Packers dominating turnover battle with ball-hawking secondary

Paul Bretl | 9/16/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Through two games, the Packers have generated six takeaways on defense, including five interceptions–a far cry from what we saw from this unit in 2023.

“I think it’s guys just relentless effort to the ball,” said Jaire Alexander of the Packers’ early season turnovers. “Putting a lot of pressure on the quarterback consistently and the guys on the back end with vet leadership have the ability to make big plays.”

As a collective defense last season, the Packers forced 18 turnovers. This ranked 23rd in the NFL. When it came to interceptions specifically, the Packers totaled only seven–the second-fewest in football.

When it comes to turnovers, there isn’t always a rhyme or reason behind why turnovers happen. However, factoring into the Packers’ 2023 takeaway woes were injuries, with Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes both missing time, there were coverage breakdowns, and a more passive approach, with an emphasis on keeping everything in front of the secondary, which isn’t always conducive for making aggressive plays on the ball.

It goes without saying but the winner of the turnover battle is often the winner of the game. Turnovers take away opportunities from the opposing offense and provide the defense’s own offense with additional possessions that can often come with good field position as well.

We are now only two games into the 2024 season, but already in this new Jeff Hafley defense, there is a stark difference in the Packers’ ability to create turnovers. Green Bay has generated three takeaways in each of their first two games. This is the most in football currently and with five of those takeaways being interceptions, the defense has already nearly matched its 2023 total in that regard.

“That’s something that we made an emphasis of in the offseason,” said Xavier McKinney after Sundays’ win, “was just being able to create turnovers and be able just to do something productive to be able to get that ball back for the offense. So the fact that we’ve been able to go out there, execute and get our hands on the ball with these turnovers has been great.”

Sometimes, turnovers just come in bunches and it can be difficult to predict when they’re going to happen. But a contributing factor to the Packers early takeaway success is the new Hafley system, which has implemented a vision-based approach on the back-end of the defense, giving the defenders more opportunities to make plays on the ball.

“I would say more vision based,” said Matt LaFleur during the offseason about the secondary, “more visual on the quarterback because he’s ultimately going to take you to where the ball is going to go. So, and it’s hard to do that when you’re playing with your back to the quarterback, or if you’re playing a real matchy, not to say that we won’t be that.

“There’s certainly going to be circumstances when you want to man up and play some match coverage. I would say a big part of what we’re going to do, especially from a coverage standpoint is going have vision on the quarterback.”

Another element is Hafley’s emphasis on allowing the defenders to play fast and free. To accomplish this begins with implementing a game plan that can be executed on at a high level, allowing the defenders to react and fly around the field. This inherently, will put the defenders in a better position to make plays on the ball.

Also playing a key factor in all of this is the addition of Xavier McKinney, who has two of the Packers’ interceptions. His ability to seemingly teleport around the field and fill a variety of roles frequently puts him in a position to make plays, and his teammates benefit from his presence in the secondary.

McKinney is one of those players that quarterbacks must know where he is at all times, and that can impact where the ball goes on a given play.

“He’s a vet. He’s a leader already,” said Jaire Alexander. “Come in making big plays, what more can you ask for?”

Interceptions and takeaways are always important, but on a day where the Packers were without Jordan Love at quarterback, those turnovers meant a little bit more for Green Bay. The defense played a pivotal role in keeping points off the board, limiting the Colts to just three points for much of the game, which allowed the offense under Malik Willis to stick to it’s run heavy game plan and maintain the early lead that was established.

“The challenge is that every week,” said Alexander. “I know we said in camp and in OTAs that we wanted to kind of be more of a defensive-led team. So, I mean, three turnovers in back-to-back weeks, I mean, that’s saying a lot.”

Turnovers are a volatile stat, one that can vary wildly from season-to-season and even week-to-week. Success in one game does not guarantee success the next week. But what the Packers do have going for them is that with stability in the secondary and a system where all eyes are on the quarterback, they can increase the likelihood of the ball finding them by consistently being positioned correctly.

“It’s just a testament to the guys, working every day,” said Alexander. “The coaches, I mean, it all plays a hand. Nutrition. I mean, I could go down the line, but really man it’s the guys on the field putting that work in.”

Malik Willis plays in complete control despite short tenure with Packers

Paul Bretl | 9/15/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — No, Packers’ quarterback Malik Willis did not attempt many passes in the team’s win against the Colts. However, made sure the come through when he did, and like any quarterback, Willis had plenty on his plate, especially given the circumstances of only being in Green Bay for less than three weeks.

“I don’t think you guys can appreciate or even comprehend the task that Malik Willis–I mean, this guy got here three weeks ago and for him to be able to go out there and command our offense,” said Matt LaFleur post-game.

This was a game that called for a heavy dose of Josh Jacobs and the Packers running game, with the offense rushing the ball 53 times against the Colts. In part, this was a product of Willis just arriving in Green Bay and still learning the offense. But in addition to that, this was a Colts’ defense that struggled mightily against the run in Week 1 as well.

Matchup-wise, it very much made sense for the Packers to run the ball. Even with Jordan Love at quarterback, although not to the extent that it was Sunday, the run game was going to be a factor against a Colts defense that has shown they have little answers to stopping it. So, as Willis mentioned after the game, if the game plan dictates a run-heavy approach, and most importantly, it’s working, why go away from it?

Although a run-heavy game plan, what this wasn’t, however, was a game-plan where Willis simply turned around and handed the ball off. The Packers threw a lot at the Colts defense, from the personnel they utilized the mixing of outside zone and gap running schemes. This, in turn, then put a lot on Willis.

“We had a lot of long calls,” added LaFleur. “We had shifts, motions, a ton of different run schemes. There was a lot put on his plate and for him to be able to go out there and do what he did today, I think that speaks volumes of who he is as a person and the work that he’s put in.”

When Willis was asked to throw the ball, he was efficient, completing 12 of his 14 passes for 122 yards with a touchdown. The end result was a passer rating of 126.8.

While, for the most part, the Packers didn’t ask Willis to push the ball downfield, he did come up with two big throws on the day. The first came on his touchdown pass, a tight window throw to Dontayvion Wicks that he was able to turn up field and take into the end zone.

The second big throw came with the Packers facing a 3rd-and-five in the fourth quarter, where Willis connected with Romeo Doubs down the right sideline for a 39-yard gain. This then set up a Packers field goal to make it 16-3, a crucial set of points following a late touchdown by the Colts.

“I just think Romeo made a great play,” said Willis. “He went up and got it. It was awesome to see. This organization has done a great job getting receivers here. They have a great receiver room right now, all throughout.

“It’s not just Romeo. It’s all those guys. They go out and make plays. When they’re given an opportunity, you see, they make a play, like Wicks, that was a quick throw, and he turns it into a touchdown.”

No, the game didn’t look like it would have if Jordan Love were under center, but that was never going to be the expectation either. Perhaps it was Josh Jacobs who said it best after the game saying, Willis did what he needed to do to get the win. He led the offense, was seemingly in complete control from start to finish–again, another feat given the circumstances–and made the key throws when it was required.

It was a crash course in getting to this point with a lot of questions, additional studying and tape review, meetings with coaches, and practice sessions with the receivers. But Willis aced the exam.

“Just super proud of him,” said LaFleur. “I think our coaches did a great job preparing him and yeah, just really happy and proud of our football team.”

Packers offense runs wild against the Colts

Paul Bretl | 9/15/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Without Jordan Love, the Packers pulled off a win on Sunday over the Indianapolis Colts, and it all started in the trenches with the offensive line.

The Packers finished the game with 261 rushing yards, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. In fact, 164 of those rushing yards came in the first quarter, the most by a team since Denver rushed for 167 yards in the opening quarter of a game back in 2011. 

“I mean, I feel like it was mindset more than anything,” said Elgton Jenkins at his locker post-game. “We knew to win this game we going have to run the ball and we going have to run it good. So, I feel like we came in with the right mindset, for sure just to get the job done.”

For Josh Jacobs, this was a game where he could showcase why the Packers signed him in free agency. During his time with the Las Vegas Raiders, there were numerous occasions over his five seasons there where he handled a hefty workload.

While the Packers did find ways to spread the ball around in the run game, they needed Jacobs to be that player today, carrying the ball 32 times for 151 yards–a task that he was more than comfortable taking on.

“Man, honest, I feel like I could play another half,” said Josh Jacobs. “It was hot, it was hot, especially in warm-ups, but body-wise, I feel good, man. I told ‘em, I don’t think I’ve ever had a game where I came out kind of like this clean. So I feel good.”

In a game where the opponent knew the run game was going to be a big factor for the Packers, Matt LaFleur didn’t just run the ball, but he threw a variety of different looks at the Colts as well. Whether it was the usage of all three running backs, Malik Willis, the receivers or mixing outside zone and gap schemes, as far as the run game goes, the Packers threw it all at the Indianapolis defense.

“I just think we had a variety of schemes up,” said Matt LaFleur, “and I think you gotta give credit to Adam Stenavich and all our coaches that kind of come up with that run plan, just the diversity within our run game and then the ability to put guys in certain positions, using our receivers in the running game, our tight ends blocking their butt off. Again, I told the O-line, I challenged ’em the other day and we had a shaky day at practice, I think on Wednesday and I went in there and said, hey, we’re winning this game through you guys and I thought they stepped up.”

Success in the run game is always important, but it becomes paramount when relying on a backup quarterback who has been with the team for less than three weeks. Moving the ball on the ground puts the offense in short down-and-distance situations, which forces the defense to defend the entire field.

Conversely, struggles in the run game puts the offense behind the sticks and in predictable passing situations where the defensive front can pin its ears back and the secondary has the advantage from a coverage standpoint. The run game needed to be Willis’ best friend, which it was.

“It was definitely huge,” said Jacobs of the run game, “because obviously he’s only been here two weeks. He did really good with what was asked of him, but we knew we had to come in and run the ball today. We knew we had to set that tone. So it allowed us to be able to do that. It was definitely a team effort, and it just played out good today.”

There is also a positive trickle-down effect that the run game can have for the defense. With the Packers putting together long drives and bleeding the clock for much of the game, they dominated the time of possession, with Green Bay’s defense not even on the field for 20 minutes of the 60 minute game. That’s one helpful way to limit an explosive offense like the Colts have.

“I was literally just sitting back enjoying my Gatorade,” said Jaire Alexander with a smile. “Felt amazing. This might be the shortest film that we watch all season.”

Attacking the Colts on the ground wasn’t the game plan only because Willis was under center, but the Indianapolis defense also struggled to do so last week, surrendering 213 rushing yards to the Houston Texans, with Joe Mixon averaging over 5.0 yards per attempt. In a similar fashion, the Packers utilized 11 personnel and shotgun looks to spread the Colts’ defense out.

Some might look at the Packers’ game plan as conservative. However, if you ask the Packers, what we saw on Sunday was just what this matchup dictated, and they found great success with it, so why stop?

“I don’t think of it,” said Willis when asked if this was a conservative approach. “It’s either win or lose, and y’all going to write about that either way. You can say what you want to. All you can do is control the flow of the game. The flow of the game said we’re running the ball today, and if we’re going to be successful running the ball, would you not run the ball just to prove somebody wrong, you know what I mean? That just is what it is. We’re not here to throw those terms around. We’re here to win games and do what we can to lean on each other, and that’s all it is.”

This game ended up being more of an old-school, win-ugly type of game for the Packers, but all wins–and all losses–regardless of how they look, count the same in the wins and losses columns.

In a game where the Packers ran the ball a whopping 53 times, the ball carriers and the offensive line left it all on the field–literally. Elgton Jenkins and Josh Myers puked on day where the temperature in Green Bay wasn’t too far off from 90 degrees.

“It was a grinder,” said Jenkins. “We just had to make sure we stayed hydrated, stay above the sticks and don’t get behind the sticks and lean on those guys and give our running backs, our quarterbacks, too, some space to run. It’s definitely one of those days – one of those camp days – for sure.”

Jeff Hafley anticipates S Evan Williams having role in Packers’ defense moving forward

Paul Bretl | 9/14/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — From the sounds of it, one change that we can expect to see defensively from the Packers on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts is that at some point, rookie safety Evan Williams will be on the field.

In the Packers Week 1 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, Williams didn’t register any defensive snaps.

“We do believe Evan deserves to play,” said defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley on Thursday, “and I think Evan, I know Evan has had a really good week of practice this week, and I’d anticipate Evan having a role going forward and I’m excited what he can do. So yeah, we need to have 33 have a role.”

Williams rotated with fellow rookie Javon Bullard for much of the summer, each having their share of opportunities to line up next to Xavier McKinney. The Packers did this to, one, get each player reps because a competition for playing time was taking place, and, two, with an emphasis on interchangeability, the Packers wanted both safeties comfortable taking snaps next to McKinney while filling different roles–whether that be playing deep or close to the line of scrimmage.

In the final few weeks of camp, it became clear that Bullard had pulled ahead of Williams in that competition, with the first-team rotation between the two all but disappearing

But nonetheless, Williams had certainly impressed throughout the summer. The decision to start Bullard very much seemed to be much more of a credit to him for seizing that playing time and not because Williams had really done anything drastic to lose the battle.

When the Packers first drafted Williams back in April, 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.

“Evan is a ballhawk,” said Jaire Alexander. “He reminds me a lot of Micah Hyde. Something always around the ball. Someone able to make plays. Just naturally too, man. He just has a knack for it. I can’t wait to see him on the field.”

Packers VP of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan would mention after the draft the “aggressive play-style” that Williams–along with Bullard and Kitan Oladapo–bring to the Packers’ secondary. We saw this quality from Williams in how he flew around the field and in the physicality he brought as a tackler, specifically in that Browns game where he totaled six tackles in only 23 snaps.

So now the question is, if in fact Williams is going to see playing time moving forward, how are the Packers going to get him on the field?

Given Bullard’s experience as a slot defender at Georgia, and we did see him take snaps there this summer, he could fill that role with Williams lining up next to McKinney. However, while I suppose that is an option, it doesn’t sound like an option that is going to be explored at this time.

“Keisean, who I think played a really good game, he was physical, very physical in the run game,” Hafley said. “I thought he covered well. Had a big hit on the quarterback, a sack or close to a sack on the wrap and roll tackle. He had an opportunity to have a pick six and change the game, so I like the way we attacked the ball.”

Instead, I would guess that the Packers have Williams filling in for Bullard in specific situations. I would still expect that when the game is over, Bullard will have played more snaps, but perhaps there will be certain packages when Williams takes his spot on the field. Or maybe it could be as simple as when in nickel, Bullard is out there and when in base it’s Williams.

The potential opportunity that it sounds like Williams will see moving forward isn’t about Bullard’s play or what he didn’t do in Week 1; rather, it’s about making sure you get a good football player snaps because he can make an impact. It just so happens that accomplishing that will take some maneuvering with the talent that the Packers now have at the safety position.

“I think first and foremost it’s the players we have,” said defensive backs coach Ryan Downard. “The players, those guys have made it a point of emphasis to go after the ball. I think they’re playing fast, I think the rules are simple, they’re detailed, but they’re simple and efficient.

“When you give guys the ability, they know what their job is, and then they’re able to get their cleats in the ground and execute, then I think they play faster, and I think a smarter football player usually tends to make more plays on the ball, because they put themselves in position to make those plays.”

Packers list QB Jordan Love as questionable for Week 2 matchup vs. Colts

Paul Bretl | 9/13/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — As we saw in the movie Shawshank Redemption, depending on your viewpoint, hope can either be a dangerous thing or a good thing. Well, when it comes to Jordan Love’s status for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, the hope of him playing is still alive.

The Packers released their final injury report of the week on Friday afternoon, and despite Love not practicing all week, he is listed as questionable with an MCL sprain. Earlier in the week, when Matt LaFleur was asked if Love would need to practice in order to start, he emphatically answered with a “no.”

Although Love hasn’t been participating in practice, he’s been on the practice field and remained engaged in the entire preparation process throughout the week.

 “He’s been out there at practice,” said LaFleur on Thursday. “He’s been engaged, knows every play call, is always coaching up Malik, coaching up Sean and is doing a good job with it.”

Despite what initially looked like a bleak injury outcome for the Packers starting quarterback just a week ago, LaFleur has continued to keep the door open from the get go about the possibility of Love being able to play Sunday.

On Monday, with reports swirling that Love could miss 3-6 weeks, LaFleur said Malik Willis would start if Love was not cleared. On Wednesday, when asked about the figurative door being either open or closed when it came to Love’s status, LaFleur called it “pretty open.” Then in a sit-down conversation with Larry McCarren, LaFleur described Love as “day to day.”

Throughout the entire week, now knowing Love’s status, you can’t say that LaFleur wasn’t direct about his potential availability for Sunday.

Ultimately, if Love is going to be on the field Sunday, he has to be medically cleared to do so, with both Love and the team having confidence in that he can go out there and protect himself, along with playing free and not concerned about aggravating or worsening the injury.

“If he gets cleared, we’ll give him every opportunity like we always will,” LaFleur said on Monday. “I know he’s doing everything in his power. I know he’s spending a lot of time trying to get back as soon as possible. But certainly we’re not going to put him in a position where if he can’t protect himself that he’d go out there.”

It goes without saying, but obviously the complexion of this game changes drastically if Love is able to play. The Indianapolis Colts come into this matchup shorthanded in their secondary with cornerback JuJu Brents being placed on injured reserve earlier in the week and safety Julian Blackmon being ruled out on Friday.

This was already a unit for the Colts that had a number of question marks coming into the season–both about their starters and the overall depth–and now that depth is going to be put to the test right away. When it comes to this matchup, there may not be a bigger advantage that one team has over the other than the Packers’ wide receivers against the Colts’ secondary.

“He’s doing good, you know,” said LaFleur about Love on Friday. “He’s got a great attitude and is working hard and getting better every day.”

From the Colts’ perspective, the unknown around whether it will be Love starting or Malik Willis has muddied the waters when it comes to game-planning for this week’s game. The two have different play-styles, and with Willis having just arrived in Green Bay, how exactly the Packers plan to utilize him is a big question mark.

“It’s interesting,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “Obviously, you’ve got to prepare for both, right? Whether Love possibly plays or Malik (Willis) plays, obviously, you’ve got to have a plan for both because they’ve got different styles. So, defensively, we’ve got to be all over whoever’s out there.”

Also listed as questionable on the Packers’ injury report is running back MarShawn Lloyd and receiver Jayden Reed. Lloyd is still working his way back from a hamstring injury that he suffered during training camp and kept him out during Week 1. Reed popped up on the Friday injury report with a shin/calf injury.

“He doesn’t just show up in the games,” said LaFleur about Reed. “He’s a competitor out there on the practice field and so it’s not shocking to me that it translates over to gameday.”

Another big test for the Packers run defense vs. the Colts offense

Paul Bretl | 9/13/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Can the Packers run defense find a way to contain Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor, and the Indianapolis Colts rushing attack?

It wasn’t a perfect performance against the Philadelphia Eagles run game in Week 1–but it’s not going to be when facing Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley–but the Packers held their own in this phase of the game for the most part.

“When you look at the run defense as a whole,” said defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, “I thought on the first down and those early downs I thought they were a lot of zero yard gains and there were TFL’s. And I thought the guys for the most part did a really good job there and then we had some unfortunate misfits and some mis-alignments and balls that got out on us and those yards count just as much as if they have a good play. So I’m not taking that away at all or making any excuses, but there’s some really good stuff in the run defense and there’s some stuff we’ve got to clean up.

On the surface, Barkley’s 109 rushing-yard performance against the Packers, while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt, doesn’t tell the whole story in regards to how the game unfolded. For much of the contest, the Packers were able to bottle him up. Outside of a 34-yard run by Barkley, he averaged 3.2 yards per carry on his other 23 attempts. This, of course, does not discount that long gain–I mean, it happened after all–but the point being is that the Packers run defense largely did its job.

“I thought our run defense was pretty solid,” said Matt LaFleur. “We just got gashed on a couple runs where we weren’t in the right gaps. We had a misalignment that really hurt us on Saquon, I think it was on his first touchdown. And there was some details there that we absolutely have to clean up and get that fixed moving forward because we have another great back coming in here and another really good offense and great offensive line.”

To limit Hurts as a ball carrier, the Packers took a more controlled, power-rushing approach in an effort to keep him in the pocket and limit his ability to extend plays. Once again, the Green Bay defense largely accomplished this. Hurts longest run was for eight yards and he totaled just 33 yards on 13 carries.

Collectively, the Eagles rushing offense averaged only 3.8 yards per attempt–the 10th best rate among all defenses coming out of the first game of the season.

“I thought last week for three and a half quarters we did a really good job of bottling up Jalen in the pocket,” LaFleur said. “Then in the last drive he was able to use his legs a couple of times to move the sticks when we got a little bit more up the field and it opened up some holes inside.

“One time they were in empty, we stunted and we shouldn’t have been stunting in that situation and it opened up a huge rush lane inside that he was able to scramble out. So I think it’s a balance in terms of what are you asking to do and you’ve got to play that game in terms of what you think they are going to do and how they’re going to attack you as well.”

The Colts are coming off a game against the Texans where Taylor totaled just 48 yards on his 16 rush attempts. The Packers, however, certainly are not expecting that trend for Taylor to continue. Behind the same starting five on the offensive line, the Colts ranked top-10 in yards per rush last season and have a healthy Taylor.

Taylor has unfortunately dealt with injuries the previous two seasons, appearing in just 21 total games during that span. But regardless, when on the field, he’s remained impactful, averaging 4.5 yards per carry over the last two years. Then, of course, in 2021, he was the NFL’s rushing leader and unlike last year, he’s had a fully healthy offseason to prepare for the regular season.

“Really good player,” said Hafley of Taylor. “He’s strong, he’s fast. He’s very patient. He stays square and you gotta bottle him up. We’ve got to wrap up. We’ve got to get multiple people to the ball, we better be where we’re supposed to be and we better be in the gaps we’re supposed to be in, because he’ll jump out and make you look silly if you don’t.”

The added stressor that the Colts can put on opposing defenses in the run game is the combination of Taylor and Richardson in the backfield. For one, undisciplined rushing lanes can create avenues for Richardson to exploit with his legs. Last week against Houston, Richardson rushed for 56 yards on only six carries.

The Colts are also very willing to use Richardson on designed quarterback runs, not to mention that their heavy usage of RPOs can stress defenses horizontally, which as a result, will up open running lanes for either Richardson or Taylor to exploit as well as opportunities in the passing game with second level defenders over committing to help in the run game.

“I think it’s going to be a great challenge,” said LaFleur of the Colts’ run game. “I think you look at Jonathan Taylor, and certainly their ability to run the quarterback is very similar in a lot of ways in terms of to what Philly was able to do. They’re an explosive offense. You saw it last week. Richardson threw the ball 60 some odd yards in the air, 66, so I think that this is a very explosive offense.”

In general, when an offense can find success on the ground, there’s a positive trickle-down effect to the rest of the unit. This creates short down-and-distance situations, opening up the entire playbook for the offense and forcing the defense to defend the whole field.

On the flip side, struggles in the run game puts the offense in predictable passing situations where the defense has the advantage. Without a run game to lean on against the Texans, the Colts offense was very boom-or-bust, either generating big plays or not being able to put together long drives.

Every week the Packers defense–or any defense–is trying to keep points off the board, but with Malik Willis likely under center for Green Bay, the need for a strong defensive performance becomes paramount. Finding a way to contain what can be a very explosive Colts’ offense likely begins in the trenches.

“For us, we’re going to line up every down and do everything we can to stop them and force them to punt,” Hafley said. “No matter who lines up at quarterback for us, I hope the mindset never changes. You got into every game with the mindset you’re playing the best team in the NFL and the players in the NFL.

“We’ve got to give everything we’ve got and not worry about anything else. We’ve got to take the ball away and give it back to our offense. That’s who we have to be. Over and over and over. We’ve got to get off the field on third down and we’ve got to play better than we did last week, and I can’t wait to get back out there.”

Packers OL faces another tough test vs. Colts’ pass rush

Paul Bretl | 9/12/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The name of the game for offenses across the NFL is giving the quarterback time in the pocket. However, the need for that becomes magnified when relying on an inexperienced backup, which it looks like the Packers will have to do in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts.

That task will not be an easy one either, against a Colts’ defensive front that comes with several players who can get after the quarterback at a high level.

“These guys do such a good job,” said Matt LaFleur of the Colts’ front. “They’re relentless. They do a really good job of working together. They’re very choreographed. They do a good job with their pick stunts.

“But they do a really good job of what I like to call creating carnage up front and picking guys off, and getting free hitters on the quarterback. And that shows up all over their tape. It showed up last year. It showed up versus Houston. So I would expect them to try to do the same thing to us.”

The Colts’ defensive front is coming off a 2023 season in which they recorded the fifth-most sacks in football. In their Week 1 matchup with the Houston Texans, they sacked CJ Stroud four times and also recorded 10 quarterback hits. Leading the charge for the Colts is DeForest Buckner at defensive tackle, along with Kwity Paye and Laiatu Latu at defensive end.

Buckner has continued to be a disruptive presence since entering the NFL, while Paye–who produced 8.5 sacks in 2023–and Latu were two of the more efficient pass rushers by win rate in Week 1.

“He’s been one of the premier interior players for many years now,” said LaFleur of Buckner. “He’s just a massive human. He does a great job inside. You can tell he’s a really intelligent football player as well. He’s a guy that I’ve got as much respect for (as) anybody in this game, just the way he handles himself, the way he performs on Sundays.”

However, the Colts’ success in getting after the quarterback goes beyond just those three. General manager Chris Ballard has invested heavily into that position group, building out a deep unit with a hockey-like rotation, with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley believing he has eight different players he can steadily rely upon each week.

Although Matt LaFleur hasn’t confirmed that Jordan Love won’t play, the thought is that Malik Willis will be under center for the Packers in Week 2. The need to give the quarterback time to go through his reads and make on-time and in-rhythm throws is always crucial to an offense’s success. But when the starting quarterback hasn’t even been on the team for three weeks and has only 67 career pass attempts, that time element becomes paramount if there’s going to be any chance of moving the ball through the air.

To help mitigate the Colts’ pass rush, tight end Tucker Kraft as an in-line blocker and chipper will play a key role in providing reinforcements. The Packers ability to move the ball on the ground will also play a key factor in taking away some of the bit from the pass rush.

Steady success in the run game can create short down-and-distance situations where the entire playbook opens up for the offense and forces the defense to defend the entire field. On the flip side, run game woes put the offense in predictable passing situations, allowing the pass rush to really tee-off.

While the Colts’ front was able to make some noise from a pass rush perspective against the Texans, they did give up over 200 rushing yards, including 159 to Joe Mixon at over 5.0 yards per carry.

Against a stout Eagles’ defensive front, for the most part, the Packers offensive line handled itself well in pass protection. According to PFF’s metrics, the offensive line surrendered only eight pressures in that game. The unit as a whole ranks 14th after one game in pass-blocking efficiency.

If the Packers front can hold its own again against the pass rush–which won’t be an easy task–as I wrote about recently, the opportunity for Willis and the passing game to move the ball through the air certainly exists against a Colts’ secondary loaded with question marks.

“They’re a very good front,” said offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich. “They do a great job penetrating. They’re pretty deep across the board and I think you can tell these guys work together and their pick stunts and everything really well. It’s impressive to watch them.

“They’re coached well and they do a good job again with their twists and picks to create seams and get sacks. They’re pretty productive, a really good group.”

Worth monitoring as the week continues is the status of Buckner and Paye for the Colts. Both players have missed the first two days of practice this week. Buckner is dealing with a back injury and Paye a hamstring injury.

Containment or pressure? Packers have to pick their poison vs. Colts

Paul Bretl | 9/12/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Keep the quarterback in the pocket or emphasize creating pressure? Oftentimes, teams can’t have both and need to pick and choose.

“That’s always a great question,” said Matt LaFleur on Wednesday. “I thought last week for 3 1/2 quarters we did a really good job of bottling up Jalen in the pocket…I think it’s a balance in terms of what are you asking to do and you’ve got to play that game in terms of what you think they are going to do and how they’re going to attack you as well.”

In the Packers’ Week 1 matchup against Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles, Kenny Clark mentioned post-game that it was their plan to keep Hurts in the pocket, which as LaFleur mentioned, the defense did well for much of the game. Hurst finished the game rushing for 33 yards on 13 carries with long of just eight yards.

However, in order to accomplish that, the Packers somewhat sacrificed the ability to create consistent pressure. By PFF’s metrics, the Eagles’ offensive line surrendered only nine pressures, with Hurts being under duress only 23 percent of his dropbacks. For some context, a pressure rate by an offensive line under 30 percent is a good day.

“A lot of our rushes were power rushes trying to contain him,” said Clark after Week 1. “Not try to get too crazy with our rushes and get too much up field. We limited probably until the fourth quarter. We still gotta get pressure on him in some kind of way.”

The Packers’ defense will face another test this week, taking on Anthony Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts. At 6-4, nearly 250 pounds, and able to run a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, Richardson brings a rare combination of size, athleticism, and arm talent to the quarterback position.

In Week 1 against the Houston Texans, Richardson rushed for 56 yards on just six carries and completed three passes of 50-plus yards as well–two of which went for touchdowns.

“I think he’s a big, strong, athletic quarterback that can beat you with his arm and his legs,” said LaFleur of Richardson.

If the Packers are going to take a similar approach as last week, where the focus is on keeping Richardson in the pocket, the defensive front better be able to collapse that pocket much more quickly than what they did against Philadelphia.

Although Green Bay was largely able to keep Hurts in the pocket, he had an average time to throw of 3.0 seconds, which when happening consistently, puts the secondary in a bind when having to routinely defend for that long.

Around Richardson is an offensive line unit that is returning all five starters from a 2023 unit that ranked top-10 in yards per rush and pressure rate surrendered. At receiver are the always-reliable Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce, who provide a vertical presence.

The team also added AD Mitchell in the draft, an explosive pass-catcher with a refined released package who can win at all levels of the field. Returning to practice on Wednesday for the Colts was Josh Downs, one of the more productive slot receivers last season–and, of course, we can’t forget about Jonathan Taylor either.

“I think they’ve got good wide receivers. They’ve got the back, they’ve got a tight end, I think up front they did a really nice job against, I think a pretty good Houston defense. So like I said it’s going to be a great challenge.”

An added wrinkle that the Packers will also have to contend with is how Colts’ head coach and play-caller Shane Steichen marries the run and passing games together through RPOs. This element, especially when paired with Richardson and Taylor, can really stress defenses horizontally–helping to create running lanes and opportunities in the passing game–and takeaway some of the bite from an aggressive pass rush.

Ultimately, when it comes to defending the Colts’ offense, the Packers may find themselves in a bit of a pick-your-poison type of situation. If their objective is to keep Richardson in the pocket, when they’re unable to get home, that could leave the secondary exposed. On the flip side, if the emphasis is pressure, that can create the opportunity for Richardson to get outside of the pocket to extend plays either with his legs or via a scramble drill.

There’s no perfect answer–and there never is in the NFL–but the Packers have to decide what the most important element is to take away and prioritize doing that. Then at that point, it comes down to execution.

“It’s a great challenge when you are playing a quarterback as athletic as Richardson is,” LaFleur said. “He’s going to stress you in a lot of different ways. He’s got the ability to pull it down and certainly, he had a, I want to say that was a touchdown run he had on the goal line.

“A couple of other runs he was able to get loose. Obviously they had some designed quarterback runs last week and they do a great job with him. I think Shane (Steichen) and his crew there do a great job of scheming and attacking defenses.”

Will matchup vs. Colts give Packers’ QB Malik Willis chance to let it rip?

Paul Bretl | 9/11/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Oftentimes, when a backup quarterback is in line for the start, the thought can be that we are going to see a more run-heavy and conservative game plan in an effort to limit mistakes and the quarterback being put in disadvantageous situations. However, for the Packers this Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, there very well could be the opportunity for Malik Willis to let it rip.

Now, before we go any further, I want to make clear that becoming one-dimensional without of any sort of run game presence is likely not a recipe for success against a Colts’ pass rush–a unit that recorded four sacks and 10 quarterback hits on the Houston Texans’ CJ Stroud in Week 1. As I wrote recently, establishing the run game will be a must for the Packers.

The Colts are coming off a game where they gave up 213 rushing yards to the Texans. With Houston boasting a trio of receivers that features Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell, the Colts opted to use a heavy dose of light boxes to provide additional help to their secondary, a group that has its share of unknowns entering the 2024 season.

Texans’ running back Joe Mixon took advantage of this additional spacing and the blockers that were able to get to the second level with more ease by rushing for 159 yards at over 5.0 yards per carry. The Texans ended up dominating the time of possession, holding the ball for 20 minutes longer than the Colts, and ultimately kept the Colts at bay with two second-half scoring drives that lasted for a combined 14-plus minutes.

The Texans accomplished this success on the ground with a heavy usage of 11 personnel–or three wide receiver alignments. I would anticipate the Packers doing something similar in an effort to spread the Colts out as much as they can, rather than going with two tight end looks, which naturally brings bigger defensive personnel onto the field.

“I think if you look at Indy, again, another very disruptive front,” said Matt LaFleur on Monday. “I’m sure they’re gonna have a big emphasis on stopping the run after Houston ran the ball 40 times on ’em, so they’ll be working hard on that. There’s no doubt about it, which presents another challenge.”

If you’re the Colts, the added emphasis on the running game that LaFleur mentions is likely two-fold. On one hand, after their poor play in Week 1, as would be the case for any team, the focus is going to be on making sure that doesn’t happen again. On top of that, I would guess that they’re game plan will revolve around putting the game in the hands of the inexperienced Willis rather than Josh Jacobs.

This is, however, where the potential opportunity could lie for Willis and the passing game. If the pendulum swings the other direction for the Colts and we see more defenders near the line of scrimmage, that means more one-on-one matchups for the Packers receivers against a secondary where Green Bay will have the advantage matchup-wise, and it might not be particularly close.

In 2023, the Colts’ secondary–featuring several young players that battled inconsistency–ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in explosive pass plays surrendered, as well as in the bottom third of the league in passes defensed and yards per pass attempt allowed.

This season, the Colts returned almost the same exact cornerback room, with the only additions to that unit coming on Day 3 of the draft. GM Chris Ballard, who very much believes in drafting and developing, banked heavily on the internal development of second-year players JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones to elevate the play of that room. Whether that happens, along with the overall depth of that position group, is what the key questions were heading into the season.

Even with the Colts’ usage of lighter boxes against Houston, Stroud was still an efficient 24-for-32 passing, averaging 7.3 yards per attempt, while Collins totaled 117 receiving yards and Diggs had two touchdowns. To make matters even more difficult for the Colts, they will now be without Brents moving forward after he was placed on IR on Tuesday, and strong safety Julian Blackmon was ruled out on Friday.

This leaves Indianapolis with either Dallis Flowers, who is coming off an Achilles injury in 2023 and was a healthy scratch in Week 1, or Sam Womack, who was claimed on waivers following cutdowns and has just over 200 career snaps, to start opposite of Jones at cornerback. At safety, they’ll either move Nick Cross down to the box and start Rodney Thomas at free safety, or elevate Ronnie Harrison from the practice squad to start at strong safety.

So, again, there’s potential opportunity for the Packers through the air in this one. But the big and obvious unknown from the Packers’ perspective is what to expect from Willis. As a former third-round pick now entering his third NFL season, Willis has just 67 career pass attempts, 61 of which came in 2022. He’s completed only 52 percent of those passes at a measly 5.2 yards per attempt with no touchdowns and three interceptions.

And, oh yeah, he’s only been in Green Bay for just over two weeks at this point in time.

“At the end day, the reality is I just got here,” said Willis about the preparation this week, “so it’s gonna be a little bit in overdrive, not as a normal week as if I’ve been here the whole time, but we’re definitely going to be taking it day by day and just doing what we can each day to prepare ourselves for Sunday.”

Despite the ups and downs up to this point in his career, what intrigued GM Brian Gutekunst to make the trade for Willis was the big step forward he took during the preseason. Over those three games with the Titans, Willis completed 74.1 percent of his 27 throws at 7.6 yards per attempt with two touchdowns to one interception, along with rushing for 101 yards at 9.2 yards per carry.

That progress Willis made this summer, and not only in the final numbers he produced but in how he acclimated himself to the new offense and the process component of playing the quarterback position, is what really stood out to Gutekunst. That growth coupled with Willis’ big arm and ability to make plays with his legs are what sparked the Packers’ pursuit.

“I thought this year in particular,” said Gutekunst “and there was a coaching staff change as well, took over the new system, but the way he kind of–his patience, the way he was going through his progressions and able to play from the pocket. When to run, when not to run–those kind of things.

“I thought, again, it’s a short sample size in the preseason, but I thought he did a nice job. Just again, I think his ability to win with his arm and with his legs was something that attracted us to him.”

The challenge for LaFleur from a game-planning perspective will be drawing up a way to take advantage of the Colts’ secondary, but doing so in a way that plays to the strengths of Willis, allowing him to play fast and confident. It goes without saying, but LaFleur shouldn’t be asking Willis to do what he’d ask of Jordan Love. We could see a lot of designed rollouts to get Willis in space and where he can make half-field reads.

As offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said recently, Willis doesn’t have to know the entire playbook to be successful, but what does need to happen is the coaching staff must understand what Willis does well, what his strengths are, and put him in a position where those qualities can be maximized.

“Well I just think every game’s a little bit different and certainly you gotta play to your players’ strengths,” said LaFleur. “So it’s our job to try to come up with whatever we come up with in order to put him in a position to be successful and whether that’s moving launch points or straight dropback, whatever it may be, we always carry play actions every week, so we’ll come up whatever we feel like is gonna give us the best possible opportunity to move the football.”

Of course, the offense is going to look different with Willis under center. However, at the end of the day, the goal when putting together a game plan is to ensure that you’re exploiting the weaknesses of the opponent.

Even without Love, that element doesn’t change, but how exactly the Packers go about doing that with Willis at quarterback will be what is different and how the Colts respond will dictate what the Packers do. Ultimately none of this matters if Willis’ throws are off, but the opportunity for him to find success through the air very well could exist this week.

“We gotta see what they do obviously,” said Stenavich. “The runs you like that you do well, too. It’s just one of those things like all right, as the game goes, you have to have your answers for whatever they’re going to try and do. I’m not gonna be stubborn and pound my head against the wall. If they’re giving us things in the pass game, we gotta be able to take it and we gotta take advantage of it. We have really good wideouts who can make a lot of plays.

“I think as Malik gets more familiar with these guys as the week progresses, he’s building that repertoire and that camaraderie with them that he can trust those guys, like he trusts those guys to go out there and make plays. I’m not gonna say we’re just gonna run the ball. We’re gonna take what the defense gives us and hopefully that’s good enough to beat them.”

Packers run game success established vs. Eagles must be carried over with Malik Willis at QB

Paul Bretl | 9/10/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — It was tough sledding early on for Josh Jacobs and the Packers’ run game against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, in the second half, better execution upfront, and depending on who you ask, a bit of a changeup yielded better results.

This is something that will have to carry forward, particularly with Malik Willis under center.

By halftime of this Week 1 matchup, Jacobs had carried the ball seven times, excluding the two-point conversion attempt, and had totaled only four yards on the ground. In regards to the run game, it was Emanuel Wilson who was keeping the Packers’ head above water, totaling 37 yards on just three attempts.

“I can’t tell you how many times they had linebacker run-throughs that we didn’t block the backer,” said Matt LaFleur on Monday. “It’s hard to get going. Early on in the game, they were doing some line movement and credit to them.

“I didn’t think we adjusted quick enough but I think once we did get our runners going, we blocked their front much better. Give credit to Philly. That’s a really good front. All those guys.”

In the second half, however, like the flip of a switch, things began to turn around on the ground for Jacobs and the Packers. Between the third and fourth quarters, Jacobs had rushes of nine yards, 22 yards, and 32 yards, to give him a grand total of 84 yards with an average of 5.3 yards per rush.

“Yeah just switched up the style of plays in the run game a little bit more and kind of adjusted to some of the things that they were doing that we hadn’t seen on film and we were able to start moving the ball,” said Josh Myers after the game.

But if you ask LaFleur, there wasn’t much of a change at all to what was being asked of the offense in the run game. Instead, it was better execution, particularly in the gap running scheme, which helped slow the Eagles’ defense down.

“Sure we may have tried some different running schemes but that’s almost every game,” LaFleur said. “I think we got the gap-scheme going a little bit and that helped maybe slow down some of their movement. But we run our run schemes. I wouldn’t say it was a massive changeup.”

Regardless of whether it was execution, a changeup to the play calls, or both, the Packers have to make sure they carry that second half momentum in the run game into their Week 2 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, which will likely feature Malik Willis under center.

A strong running game can be Willis’ best friend as there is a massive positive trickle-down effect to the passing game when things are going right in the ground game.

When an offense has a strong run game to lean–even an offense with an explosive passing game–those two elements together can really put opposing defenses in a bind. It sets up short down-and-distance situations, opening up the playbook for LaFleur, and it forces the defense to either defend the entire field or commit to stopping the run, both of which can open up opportunities in the passing game to be exploited.

Conversely, struggling to pick up yards in the run game puts the offense behind the sticks and in predictable passing situations where the defensive front can pin its ears back the secondary has the advantage in coverage. This will not be a recipe for success for Willis, who has only been in Green Bay for two weeks and has just 67 career regular season pass attempts in two seasons, particularly against a Colts’ defensive front that has the ability to be extremely disruptive when it comes to getting after the quarterback.

The Colts are coming off a game where the Houston Texans dissected them in the run game. Joe Mixon rushed for 159 yards and the Texans offense as a whole rushed for 213 yards. With CJ Stroud at quarterback along with Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell at receiver, the Colts opted to play with lighter boxes, which the Texans took advantage of.

With Willis at quarterback, the Packers may not have that same light box luxury, even with the talent they have at receiver, with the Colts attempting to force Willis to have to be the one to beat them.

On the flip side, what the Packers have in their favor is the unpredictability of having Willis at quarterback, specifically how they potentially pair his ability as a ball carrier with Jacobs, which can stress a defense horizontally, helping to open up running lanes or even opportunities in the passing game.

“Well I just think every game’s a little bit different and certainly you gotta play to your players’ strengths,” LaFleur said of getting Willis ready. “So it’s our job to try to come up with whatever we come up with in order to put him in a position to be successful and whether that’s moving launch points or straight dropback, whatever it may be, we always carry play actions every week, so we’ll come up whatever we feel like is gonna give us the best possible opportunity to move the football.”

As I detailed recently, even with Love, I believe the ceiling for this Packers team will be determined by Jacobs and how potent the run game can be. Now, in Love’s absence, that sentiment goes from being true to an absolute necessity if this offense is going to find success in the coming weeks.

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