Paul Bretl | 12/12/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — As we saw in last Thursday’s loss to Detroit, the Packers’ defense still has progress to make. But in recent weeks, and against some dynamic running backs, the Green Bay run defense has been playing at a high level.
“I think the fundamentals and technique, I think understanding the system and then I think the play style,” said Jeff Hafley on the play of the run defense. “I think we’re playing harder and harder each week and that’s how you play good defense. We talk about takeaways, we talk about effort, we talk about fundamentals and technique.”
Following a performance out of the bye week where the Packers’ defense struggled to contain Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams, this group has rebounded in a big way over the last three games. In Week 12, the Packers held San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey to just 31 rushing yards at 2.8 yards per carry. The following game, Miami’s De’Von Achane averaged only 2.0 yards per rush, totaling 14 yards on the ground.
Helping the Packers’ defense out in those games was the Green Bay offense jumping out to fairly quick multi-score leads, which does hurt the opponent’s ability to rely on the run game. However, in this most recent game against Detroit, the Packers’ defense didn’t have the luxury of playing with a lead, yet they were still able to contain the dynamic duo that is David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
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Combined, Montgomery and Gibbs would rush for 94 yards, but it took 29 total carries to get there. Montgomery averaged a modest 3.6 yards per rush and Gibbs 2.9 yards, with each recording just one rush of 10-plus yards and neither reaching the 15 yard mark.
“Just execution,” said Isaiah McDuffie of the run defense. “Guys doing their job, you know, doing your 1/11th and that’s what it takes in the run game–being physical.”
Over those three games, that’s a grand total of 2.8 yards per carry surrendered by Green Bay and accomplished against some of the NFL’s best running backs.
Success for the run defense takes a collective effort from all 11 players, but it begins with the play of the interior defensive line and the ability of those players to generate a steady push up the middle, getting off blocks efficiently, and maintaining gap integrity.
“Our D-line’s doing such a good job of staying square, using their hands, getting off blocks,” said Hafley. “Guys aren’t just running up the field.
“The interior part of our D-line has done such a good job these last few games. They really have. They’re hard to block. They’re staying in their gaps. They’re tearing off of blocks.”
Leading that charge inside is TJ Slaton, who defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich said recently was the most improved defensive lineman on the team over the last six weeks, along with Kenny Clark, who as he often does, is hitting his stride in the latter portion of the season.
While the production from Clark through the first half of the season wasn’t necessarily at a level that is expected from a player of his caliber, it is important to note that Clark is one of the more heavily double-teamed interior defensive linemen in football. At one point this season, he was double-teamed on nearly 60 percent of his snaps, according to PFF.
But consistent disruption will eventually lead to disruption, and that is what we are really starting to see from Clark in recent weeks against the run. Over the last three games, Clark ranks sixth among all defensive linemen in PFF’s run-stop rate metric–generating a steady push up the middle and making plays on the ball carriers.
“I think Kenny’s playing some really good football right now,” Matt LaFleur said on Wednesday, “and that’s going to be pivotal for us moving forward. I mean, you need your best players to play their best in order for you to have the best chance of winning games. And I think that’s what we’re seeing from him.”
A key factor in Clark’s recent surge is that he’s healthy after dealing with a toe injury for much of the season–an injury he sustained in Week 1 against Philadelphia and has been fighting through since.
“Honestly, just getting healthy and continuing to stack more days,” said Clark of his play. “So, just got to keep doing that man, just keep building. Yeah, just keep on building.”
A strong run defense may begin with the defensive tackle position, but it also requires disciplined play from the defensive ends, specifically setting the edge in order to funnel the ball carrier back inside so he cannot get to the boundary.
The improved play at the linebacker position in recent weeks has been a critical factor as well, with that group filling gaps, fighting through blocks, and getting sideline-to-sideline to contain outside runs. The members of the secondary have also been rallying to the football, and overall, the tackling from this Packers’ defense has been very sound.
“It’s the same thing with those defensive ends,” Hafley added. “They’re setting edges, they’re forcing the ball back inside, they’re getting off blocks and then we’re tackling and we’re running to the ball and there’s multiple people to the ball and when you turn on our tape right now and when you freeze it, you see that. You see a lot of guys around the football. and then you’re not afraid.
“If I have an open-field tackle and i know eight other guys are coming, I’m gonna take my shot because I know if I miss, it’s gonna be bang, bang, bang, we got three or four other guys there and we’re starting to play faster.”
Although the Packers’ run defense may be playing its best football right now, this unit has improved significantly overall in the first year under Hafley. Green Bay will enter Week 15, allowing only 4.1 yards per carry–the seventh-best mark this season–and are seventh in run-stop rate, according to ESPN.
Winning at the line of scrimmage and slowing an opponent’s run game can often be a precursor to good defensive performance. Limiting the run game can put the offense behind the sticks and in predictable passing situations where the defense now has the advantage from a coverage standpoint in those long down-and-distances and the pass rush is then able to pin its ears back.
This week the Packers face a Seattle offense that features two of the game’s most productive receivers, but a run game averaging 4.1 yards per rush on the season–the ninth-lowest mark. The Seahawks’ offensive line unit ranks 28th in ESPN’s run-block win rate metric.
However, just last week against Arizona, we saw Zach Charbonnet rush for 134 yards at a whopping 6.1 yards per attempt. Lead back Kenneth Walker is also among the best at forcing missed tackles–ranking second in that category–while quarterback Geno Smith has the ability to extend plays.
“He’s a big back that can really roll and he can do, he’s a multi-dimensional guy,” LaFleur said of Charbonnet. “He’s another guy that we studied extensively and really liked coming out of the draft. He was given more of an opportunity last week, so I think he’s fully capable. They’ve got two elite backs.”
If the Packers are unable to carry the momentum that they’ve established against the run over the last several weeks into this game, pairing that element with the Seahawks’ potent passing game will prove difficult to stop.
“I give the guys a lot of credit because the last couple teams we played can really run the football,” Hafley said. “If we’re going to continue to improve and get better and win games, we’ve got to be able to stop the run.”