Green Bay Packers v. Steelers: 5 Big Questions Heading into Week 4
By Paul Bretl
Will we see TJ Watt get similar treatment as Nick Bosa?
Despite trotting out a very inexperienced offensive line unit to face a very good 49ers’ pass rush, the game plan drawn up by Matt LaFleur and his staff was able to mitigate the impact that Nick Bosa and the other Niners edge rushers had in the game.
Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan were frequently lined up inline to help chip and provide the tackles with help. We also saw the Packers utilize the quick passing game and stay away from play-action as a way to get the ball out of Aaron Rodgers’ hands. On average, he held on to the ball for 2.15 seconds, which was the second quickest time in Week 3.
On top of that, we also saw Green Bay lean on the run game, something that they should be doing every week. Given that the Packers will be facing another solid pass-rush unit that includes TJ Watt, who can absolutely wreck a game if given the opportunity, I’ll be curious to see if they take a similar approach in Week 4.
Can the Green Bay Packers get the ground game going?
In terms of big plays, the Green Bay Packers’ ground game has been contained fairly well. Against Detroit, the running backs would average 3.9 yards per carry, while against San Francisco, it was 4.0, and their longest run over these two weeks was just 12 yards.
This week Green Bay will be up against a Steelers team that is allowing 88.3 rushing yards per game, the ninth fewest in the NFL this season, and just 3.6 yards per rush, which ranks seventh. It won’t be easy, and we may see the run game bottled up again, but it’s important that the Packers establish and stick to the run game, just as they have the previous two weeks, even if they aren’t ripping off huge carries.
As I’ve discussed before, these past two games are perfect examples of how teams don’t need gaudy rushing numbers in order for the run game to be successful. Picking up 4.0 yards per carry creates 2nd & 6 situations, which opens up the playbook for LaFleur; it also allows Green Bay to move the chains on third and short scenarios.
The key is that the defense respects that the Packers could run the ball at any time and that in turn opens up the passing game for Rodgers.
So even if it is tough sledding against this Pittsburgh front, it’s vital to the offense’s success that Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon get their share of carries. We all saw what happened against New Orleans when the Green Bay Packers become one-dimensional and predictable.