Green Bay Packers: 3 X-Factors Against Tampa Bay
By Paul Bretl
Green Bay Packers RT – Billy Turner
This entire Green Bay Packers’ offensive line unit through the first four games of the season has been excellent, to put it simply. In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, they’ve allowed the fewest total pressures with only 18. However, Sunday will their most difficult challenge up to this point in the season, and that especially includes Billy Turner.
When it comes to Turner’s performance at right tackle over these last two games, I have to admit that I am pleasantly surprised. In 75 pass-blocking attempts, he is yet to allow a sack, a quarterback hit, or be called for a penalty. And although after the bye week, he doesn’t meet the minimum snap requirement anymore to qualify for ESPN’s pass block win rate metric, he was first among all tackles with a win rate of 98 percent prior to Week 5.
But this week, Turner and the rest of the Green Bay offensive line will be up against a Tampa Bay pass rush that has 17 sacks this season, the third-highest total in the NFL, and Turner, in particular, will be matching up often with Shaquil Barrett. This season, Barrett has two sacks and 27 pressures, while in 2019, he led the entire NFL in sacks with 19.5.
As is always the case for Green Bay, the name of the game is keeping Aaron Rodgers upright, and if Turner can continue playing well against Barrett, well, that’ll go a long way in helping this Packers team come away with the win.