It has been a rollercoaster year for Packers safety Darnell Savage. He struggled in the first half of the year and was ultimately benched for a couple of games. However, in the game against the Miami Dolphins, he was reinserted into the lineup and played a role for a defense that did not give up any second-half points. Savage was asked about what changed and he talked about his approach to the game.
Asked Darnell Savage what clicked for him in Miami. "My approach," he said.
Then this: “My biggest downfall is I feel like I can make every play. When I’m not making every play, I get frustrated. As any competitor, you get frustrated, you can’t really focus on the task at hand.”
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) December 30, 2022
Darnell Savage Is Changing His Approach
Savage elaborated more on what changing his approach looks like on the field.
“My biggest downfall is I feel like I can make every play. When I’m not making every play, I get frustrated. As any competitor, you get frustrated when you can’t really focus on the task at hand.”
Ultimately, Savage was trying to do too much. Football is a true team sport where you need the unit to play as one in order for success to happen. Once Darnell Savage missed a play, it would affect the rest of the game and the frustration would compound. This led to many poor performances in the first half of the season.
Is Savage Turning It Around?
If Savage can prove he can stay on the field, it will be huge for the Packers going into the offseason. The Packers have already picked up his fifth-year option. The safety position will most likely change as Adrian Amos has had a down year. If Savage can be the one constant going into next year, it will give the Packers the liberty to fill some other holes before focusing on the safety position.
You have to admire how Savage has handled this situation. Getting benched is not easy and many players would throw a pity party or a temper tantrum. Darnell Savage did the opposite. He changed his approach. He kept and great attitude and work ethic. Now, he is back on the field for the Packers’ playoff push. They will need him to be at a high level as the Packers look to shut down Justin Jefferson and the Vikings’ passing attack.
Follow me on Twitter at @sorcerermatt, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here!
