisingly, those big plays are translating over to the regular season.
“He’s a very intelligent player, he’s a very intelligent person,” said Jeff Hafley last Thursday. “I think one of the biggest things he’s done to put himself in the situation that he’s in now and having a bigger role is he’s starting to learn how to study the game more and he’s starting to understand how serious you need to take it because when those opportunities come you have to be ready for it.”
The Packers have a luxury in the secondary with all of the talent and versatility that they have. This provides Hafley an abundance of options when it comes to putting the game-plan together, however, finding playing time for everyone can be a challenge as well.
But with how well Williams is playing and the high-impact plays he’s making, he’s in-store for only more playing time moving forward. It’ll be up to Hafley to find a way to make that happen.
“Absolutely,” said Williams when asked how he keeps making plays. “I don’t know how to answer that other than it’s my job to be around the ball. It’s definitely something I take pride in. I feel like when you run to the ball, good things happen.
“We have a saying that, our linebackers coach, his name’s Campanile so we say, ‘Campy 3:16 is God loves those who run to the ball.’ That’s something we definitely carry. I feel like safeties, you’re in a good spot up high to see the whole picture. When you run to the ball, good things happen. I’ll give it up to the scheme for me being in good spots to make plays.”