With a record of 3-6, the Green Bay Packers are currently way out of the postseason picture. Currently, the Packers are trying to find as many wins as they can to carry over into the following campaign (if they make an unlikely postseason run).
Joe Barry, the defensive coordinator, has been urged to be dismissed by many (even before this season). It is now to the point where a lot of fans will be stunned beyond belief if he is kept on after this season. But Matt LaFluer might think otherwise.
A major criticism of the Packers’ Week 10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers was the light boxes they used on defense.
Among those plays was a first-and-goal from the four-yard line. There were two “down linemen” on the field for the Packers. Steelers running back Najee Harris could’ve walked into the end zone with such a light box. However, LaFleur continues to see the positives in Joe Barry:
“That is baffling to me, when people talk nickel defense, and they talk about two down linemen because I don’t know what that means,” said LaFleur.
“When you go nickel defense, those outside linebackers become defensive ends. And the way we always judge it, would you want a running back blocking that guy? Would you want a running back blocking Preston Smith? Would you want a running back blocking Rashan Gary? The answer is usually no. So they are defensive linemen,” LaFleur added.
“I think it’s comical when I hear talk about, ‘Oh, they have two down linemen.’ To me, people are exposing themselves when they say that. There are four defensive linemen on the field.”
How Has The Packers Defense Fared In 2023?
Unfortunately, the Packers rush defense has been abyslmal this season. Green Bay has allowed 627 yards and six touchdowns on 124 carries against the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Against the Packers, teams that run heavily typically find success. In those three games, the Packers faced 41.3 attempts on average from their opponents. As long as Green Bay wasn’t able to stop them, their opponents kept running the ball. Spoiler: They couldn’t. The Packers rush defense currently ranks 28th in the NFL in yards allowed per game.
Though the Packers’ passing defense is surprisingly among the best in the league in terms of yards allowed per game, opposing teams that are strong runners tend to avoid the passing game.
