The Green Bay Packers: “You are what you are”
3163 yards: that is how many yards the Packers defense has given up this season through the air. Considering how poorly the secondary played against Baker Mayfield that seemed like a good place to start.
3163: That is total passing yardage against the Pack. That would put them at 11th in the NFL. Not so bad, right? Even with the Douglas trade.
Well, when it comes to TD’s allowed that number gets a little worse: 32. That puts them at 17th in the NFL. That is more than a 2 ¼ TD’s per game.
And then when it comes to overall scoring the defense has given up 301 points. That’s a lot. Especially since the offense has scored 300 total points this year.
When we look a little more at the statistical details surrounding this defense we see what they really are: an average squad that has an average to below-average NFL ranking. Does that come down to coaching? Does it come down to player performance? Or is the truth found somewhere in-between?
Coaching: Joe Barry
Joe Barry is not a very popular man right now in Green Bay.
Here are some more detailed stats.
Joe Barry's Packers defense ranks in 2023
22nd in yards per play
25th in expected points added
22nd in takeaways
26th in passer rating allowed
29th in interceptions
22nd in sacks
28th in yards/rush
21st in scoring%
25th in adjusted net YPA
25th in third down%
31st in plays/drive— Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) December 18, 2023
Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry was also previously the Defensive Coordinator for the Detroit Lions and for the Washington Commanders.
Those stops did not end all that well either. The Lions were ranked 3h2nd in defense in the two years he was there. The Commanders were rated 27th and 28th respectively in his two years there.
In 2021 GB, using that same metric, was 9th. In 2022 they were 17th. Today they are 19th.
These are yards per game allowed numbers. It tends to be a pretty reliable statistic.
Green Bay Packers Player Performance
It almost goes without saying that tackling is one of, if not the, most important defensive metric in football.
Quay Walker has been a leading tackler for the team this season (98 tackles). Walker was 3rd on the team with 6 tackles Sunday against Tampa Bay. The leading tackler for the Packers against the Buccaneers was safety Jonathan Owens. If your leading tackler is your safety that is usually never a good thing. Owens is currently 5th on the team this season with 67 total tackles.
Along with Walker the Packers continue to need a linebacker who “thumps” the opponent and helps prevent the run. Isaiah McDuffie has been that at times and has truly been a help. But is that what this team and what this front-office thought was going to happen? McDuffie was drafted by the team in the 6th round. Today you could argue as he goes, so goes the defense.
Rudy Ford leads the team with 2 INT’s. (Only 2.) If that stands that would be the lowest team leader in interceptions in decades.
What can you say about the history of the Packers D?
Once upon a time the franchise had some pretty amazing defenses. The “Dome Patrol” of the ’60s boasted stars like Ray Nitschke and Willie Davis, creating a hard-hitting and dominant force that helped secure multiple championships. That is certainly lacking today.
The 2010 Packers showcased an impressive defense during their Super Bowl-winning season. Charles Woodson and Clay Matthews led a unit that had a knack for creating turnovers and making crucial stops when it mattered most. The culture of that team was reflected in their resilience and tenacity.
However, when discussing the greatest Packer defense of all time, the 1996 squad stands out. Coached by Fritz Shurmur, this defense, affectionately known as the “Reggie White-led Defense,” featured Hall of Famers Reggie White and LeRoy Butler. This unit allowed the fewest points in the league and played a pivotal role in the Packers’ Super Bowl XXXI victory. The combination of a fierce pass rush and a stout secondary made them a force to be reckoned with, solidifying their place in history as one of the best.
Even Butler has begun to question the direction of this defense.
Related: Former Packer Star Questions Packers Defense
Monday Night Football
After Jordan Love hit Malik Heath with 1:46 left to play to possibly take the lead in Monday Night’s Game against the Giants, only to have that pass end up incomplete, you still knew the Packers could score. There is a belief in the Packers and their offense to be able to score.
And then they did. Love hit Heath again for a score. You knew it could happen. It is the Packers offense. They have always had that. It is that unspoken thing.
But the defense couldn’t keep the Giants from scoring. The Pack lost. Against Tampa Bay when the game started to slip away it felt like all too familiar of a script.
For this team and this franchise and this fanbase it might even be more than just “the numbers”: it is more than that. And this needs to be figured out sooner rather than later or else fans may not experience a winning team for quite a while.
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