Green Bay Packers: Why They Need to Generate Big Plays in 2019
The Green Bay Packers defense is improving, but they have to make more big plays happen to help the offense in the 2019 season.
The Green Bay Packers are heading into the 2019-20 season hoping to get back to the playoffs after a two-year drought. Their defense has been steadily adding talent over the last two offseasons with GM Brian Gutekunst at the helm, and the offense will still be run by Aaron Rodgers. We know what that tends to look like. On the other side though, it’s the defense that can make the biggest difference for Green Bay this year.
When the Packers were dominating the NFC earlier in the decade, they had an elite offense with a havoc-causing defense on the other side. It’s been many years since that could be said. They were tied for eighth in the NFL last season in sacks, but that was more due to scheme sacks than true pass rush sacks. Their turnover margin had them at just 19th despite Rodgers throwing just two interceptions on the year. With an influx of talent, can they change that back to how things were?
The Chicago Bears had arguably the best defense in the NFL last season. They finished with 50 sacks, which was almost four times the 13 sacks that the Oakland Raiders totaled. They also had an eye-popping 27 interceptions in 16 games. Green Bay finished with seven. While the Bears were averaging nearly two picks per game, the Packers were averaging less than half of one.
Rodgers takes care of the ball which rewards the defense for creating turnovers and stopping drives with sacks. The Green Bay Packers have to take advantage of that opportunity. Playmakers like Jaire Alexander, Adrian Amos, and Preston Smith have to go get the ball for their quarterback. Turnovers turn the course of a game on its head. They get the crowd back into the game, and they give you opportunities to score points.
These young players that are being thrust into new roles need to step up in a big way. Five of the team’s seven interceptions came from Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Bashaud Breeland. Neither player will be on the roster next season. The other two picks came from Alexander and Kevin King, who has a massive year ahead of him due to the two injury-plagued seasons he has dealt with to start his career off.
The two best offenses in the NFL last season were the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams. Both of their defenses ranked worse than 20th in points per game, and the Chiefs were 31st in total yards allowed. They gave up a lot of points and yards, but their defenses gave them opportunities with the ball. Kansas City tied for the league lead in sacks with 52 while being tied for fourth with the Rams in fumble recoveries with 12. The Rams also were third in total picks.
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Turnovers and big plays feed the offense by giving them energy to play off of, and it gives them more opportunities to score points. Far too often in his career, Rodgers has finished games or the season on the sideline. When you have a guy with the talent that Rodgers has on your team, you give him the ball as often as you can. It’d be like having Giannis Antetokounmpo, but you go with Matthew Dellavedova for the game-winner. In 2019, the defense needs more big plays.