The Green Bay Packers are already experiencing what it’s like to have a successful season that ended too early. Green Bay improved in many areas from 2023 to 2024, most notably on defense. That kind of turn around will draw attention from other NFL franchises.
As it turns out, the Atlanta Falcons are one of those teams.
Packers’ Coach Interviews For Major Promotion With NFC Rival (Report)
Derrick Ansley, defensive passing game coordinator for the Packers, interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons, the team announced Thursday:
Ansley is the Falcons’ fourth interview for the job.
First-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley hired Ansley to be his passing game coordinator in 2024. Ansley spent the previous three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, including one year as the team’s defensive coordinator (2023).
The Packers enjoyed tremendous improvement against the pass in 2024 despite not having Jaire Alexander for 10 games. Ansley helped develop rookies Javon Bullard and Evan Williams, Xavier McKinney intercepted eight passes and was named to the All-Pro team and Keisean Nixon transitioned successfully to perimeter cornerback, while the Packers allowed only 6.0 net passing yards per attempt and a passer rating of 88.5, both top-10 marks in the NFL.
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Aside from coaching the Raiders’ defensive backs in 2018, Ansley also spent time at Alabama (2016-17) and Tennessee (2019-20).
During his collegiate career at Troy, Ansley recorded 19 interceptions.
Among the veteran coaches interviewed by the Falcons are Wink Martindale, Jeff Ulbrich, and Lou Anarumo.
Both traditional statistics and analytics show the Packers defense has improved even if the season did not end as expected:
- Points per game: improved from 10th to 6th
- Yards per play: improved from 20th to 5th
- DVOA: Packers improved from 27th to 7th
- EPA/play: improved from 24th to 4th
- Yards per play: improved from 17th to 5th
- Takeaways: improved from 23rd to 4th
- Turnover percentage: improved from 23rd to 3rd
- EPA/dropback: improved from 23rd to 3rd
- EPA/carry: improved from 23rd to 8th
- Yards per carry: improved from 22nd to 3rd
- Passer rating: improved from 25th to 9th
- Tackles for loss: improved from 22nd to 5th
- Scoring percentage: improved from 8th to 5th
- Average net yards/attempt: improved from 25th to 6th
- Yards/completion: improved from 19th to 7th
- Third down%: improved from 25th to 12th
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